Description
This Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup is a rich, comforting dish featuring tender chicken thighs, baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and small pasta shells in a flavorful broth finished with parmesan and cream. A perfect hearty soup for any season, enhanced by the subtle depth of white wine and the creamy texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 500 g chicken thighs, skinless boneless
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Soup
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large celery stems, finely sliced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (chardonnay), optional
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock/broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 250 g small pasta shells
- 1 cup parmesan, finely grated
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 packed cups baby spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomato strips, chopped into 1cm pieces, plus some oil for drizzling
Soup Thickener (Cornflour Slurry)
- 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 2 tsp water
Instructions
- Cook outside of chicken: Sprinkle the chicken thighs with salt and pepper on each side. Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once foamy, place the chicken in and cook the first side for 3 minutes until lightly golden, then cook the other side for 2 minutes. The inside may still be raw, which will cook later. Remove the chicken onto a plate.
- Soup flavour base: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add garlic, onion, and celery into the same pot and cook for 3 minutes or until the onion softens.
- Deglaze: Increase heat to high, add the white wine, stir, and let it simmer until the wine reduces by half to concentrate the flavors.
- Broth & pasta: Add chicken stock, water, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then add the pasta shells. Cook the pasta for about 10 minutes according to the packet instructions, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add chicken partway: While the pasta cooks, chop the chicken into 1.5 cm pieces and add them back into the pot to finish cooking with the pasta.
- Finish soup: Once the pasta is cooked, lower the heat to low. Stir in the parmesan until melted, then add the cornflour-water slurry, cream, and chopped spinach. Stir for about 1 minute until the spinach wilts and the soup thickens slightly.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with the chopped sun-dried tomato strips and a drizzle of the tomato oil for a finishing touch. Enjoy hot.
- Storing: To keep leftovers fresh, separate the pasta and chicken mixture from the broth before refrigerating. Reheat broth and solid components separately to avoid over-softening the pasta.
Notes
- If using chicken breast, slice each breast horizontally into thin steaks before cooking.
- White wine adds depth and flavor; for a non-alcoholic version, substitute half the water with extra chicken stock or use zero-alcohol white wine.
- You can substitute small pasta shells with ditalini, small macaroni, or gluten-free pasta (increase cornflour slightly for thickening with gluten-free).
- Store-bought sandy-type parmesan works best and melts well in the soup; avoid pre-packaged non-cheese substitutes.
- Using heavy cream creates a creamy texture and rich color; if substituting with milk, use 1 1/2 cups full-fat milk and reduce water by 1/2 cup, but note the soup will be less white and creamy.
- Sun dried tomatoes add bright flavor and colorful finishing oil, offering a delicious departure from typical croutons or nuts.
- For best storage, separate pasta and chicken solids from broth to prevent pasta from bloating overnight; both components can be refrigerated or frozen separately.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 320 g)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
