Marry Me Chicken Soup Recipe

I created a Marry Me Tuscan Chicken Soup that marries tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and a creamy sauce in a way that sets it apart among flavorful soup recipes.

I wasn’t expecting a soup to change my mind about weeknight dinners, but this Marry Me Tuscan Chicken Soup did. It balances a silky creaminess with bright slightly tangy notes from sun dried tomatoes and a late pop of fresh baby spinach that sneaks in at the end.

Each spoonful feels like a tiny surprise you didn’t plan for, layers of flavor that keep pulling you back. Its simple, rich, and a little bit addictive, and I keep coming back to it when I want a bold, Flavorful Soup Recipes kind of night.

Ingredients

• Chicken breast: Lean high protein low carb, filling and great for muscle repair
• Sun-dried tomatoes: Tangy concentrated tomato flavor, adds umami and a touch of sweetness
• Spinach: Packed with iron vitamin K and fibre wilts down bright leafy freshness
• Parmesan: Sharp salty umami add depth and some calcium use freshly grated
• Heavy cream: Makes broth silky rich high in fat but super comforting
• Garlic: Pungent aromatic offers immune boosting compounds and savory backbone to soup
• Carrots and celery: Add fiber crunch and natural sweetness good for digestion

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed), drained and chopped
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half if you want it lighter)
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water, optional for thickening
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, optional
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

How to Make this

1. Season the chicken pieces with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in batches so it gets a nice color, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch, then remove to a plate (it doesn’t need to be fully cooked yet).

2. Add the diced onion, carrots, celery and red bell pepper to the same pot and cook until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Those bits add flavor, don’t scrape them away.

3. Stir in the minced garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes if using, and the dried Italian seasoning. Cook another 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.

4. Return the browned chicken to the pot, pour in 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (165°F) and the vegetables are tender.

5. Turn the heat to low and stir in 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half if you want it lighter) and 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan. Stir gently until the cheese melts and the soup is creamy. Do not let it boil hard after adding the cream or it can separate.

6. If you prefer a thicker soup, whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth and slowly whisk it into the simmering soup. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until the soup thickens.

7. Add the roughly chopped baby spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice if using, to brighten the flavors, and taste for seasoning, adjusting salt and pepper as needed.

8. Finish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and a little extra grated Parmesan on top. Serve hot with crusty bread or over a spoonful of cooked rice if you want to stretch it.

Equipment Needed

1. Large heavy pot or Dutch oven (for browning chicken and simmering soup)
2. Cutting board
3. Chef’s knife
4. Tongs or slotted spoon (for turning and removing browned chicken)
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula (for scraping browned bits)
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
7. Liquid measuring cup (for the broth and cream)
8. Fine grater for Parmesan
9. Instant read thermometer (to check chicken reaches 165°F)

FAQ

Marry Me Chicken Soup Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Chicken breasts: swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs — they’re juicier and more forgiving, use the same weight but brown a bit longer; or for a vegetarian twist use firm tofu, press well, cube and brown before adding.
• Heavy cream: use half-and-half for a lighter finish, or mix 3/4 cup whole milk with 1/4 cup melted butter as a quick sub; full-fat canned coconut milk works if you need dairy free, it will be slightly sweeter.
• Sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed): replace with jarred roasted red peppers for a similar sweet-smoky note, or rehydrate dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes in hot water then chop if you don’t have the oil-packed kind.
• Parmesan cheese: swap with Pecorino Romano or Asiago for a comparable salty, nutty punch (taste and cut back on added salt), or use nutritional yeast for a vegan option.

Pro Tips

– Pat the chicken dry before searing and don’t crowd the pan, otherwise it steams instead of browns. Browning in batches takes a little longer but those browned bits are worth it, they give the whole soup more depth.

– Save a little of the oil from the sun dried tomatoes and add it back when sautéeing the veg, it gives an extra punch of umami. If you have a Parmesan rind toss it in while simmering and fish it out at the end, instant flavor boost.

– When you add the cream, take the pot off the heat for a minute or temper the cream by whisking in a few spoons of hot broth first, then stir it in slowly so the dairy doesn’t split. After that keep it at very low heat and avoid a rolling boil.

– If you thicken with cornstarch, mix it smooth with cold water first and add it little by little while simmering, taste as you go so you dont overdo it. Another easy trick: a splash of lemon juice right at the end brightens everything, so don’t skip that if it tastes a bit flat.