Get ready to fall in love with this Marry Me Tuscan Chicken Soup recipe! This comforting dish brings together tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and a creamy, flavorful cream sauce that’s sure to win hearts at the dinner table. It’s perfect for cozy nights or weeknight dinners, and it promises warmth and deliciousness in every spoonful.

Key Ingredients

Chicken
Onions
Carrots
Celery – Brandi’s Tip: Grab pre-chopped veggies if you can afford them. This will save a lot of time. I love the Trader Joe’s Mirepoix combination that includes chopped onions, celery, and carrots in one container for a few dollars. You can use that entire package in this recipe. Most standard grocers will carry pre-chopped vegetables.
Garlic – Brandi’s Tip: Grab pre-peeled garlic in the grocery store.

Spinach
Sundried Tomatoes
Broth

Cream
Parmesan Cheese
Flour

Italian Seasoning

What Type of Chicken to Use

You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, and cooked rotisserie chicken works great too. Here’s a quick breakdown of your options:

Chicken Breasts: Lean, tender, and easy to shred or cut into chunks. They can be a bit less flavorful compared to dark meat, but they work wonderfully with the creamy, rich sauce.
Chicken Thighs: More flavorful and juicier than breasts, with a slightly richer taste. The extra fat in thighs gives the soup added richness and depth.
Rotisserie Chicken: This is convenient, already cooked, and adds an amazing depth of flavor from the seasoning and roasting process. Just be careful not to overcook it. If you’re using pre-cooked chicken, add it towards the end and just heat it through.

What Type of Pasta/Noodles to Use

You can really use whatever type of pasta or noodles you like for this soup. It’s not your typical chicken noodle soup, so don’t feel restricted to just egg noodles. My personal favorite is authentic Italian macaroni elbows, which I get at Costco and Trader Joe’s. Other options include:

Ditalini (Tube-shaped)
Cavatappi (Corkscrew shape)
Bow Tie
Fusilli
Rotini
Mini Penne

How to Make Marry Me Chicken Soup

Here’s how I make my Marry Me Chicken Soup. You’ll find the detailed measurements and full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning, and cook until browned.
In the same pot, add chopped onions, carrots, celery, sundried tomatoes, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are tender and translucent.
Sprinkle flour over the veggies and stir well to combine. If you plan to add tomato paste, do it here and stir it in.
Gradually whisk in chicken broth and stir continuously to avoid lumps.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the pasta along with 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes.
Stir in heavy cream, spinach, and grated Parmesan cheese, and let the soup simmer until everything is heated through.

What Type of Pot to Use

I use a 6-quart Dutch oven for this soup, but here are a few options to consider:

Dutch Oven: Excellent heat retention and even cooking. Perfect for browning the chicken and simmering the soup. The heavy lid helps keep moisture in.
Stockpot: Large capacity, ideal for big batches. While it’s lighter and more affordable, it might not retain heat as well as a Dutch oven, so you may need to stir more frequently.
Soup Pot: Designed specifically for soups with a wide base for even cooking and a large capacity for all your ingredients.

More Ways to Add Flavor

Every time I make this, I usually add cooked crumbled bacon and Cajun seasoning. It really takes the dish to the next level, and it’s our favorite way to enjoy it. Here are some more ideas for adding flavor:

Dry white wine (2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup)
Truffle oil
Sesame oil
Fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or basil

How to Substitute Heavy Cream

If you don’t have heavy cream on hand, you can swap it out with:

Half-and-half
Milk
Full-fat coconut milk
Softened cream cheese (about 4 ounces)

Keep in mind that half-and-half, milk, and coconut milk won’t be as thick as heavy cream, so the texture of your soup will change a bit.

Substitutions and Add-Ins Ideas

Feel free to make this soup your own with some of these add-ins or substitutions:

Red peppers or bell peppers
Mushrooms
Corn
Broccoli
Kale
Zucchini
Mozzarella cheese
Red pepper flakes
Fresh lemon juice

Note: Watch out for mushy pasta. Overcooking pasta in the soup can cause it to turn mushy. Some pasta brands may even get mushy when reheated. If you’re worried about this, cook your pasta separately and add it to the soup just before serving.

How to Store

Store any leftovers tightly covered and sealed for 3-4 days.

How to Reheat Leftovers

The longer this soup stands, the more it thickens, which is what I love about it. If you prefer a soupier consistency, just add a little broth or water when reheating. This is a great way to keep the texture just right!

Freezing Tips

If you plan to freeze this soup, I recommend leaving out the heavy cream during the initial cooking process. You can add it when reheating to prevent curdling or separation. Also, keep in mind that pasta may become mushy after freezing and reheating, so it’s best to cook the pasta separately and add it right before serving.

Whether you’re looking for a comforting meal or a cheap soup recipe to enjoy, this Marry Me Tuscan Chicken Soup is sure to impress! It’s rich, flavorful, and easy to make, and you can customize it with your favorite ingredients.

Marry Me Chicken Soup

Get ready to fall in love with this Marry Me Tuscan Chicken Soup recipe! This comforting dish brings together tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and a creamy, flavorful cream sauce that's sure to win hearts at the dinner table. Perfect for cozy nights or weeknight dinners, this is a rich and satisfying meal that that promises warmth and deliciousness in every spoonful.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Course Dinner, lunch

Cuisine American

Servings cups

Calories

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
1- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs Diced into 1 inch pieces; I used 1 1/2 pounds.
2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning Divided
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onions
1/4 cup diced sundried tomatoes

3 garlic cloves Minced
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste Optional See notes
6-8 cups chicken broth I recommend start with 6 cups. See notes.
6 oz pasta I used Italian small shells.
1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2-1 cup grated parmesan reggiano cheese
2 1/2-3 cups fresh spinach

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, and cook until browned on all sides, about 4-5 minutes.
1 teaspoon olive oil,1- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs,2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning,salt and pepper to taste
In the same pot, add the onions, carrots, celery, sundried tomatoes, and garlic and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
1/2 cup diced carrots,1/2 cup diced celery,1/2 cup diced onions,1/4 cup diced sundried tomatoes,3 garlic cloves

Sprinkle the flour throughout and stir well to combine. Add the flour in stages to avoid excess drying. If you plan to add tomato paste, add it here and stir.
1/4 cup flour,2 tablespoons tomato paste
Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and stir repeatedly, ensuring there are no lumps. Deglaze the bottom of the pan using your spoon.

6-8 cups chicken broth
Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and add in the pasta and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Cover the pot with the lid and lower the heat to low to let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender and the pasta is al dente. Alternatively, you can boil the pasta separately, and add it at the end.
6 oz pasta

Open the pot and stir in the heavy cream, spinach, and grated Parmesan cheese, and let the soup simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
1 cup heavy whipping cream,1/2-1 cup grated parmesan reggiano cheese,2 1/2-3 cups fresh spinach
Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and spices if needed.

Notes

I use 6 cups of broth in this soup and that produces a really thick cream sauce and thick texture of the soup. You can always add more broth later to thin out the soup, if you don’t want a thick consistency. I always recommend and caution to start on the low end, because it’s much easier to thin out a soup, than it is to thicken it if you add too much liquid.

The use of tomato paste is optional. If you want soup with tomato flavor, then use it. If you don’t and prefer a white/creamy soup then omit it. The soup will have some tomato flavor already from the sundried tomatoes.

Rotisserie chicken is convenient, already cooked, and adds a depth of flavor from the seasoning and roasting process. You have to be careful not to overcook it. If you plan to use pre-cooked chicken, you don’t need to add it until the end, cook it just long enough to get it warm.

Mushy pasta will occur if it’s overcooked. Some brands may even get mushy when stored in the fridge and reheated later. If you are worried about mushy pasta, feel free to cook your pasta separately and in accordance with the directions on the package. This is important because all pasta does not cook at the same speed. Add it to the soup last, before serving.

When reheating, feel free to add additional broth or water to revive the soup and thin it out.

Flour is used to thicken the soup. You can omit it, but it will alter the texture. You can use something like cream cheese instead if you wish.

You can swap out the cream using half and half or milk. You can also use full fat coconut milk or 4 ounces of softened cream cheese. Half and half, milk, and coconut milk aren’t as thick as heavy cream, so using these will alter the texture of the soup, so keep that in mind.

To use a slow cooker add all of ingredients to the pot (with the exception of the pasta, cream, spinach, and grated parmesan.) Cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours. Boil the pasta and add it to the slow cooker with the cream, spinach, and cheese. Stir.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Emily Hart

Hi, I’m Emily Hart, a 32-year-old chef with a lifelong passion for cooking that goes far beyond just a career—it’s the heart and soul of who I am. From the moment I was old enough to hold a spoon, I’ve been enchanted by the way food brings people together, how flavors can tell stories, and how a simple dish can evoke powerful emotions. The kitchen is my sanctuary, where the sizzle of pans and the aroma of fresh ingredients inspire me to create something special every day.

For me, cooking isn’t just about following recipes; it’s about experimenting, pushing boundaries, and blending culinary traditions to create something new and exciting. Whether I’m preparing an elegant five-course dinner or a comforting bowl of homemade soup, I pour my heart into every detail. I believe that food has the power to connect us all—whether through shared meals or teaching others how to find joy in cooking.

Over the years, I’ve honed my skills not only in crafting delicious meals but also in understanding what makes people feel at home when they sit down at the table. I love sharing my passion with others through cooking classes, collaborations with fellow food enthusiasts, and simply bringing people together one plate at a time. Cooking is my art form, and every dish is an opportunity to share a piece of myself with the world.

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