This slow cooker chicken tortellini soup is full of tender chicken, delicious cheesy tortellini and just enough bright spinach all topped with a generous handful of parmesan cheese. This easy soup is bright and cheery and bursting with Italian flavors.
Equipment
6 quart slow cooker
Large spoon
Measuring cups and spoons
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Box grater
2 forks
Ladle
Ingredients
2Chicken breastsboneless, skinless, about 12 ounces
3 cansTomatoes - 14 ounce cansLow or no salt is preffered. Crushed or diced both work.
1Large carrot- gratedabout ½ cup grated carrot
1Small onion- dicedabout a half cup
32ouncesLow sodium chicken broth one box
1TablespoonItalian seasoning
½TeaspoonDried basil
1TeaspoonSalt
½TeaspoonPepper
16ounceFrozen cheese tortelliniAnywhere between 16-20 ounces works best, see notes if you have refrigerated tortellini
1cupFresh spinach- dicedSee notes about using frozen spinach
Parmesan cheeseAt table
Instructions
Place the chicken breasts and tomatoes in the slow cooker. Grate the carrot and dice the onion, then add to the slow cooker. Next add the chicken broth, italian seasoning, basil, salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low. Chicken should be cooked through and no longer pink in the middle.
Remove the chicken breast from the slow cooker to a cutting board. With two forks turned backward, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces that fit on a spoon. Then add the chicken back to the slow cooker.
Add the tortellini to the slow cooker and let it cook for 20 minutes.
Dice the spinach into small pieces. Add to the slow cooker and keep it covered for about 10 minutes.
Serve with a generous topping of parmesan cheese and enjoy.
Notes
You can substitute fresh refrigerated tortellini for frozen fairly interchangeably in this recipe though the fresh will cook a little faster. If you have dried tortellini, I recommend cooking it in a separate pot of boiling water according to the package directions and then add the drained pasta to the soup before serving. Dried tortellini absorbs a lot more liquid than frozen or fresh pasta does and with the liquid proportions of this recipe you will be left with very little broth left in your soup.This recipe was made in a 6-quart slow cooker.