This Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini, Spinach and Chicken Soup is a delicious meal made all in one pot that will leave everyone saying yelling, “THAT WAS GOOD!” No seriously, that’s what we all said (kids and adults alike). If I could eat this soup every day this winter, I would be happy.
Click here for the Instant Pot version of this soup
Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini, Spinach and Chicken Soup
You guys, this is a soup that you absolutely have to try. It is so super good. For reals! You are going to love it. It’s like a creamy tomato soup with cheesy tortellini and chicken and then a pop of color from the bright green spinach.
My kids both died over this soup and we were all sad when there was none left. It has loads of flavor and comfort. No need to make a roux on the stove top at the end of cooking time, the flour is added at the beginning to give the soup a creamy, thick consistency without dirtying extra pans.
My Favorite Slow Cooker Soup Recipes
If you know me, you know I love soups and it’s even better if they’re slow cooker soups! I have tried a ton of soups over the years but here are some of my favorites that I make over and over again.
- Chicken gnocchi soup with kale and Parmesan–reminds me of Olive Garden but much better
- Tomato basil parmesan soup–a classic that is super popular
- Blender roasted red pepper soup–not a slow cooker soup but I make this one all the time
- Healthy turkey lentil chili–easy to make and healthy but it tastes oh so good, especially with Fritos and sour cream on top
What Slow Cooker Did You Use?
For the Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini, Spinach and Chicken Soup I used my beloved 6 quart oval KitchenAid slow cooker*. I love this slow cooker because it cooks evenly and low. I also love this slow cooker because it has a neat timer with satisfying beeping buttons as well as a medium setting for those days where you start your slow cooker at an in-between time.
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Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini, Spinach and Chicken Soup
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
A creamy tomato soup with cheesy tortellini and chicken and then a pop of color from the bright green spinach.
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp dried basil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes
- 1 to 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 4 cups frozen cheese tortellini (or you can use fresh)
- 3 cups packed spinach (you can definitely add more than this if you want)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream or 1 cup half and half
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl add the onions, flour, basil, garlic, tomato paste and drizzle with olive oil. Microwave for 5 minutes, stirring every 90 seconds or so. (The mixture will be pasty and look weird but don’t worry it will all be okay in the end). Add the mixture to the slow cooker*.
- Add broth, tomatoes, chicken, salt and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours (or until chicken is very tender).
- Remove the lid use a fork to remove the chicken out of the slow cooker. And add in tortellini and spinach, Parmesan cheese and warmed cream (cream should be warmed because it may cause curdling if added in cold).
- On a cutting board, shred or cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Add the chicken back into the slow cooker. Put the lid back on and cook on HIGH for about 10 more minutes, or until the tortellini are cooked through. Ladle into serving bowls and enjoy!
Notes
*I used my 6 quart oval slow cooker for this recipe.
Click here for the Instant Pot version of this recipe
Recipe inspired by Closet Cooking
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Would this work with bratwurst instead of chicken? If so, how should I prep it and when should I add it?
Thanks!
Yes, you could do that. I would brown it in a pan on the stove in a little oil. Slice it. Then add it into the pot when you would have added the chicken.
So bland and disappointing! I saw this recipe everywhere but I guess it’s one of those things that’s famous for being famous. Anyway, a couple of things that didn’t work out and could easily be done differently:
1. the fake roux in the microwave doesn’t work well at all. If you want a thickener, use cornstarch/cornflour, which will mix into cold water. No need for the microwave.
2. shredding the chicken isn’t good for a soup as you’re left with stringy bits of chicken. Cutting is much better.
★
My whole family loves this.
hot creamy tummy warming soup…yum
★★★★★
Thanks so much for the 5 stars Dawn!
Very very good, I made it on the stove too! I just let everything cook for a while then added the tortellini, spinach, cheese, and cream at the end.
★★★★★
Good to know! Thanks for the 5 stars!
hi. help.is the spinach supposed to be cooked or raw when measured and added ro the crockpot? thanks.
raw is what I do!
Hi, I wonder if anyone has a suggestion for a vegetarian substitute for the chicken.
Maybe try a beyond meat product?
French Lentils or brown lentils if you can find them. Green lentils will fall apart too much. Lentils are a great substitute for meats in a soup!
I’m going to cook this tomorrow with Quorn chicken and vegetable broth instead of chicken. Any recipe I see that has meat in I just subitute with Quorn products 🙂 will come back here and leg you know how it turns out!
Awesome! I will have to try that sometime 🙂
Try jackfruit
I am also a vegetarian. I just used vegetarian mock chicken boullion (I can recommend some good ones) for the broth, and just omitted the chicken. It was VERY good.
The creamy broth was very flavorful. I used homemade turkey broth, but cut the flour and cream in half tho. I usually don’t like tomato soup, but I did like this.
★★★★★
Thanks Cathy! homemade turkey broth sounds so good!
Fabulous recipe! I actually use Italian sausage instead of chicken and it is great!
★★★★★
I love that idea!
I have been making this for years and it’s always been a crowd pleaser. I cook the tortellini separately and mix in at the very end because they get mushy on me otherwise. My slow cooker is very old and tends to cook faster. I also use 1/2 and 1/2 instead of cream. Love this recipe!
★★★★★
Thank you Maria! I am so glad you found a good way to make it in your slow cooker.
I made this soup tonight and it’s delicious! However, next time I’d like to cut the recipe in half because it makes a tonnnn of soup lol! How long do you suggest I cook on low in the crockpot?
I would cook about 30 minutes less if you’re halving it
Delicious, how would I change the ingredient amounts for a 4quart crock pot? I
★★★★★
You can make this in the 4 quart, it will just be pretty full. Or you could cut everything in half.
I have made this recipe several times and we love it. I make a stove top version in which I sear the chicken, and sautee the onion, then garlic, and then the basil. Next, I add the flour and stir for a bit. Then add all the liquids except for the cream and cheese. I add the chicken back to it, and cook for about 20-30 Mins on med-slow heat. After I add the cream, cheese, and spinach. Chefs Kiss!
Oh and don’t forget the tortellini!
mmmm! Love that you find a way to make it on the stove.
Hi Karen!
Is it possible this could be made in a Dutch oven? I have 2 so I got rid of my crockpot. I hope this can translate over to a Dutch oven well 🙂
I’m sure you could do that!
Scroll up to Renato’s comment. They have your solution!
I can’t tell if you’re being satirical or you’re just a miserable wretch of a human being
Alyssa it’s unfortunate the soup did kill you.
yummy <3
Thanks!
Hi Karen, Student living alone here who has little to no cooking skills, this was a huge change of pace for what im usually eating at home and i just felt the need to thank you for taking the time to share it with the world!
★★★★★
Ahhh, you’re welcome! I’m so glad that you gave it a shot. Thanks for the five star review!
get a life
Oh hunny, speak to a professional.
you posted cringe bro
Obviously you’re hurting.
I’m just going to suggest therapy. I’ve lost children and I’m sorry for your loss but if that sentence which im SURE wasn’t meant to be offensive triggers you that much, I think therapy may be a good option.
Oh Alyssa,
Imagine being so isolated from the world that you feel the need to bash someone’s creative writing for a soup recipe on the internet. God bless you and your keyboard warrior fingers.
Love,
Anti-Alyssa
In the time it took you to compose that comment you could have been making some more soup to bring her kids back.
Easy & delicious! Just the right amount of creamy and tastiness. Definite comfort food! Will make it again.
★★★★★
Thank you Jackie!
Would it be ok to use fresh basil Instead?
Yes I would add it right before serving
Delicious! My husband and I absolutely love it
★★★★★
Yay! so glad to hear it!
Does the spinach need to be cooked or does it cook in the soup at the end?
It cooks in the soup at the end.
Ah, I wasn’t sure so I cooked it and have 2 cups of cooked spinach. Should I just add it last minute?
yep!
Great soup and made twice recently. Can you freeze leftovers?
Thanks
yes but the tortellini will get bloated and mushy!
Hi Karen,
I was going to make this today, but I have a few questions. I don’t like onions, if I use onion powder, what do you recommend for the first step? Also I plan to use pre cooked chicken. How long do you think I should cook it for, along with fresh pasta?
Thank you!
I wouldn’t do the first step. Just stir everything into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or until pasta is cooked through.
Hi,
Do you know if this recipe would fit in a 4qt slow cooker as is? Or do you suggest halving it?
It will be close to the top. You may need to half it
Does the microwave mixture fully mix in with the broth in the beginning? I still have chunks of it after trying to get it to fully mix, but it won’t.
Not really, it’ll be fine don’t worry!
Awesome. Cooked it stove top. Added little red pepper flakes for some heat. Also ladled into smaller pan to add in tortellini. That way stays fresh for leftovers. Really really a good soup.
★★★★★
So glad you liked it!
Smells divine but its disappointing as it lacks depth of flavor. I used no salt chicken broth. Stock or bone broth would have been better. I also cooked the tortellini separately and place it in the bowl and topped with broth so the pasta would not absorb call the liquid. Its OK but nothing special.
★★★
Perhaps using fire roasted tomatoes would help with that next time?
I used diced tomatoes with green chiles and subbed pesto for tomato paste to add flavor. We liked it, but I’ll try heavy cream instead of 1/2 & 1/2 next time.
★★
Try a pkg of cream cheese instead of heavy cream of half & half.
Hi, making this for the first time today…looking forward to it! Quick question…Do you drain the diced tomatoes before adding them? Thanks so much!
I do not drain them. hope you enjoy!
Absolutely amazing!!!
★★★★★
Hooray! Glad you liked it Tracey!
Hi! I do not have a microwave. Can I do the first stop stove top with same result?
That’s what I did (also don’t have a microwave). Just used medium heat and kept a close eye on it for 5 minutes. So far so good!
Yep!
This looks great! But I don’t eat onions. Should I still cook the tomato paste, flour, etc mixture in the microwave for 5 minutes if I don’t add the onion to the mixture? I’m looking forward to trying the recipe later this weekend!
Yes that’s what I would do
Hi Karen –
I’m excited to try this soup but I’m wondering if I could sub gnocchi instead of the tortellini and how would that affect the cooking time? Thanks in advance!
Yes!! that would be great and I would do the same cooking time, or until they float to the top
I am wondering how this would be with leftover turkey from Thanksgiving? Shredded or cubed….what do you think?
★★★★★
Yep! That would be wonderful! Love that idea.
Would chicken breast work? Instead of thighs?
Yes, not as tender but still good.
Are there any good non dairy subsitutes?
Another reader said, “Made a dairy free version of this. Substituted farfelli for the tortellini, used lacto free cream cheese instead of cream and lacto free mature cheese instead of parmesan. Worked a treat, really tasty and every one enjoyed it.”
Love this recipe! My husband loves it too, he’s gotten me to make it twice in a span of 5 days. Even with just the two of us, we barely have any leftovers.
★★★★★
haha! That’s great!
Karen,
Can I use kale instead of spinach? We love fresh spinach, but not cooked. Would cook time be the same?
Yes you can and yes to the same cooking time.
What substitute would you use for the cream if you wanted to reduce the calories in this recipe?
You could use milk or half and half or evaporated milk.
Hi Karen
I make the tortellini soup all the time. I made it for a group last year and they flipped over it. a go to when I need to make something for dinner, fast. I always have tortellini in the freezer just for this recipe! I slso love your chicken enchilada soup. Another go to.
So glad you like it!
Made this for the first time. It was out of this world!! Only problem is the leftovers absorbed the broth. Could I add more chicken stock to thin it out a bit?
yes!
I made this soup once and it turned out great. Just tried making it again and while the flavor is similar, the diced onions didn’t soften. They’re actually noticeably hard. Any idea why?
Did you cook it the same amount of time? Dice the onions the same? Did you microwave the onions? That is weird! I don’t know why.
Sweat your diced onion first. Med.-low heat fry pan w/butter til they start to look translucent. 5 min. should do it
Hey, Karen, the recipe looks absolutely delicious, I can’t wait to try it!
I was planning on making it and did a calculation of the calories based on the ingredients listed. It’s not a high calorie soup, but it clocks in at around 450 calories, not 256. It’s still a lovely dinner, but if you could update the calorie count it would be more helpful for people who are measuring their intake.
Thanks for the heads up! I did think it was pretty low for what it is.
I’ve made the Creamy tortellini soup and loved it. I’m making it again, but I’m interested in trying with frozen chopped spinach instead of fresh. Do you recommend thawing and squeezing out excess water or just adding frozen. I don’t want soup to be watered down, but also am picky about the stems on fresh spinach. Last time i trimmed all the stems!!! Very time consuming to say the least!!! Thanks for your input.
★★★★★
I am lazy so I would just throw it in frozen!!! But that’s just me. You may want to squeeze it out if you’re nervous about the soup getting watered down.
Have you used frozen spinach? Did it turn out ok? The first time I used fresh but I hate all the stems. Very time consuming to trim off the stems.
I bet that would work just fine! I haven’t tried it myself.
I usually use fresh, but I have used frozen spinach – I just threw it in and it worked just fine.
Use baby spinach just chop a little and stems are tender
Walmart substituted frozen tortellini and gave me uncooked Tortellini and I am unsure how proceed. Any suggestions?
It will just take a bit longer to cook than the frozen. But you should be fine!
Fantastic recipe. I’m not a fan chicken thigh so used Andouille sausage instead and it was amazing. Thanks for the recipe.
Yum! great idea!
This has become one of my go to soup recipes and it has been shared with several people! I have made it with a pound of Italian sausage which gives it a little kick. I also am not a huge fan of onions, so have substituted the onions for red pepper, which has worked well. Karen, thank you for the delicious, quick, simple recipe.
So glad you liked it Janna! thanks for sharing the love!
Absolutely fantastic recipe!
★★★★★
So glad you liked it 😊
I make this often and want to thank you for this. It’s amazing. I’ve shared it with EVERYONE. Problem is though, one of my friends is allergic to gluten, do you have gluten free ideas for this?
Hi Kat, I would use gluten free tortellini and a gluten free flour. Not sure how good it will taste!
Great recipe, can’t wait to try!
How well does this soup store? I like to meal prep and was wondering if it’s safe to keep in the fridge for a few days or even the freezer?
★★★★★
The tortellini tends to get bloated and all the broth gets sucked up. It still tastes good…Just not the same as the first day.
How is the spinach when it’s leftover?
It’s good!
My microwave is on the fritz, so I browned the thighs (dusted in the flour and seasonings) in olive oil in a pan. After I removed them I tossed the onion in a little more olive oil with the garlic and tomato paste, and the last bit of the flour and heated it all through in the same pan. I followed the other directions as written. This soup is AMAZING. I also came from reddit, and am glad I finally gave The Soup a shot. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
★★★★★
You’re welcome Emily! Thank you for being here.
Shut up, Karen
There’s literally no need for that. Do you feel better now? It costs zero dollars to behave on the internet.
★★★★★
Immature kid thinking they’re funny on a recipe, okay.
★★★★★
I made the “slow cooker creamy tortellini, spinach and chicken soup” yesterday. I used a 6 qrt. slow cooker and cooked for 4 hours on high. Then added the frozen tortellini and the spinach for the last 10 minutes. My tortellini came out gummy. The soup’s flavor was really good just didn’t like the texture of my pasta. Any ideas?
I haven’t done it myself, but I would try making the pasta separate from the rest of the dish and then add them in when serving.
Made it last night and it was BETTER then we expected! I learned three key things from this recipe. 1. I CAN make a roux! 2. How to mince an actual clove of garlic. And 3. I need a bigger crock pot.
My teens and husband raved about this soup and though we have leftovers, there isn’t definitely not enough to appease all 5 in line for a second portion. 😍
★★★★★
haha! I love this Jennifer!
I was wondering why the first ingredients have to be microwaved? I’m making this tonight, just curious why I can’t throw it all in my cooker
★★★
It softens the onions and blooms the spices, making it taste better. You could try throwing everything it and it will probably turn out but just not taste as good.
Hello Karen,
I’m asking again…does it matter on the spinach if it’s fresh or frozen?
Also, regarding the 2- 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes…do you drain or add the juice of both cans?
I’m sorry to be asking so many questions…but like I said, when I make a recipe for the first time and I’m making it for a group of ladies…that are usually a hungry group…I get a bit nervous.
One more question…Lol…when I mixed the onion, flour, dried basil, garlic and tomato paste with olive oil in the microwave…whew…it really put off a strong smell…that my husband made comment on. He told me that it smelled pretty strong to him. I put exactly what it called for…but it does have a very strong smell. Is this normal?
Thank you,
Hi Sandra,
The spinach can be fresh or frozen. I usually use fresh.
You use the entire can, don’t drain the tomatoes.
And yes on the strong smell 🙂
My microwave is on the fritz, so I browned the thighs (dusted in the flour and seasonings) in olive oil in a pan. After I removed them I tossed the onion in a little more olive oil with the garlic and tomato paste, and the last bit of the flour and heated it all through in the same pan. I followed the other directions as written. This soup is AMAZING. I also came from reddit, and am glad I finally gave The Soup a shot. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
★★★★★
Hello Karen…my son told me of this recipe…and I’ve never tried it. I decided to make it for our ladies Bible study group this Sunday. I’m a bit apprehensive to make it for them since I’ve never tried it. I’ve read all of the wonderful comments and it sounds like a slam dunk recipe. I do have a couple of questions before I make it. In the ingredient list it talks of 3 cups of packed spinach…we are talking of fresh spinach right?
Also, in regards to the cheese tortellini…I didn’t buy frozen, but instead bought the one in the Deli section of my grocery store…and now I’m a bit worried as to how it will taste and work out in this recipe. I’m sure it won’t take as long to heat thru. Do you think I should have bought the frozen?
Hi Sandra, the spinach can really be added to taste, whether it’s packed or loosely packed it will be just fine. As for the fresh tortellini you bought that will work. It actually may take longer than the frozen in my experience. But that’s okay it will still work! Have a fun bible group.
Hello! I don’t own a slow cooker (!!) Do you think I could use a Le Creuset Dutch Oven instead?
Yes you could do that!
Wow!!!!!! I’m making this all the time now!!!! Yummmmmmm. THANK YOU!
★★★★★
You’re welcome Shana!
I was wondering how I would need to adjust the recipe for my 8 qt slow cooker? Also can it cook longer on low? Since I will be at work for 8-9 hours?
You can keep the recipe the same with the 8 quart pot. Can you program it to switch to warm after it’s done cooking? That would be idea. If not I would use frozen chicken to prolong the cooking time.
I added a lot more fresh garlic and oregano, and used half n half (only because I didnt have cream). Next time I’ll make this w half Italian sausage n half beef just to see which one my family prefers. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
★★★★★
You’re welcome Liz!
Can you replace the cream for a dairy free version?
I saw this on reddit, saved it, went out and bought everything today. Then I remembered I threw out my crock pot when I moved and havent replaced. Can anyone help with a quick on the stove rendition of this soup? Thanks in advance!
Do you have an Instant Pot? You could make that version instead!
No, no instant pot so we went back out and bought a new crock pot 🤣 Just finished up and eating now! It is absolutely delicious! Great recipe! Thank you for getting back to me!
★★★★★
Lol!
Can this be cooked stovetop? If so how long?
Thank you for the recipe!
Quick question: does it matter what kind of parmesan cheese you use? Do you suggest using real Parmesan Reggiano, or will any sort of brand work?
I’ve used it all, real, the stuff from the green can, freshly grated or grated it myself. I prefer grating it myself but it all works!
Can this cheesy, chicken, tortellini Soup be frozen?
It could but I think the tortellinis would get really bloated and suck up all the liquid when reheating.
I’m a visual person and I love that you put all the ingredients together and take a picture! Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Do you cook the tortellini first, or just throw it in frozen the last 10 min of cooking?
I don’t cook it first. I just throw it in!
My family loved this recipe!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you and your family liked it Tracy!!
I mean, the pic looks amazing, but I have a hard time with Step 1.
“In a microwave-safe bowl add the onions, flour, basil, garlic, tomato paste and drizzle with olive oil. Microwave for 5 minutes, stirring every 90 seconds or so. (The mixture will be pasty and look weird but don’t worry it will all be okay in the end). Add the mixture to the slow cooker*.”
My grandmother would rise up from the grave to slap me if I did this.
Lol Kevin, you can always do it on the stove if you want 🙂
How about you try the conventional stovetop method then the new-fangled microwave method and tell us which works better for you? Ease of process, cleanup, results? Grandma may forgive you once she’s tasted the results.
Upvote soup
★★★★★
Glad you liked it! Thanks for being here!
Used a dutch oven instead of a croc pot but this recipe is gold, check out r/slowcooking -> They call it upvote soup and it has a cult following.
lol Marc! I need to find that. It’s on reddit??
It is! If you check out r/slowcooking, folks refer to it as “The Soup”, and there are tons of posts about it 🙂
https://www.reddit.com/r/slowcooking/search/?q=the%20soup&restrict_sr=1
Haha how awesome!!! I love it 🙂
This is why I’m here (making my second double batch). Great soup!!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it 🙂
This was my first recipe I tried of yours and it’s DELICIOUS! Everything I’ve tried since has been great and pretty simple so now your site is all I use!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you are here Rachel!
Can I substitute plain Greek yogurt for the heavy cream?
★★★★★
I suppose you could..it may change the flavor profile a bit.
Can I freeze this soup?
Yes I think that would be okay.
Does the chicken need to be thawed before beginning this recipe? My tortellini is also frozen…
Thanks in advance!
No just throw it in frozen. I always do that.
Thank you!
And should the tortellini equal four cups frozen or when cooked? I have a 12oz frozen bag.
Sorry for so many questions…
When frozen, I’d just throw in the entire bag 🙂
Upvote soup! So good.
★★★★★
Yeah!
Delicious! I love the smells of the kitchen – the colors of the dish and the taste is excellent. My husband is going to love this. Thank you so much for sharing this. I posted it on my fb page and on the IP fb page with a link back to you. We will definitely make this again
★★★★★
Thank you Kathy!
Hi, just wondering, do you mean 2x 14.5oz cans of diced tomatoes or 2x cans of tomatoes adding up to a total of 14.5oz?
Cheers
2 cans so a total of 29 ounces.
Do you drain the water from the diced tomatoes or do you add it to the crock pot as well
I added it in as well.
The recipe sounds amazing. I read all the comments and was curious if tomato sauce could be subbed out for the tomatoes? Husband does not like chunks of tomatoes. If so, how much tomato sauce would work? Thanks!!! 🙂
I’d add in 14 oz tomato sauce.
Thanks very much! Looking forward to trying this. 🙂
Can you sub out the flour for Almond flour to reduce some calories?
sure
Why would you want to do that? I’m sure the APF works as a thickener, almond flour won’t do the trick and has a third MORE calories than regular flour.
How about you mind your own business Stefi
They are right though, almonds are really calorie dense and will up the calorie intake. Don’t be so rude.
★★★★★
Hi Karen,
I have this cooking now. My chicken has the bone in. Is it ok to remove in 4 hrs and shred the chicken from the bone?
yes that will work
Going to try this in a college dorm after getting this recipe sent from a friend!
Would this be able to fit into a smaller slow cooker, maybe 3qts? Or would the recipe have to be halved. Does it fill your 6qt completely?
It would probably be too full for a 3 quart. It would be okay in a 4, 5 or 6 quart.
Wouldn’t it make more sense to take the chicken out before you add the final ingredients? Everything that went in will get pulled out on the chicken.
yes it would! good call.
Family loved it!
★★★★★
Absolutely DELISH!!! Easy to make. I used my slow cooker.
★★★★★
Made a dairy free version of this. Substituted farfelli for the tortellini, used lacto free cream cheese instead of cream and lacto free mature cheese instead of parmesan. Worked a treat, really tasty and every one enjoyed it.
I’m absolutely making this!!!
I was wondering about a dairy free version, great tips, and I never thought of doing DF cream cheese to sub for heavy cream in a soup that’s a fantastic idea.
I’ll probably make a batch regular and a batch dairy free, our family is split.
Can I make this on the stove instead?
I did. And it came out great. It just cooks faster then a slow cooker is all when its done on the stove top
How long did it take for you to cook on the stovetop?
I don’t mind using chicken broth, but I won’t eat chicken. Does ditching the chicken on this recipe really impact it’s flavor or the overall dish?
not too much I guess
Going to be making this for Christmas, I was wondering about adding sliced baby portobello mushrooms. Do you think it would make it weird? If not, which step should I add them in at and how much should put in?
I think that would be great! I would add them in to the slow cooker with the broth.
Could I substitute Almond Milk for the cream?
yes, but it won’t be as good.
Can the recipe be doubled and still fit in a 6qt. crockpot?
I don’t think so. Maybe you could 1 1/2 times it in the 6 quart but it will be pretty full.
Recipe looks fantastic! Are you using a grated or shredded parmesan cheese?
either one will work!
I just made this on the stovetop and used prepared chicken breasts, garlic diced tomatoes and extra cream. This was the best soup ever!! Thank you for the great recipe!
★★★★★
So glad you liked it!!
This looks amazing. How would it turn out using whole milk instead of cream? Also, I’d like to make on the stove top, how long should it cook for?
Yes whole milk is fine. I’ve actually never made it on the stove so I am not sure!
Is the recipe still the same without the chicken?
yes!
Family favorite recipe that even my 2 year old loves!
★★★★★
Love this recipe! Has become an easy yet delicious favorite I have put in my dinner rotations!
★★★★★
Can you convert this to instant pot?
yes, here is the IP version: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/instant-pot-creamy-tortellini-spinach-and-chicken-soup/
Delicious! The flavors of the broth were amazing. I substituted chopped kale because I can’t stand spinach. As leftovers it still tastes okay, but the tortellini falls apart and gets a mushy.
★★★★★
I made this soup for supper last night and it was enjoyed by all!! The only things I did different was to increase the amount of broth to 6 cups, used more tomato paste, less tortellini, and did not put in any salt. It was so super yummy!! Thank you. 🙂
★★★★★
Hello Karen I’m going to make this for my family this weekend. Sounds so yummy! I was wondering is it OK to cut the chicken up before I put it in there to cook so I don’t have to take it out and then put it back in? Thanks so much!
Yep!
Hi there,
Would it be ok to use Bone I chicken thighs? I accidentally bought those instead of boneless skinless! Thanks!
Yes but you may want to remove the skin first. And then fish them out after they have cooked and remove the meat from the bone.
Could o make this on the stove instead of slow cooker?
Yes you could totally do that!
Making this recipe right now! I realized that I completely missed “canned tomatoes” when writing out my grocery list. I bought fresh tomatoes. Would you recommend adding anything to the soup that the canned tomatoes would have added to achieve the same great taste? More garlic, salt, etc?
★★★★★
Do you have a can of tomato sauce? You may want to add that in.
We love this soup! I make it with Italian Sausage instead of chicken. Saute the sausage, remove it from the pan and make the roux in the same pan. I follow your recipe otherwise. It’s in the crockpot now and I’m so excited! Bonus points for pretty soup. 🙂
★★★★★
Good idea on the sausage. I think that would take this soup to the next level!
I’ve honestly never commented or reviewed a recipe before – but this was one of the best soups I have ever had!!! I followed it exactly as written, barely any work involved. Thank you so much! It was delicious!
★★★★★
So happy to hear! Thanks for commenting!!!
What kind of parmesan cheese, grated or shredded?
either one!
Hi!
This is in the crock pot now and we can’t wait to try it! Does shredded or grated Parmesan cheese work best?
Thanks!
I’ve used both and they both work fine!
I am no chef and am pretty clueless about cooking. If I sautee instead of microwave the 1st step what exactly is the procedure? Do I just dump it all in or do I cook the flour first? Does the amount of olive oil change? Sorry for the dumb questions.
Nevermind. I just did it as the recipe stated, despite my dislike if microwaving. The only changes I made was italian sausage instead of chicken, added more spinach and used diced tomatoes with roasted garlic as other comnentors suggested. It came out absolutely fabulous! My only disappointment was no leftovers, everyone gobbled it up! This one is a keeper!
Oh I’m so glad you liked it! the sausage sounds great.
What would you suggest if I want to take the chicken out of this recipe entirely? Same amount of liquid?
Thanks!!
yes, same amount of liquid. I bet it would be fine without the chicken.
This looks amazing! My family doesn’t like chunks of tomatoes. Would it turn out ok if I puréed them first, and if so should I drain them?
yes, you can puree them and I would not drain them.
I just made this & pureed the whole soup with an immersion blender after removing the chicken to shred it. I did for the same reason; my hubby doesn’t like chunky tomatoes. Worked really well. Just put the shredded chicken, cheese & spinach in after blending. I also used a can of coconut milk, instead of cream, which was nice with these flavors.
★★★★★
Good plan!
can I use leftover turkey from thanksgiving if so how long should I have everything in the slow cooker?
yes, that would be fantastic. you can cook on low for 4 hours.
Hello
If you get dried tortellini when you you add it in should you cook it first
Hi Sherry, I would cook it on the stovetop at the end of the slow cooker cooking time. Drain it and stir it into the pot. If you think you’ll have lots of leftovers then I would just drain off the tortellini and add it into each bowl of soup. Then keep the tortellini separate from the soup in the fridge. That way the tortellini won’t get all bloated and suck up all the broth of the soup.
How many people does this recipe serve? Having this for 20?
It will make around 10 servings.
Made this today! Amazing & soooo easy. Used half & half cream. Next time I’m going to use sausage instead of chicken to switch it up. It hasn’t even been served yet for dinner but I’ve had a small bowl a couple times & I’m in food heaven! 🇨🇦
YAY!! Sausage sounds really good.
Cooked this soup today. It’s been raining ALL day here, so this was a perfect meal. OMGEEE Delish!!!!
★★★★★
Hooray!!!
This became my favorite soup recipe EVER when I made it last year, and I just had to go back to the recipe to make it again today because I have been craving it pretty much since I made it the first time! Lol! It turned out fabulous again, and I am so excited to make it many more times this winter!! It is sooo so yummy!!!
This is my favorite comment I’ve gotten in a long time! Thank you so much 🙂
This was instantly added to our “favorites” list. Awesome recipe and makes a very generous serving!
★★★★★
Thank you Katie. So nice to hear.
This is one of my favorite recipes!! I make it often, in fact, I’m making it tonight! I pulled up the recipe to refresh my memory and figured while I was here, I would leave a review and thank you for such an awesome recipe!!
★★★★★
I’m so happy you think so!
Hello,
Just wondering if I can freeze this?
Thanks!
I wouldn’t…the dairy and the spinach will come out weird when you reheat it.
The whole family loved this! Even my picky eater (the one who would rather go to bed early without her supper than try new things)-two bowls! We did use half-and-half since that’s all i had and it was amazing. Also used leftover turkey instead of chicken thighs, to use it up. Again, amazing. Your original recipe must be insanely good if it’s this good modified! Thanks for sharing!
Random question-what recipe plugin do you use for this blog?
Hi Leigh! Thanks for the nice comment. I’m glad your family like it so much. My family does too 🙂 I use the meal planner pro recipe plugin!
I would like to prepare this the night before and slow cook the next day. Is that possible with this recipe?
Sure I think that would work just fine.
Possibly the best soup I’ve had.
I’ve made this probably 7-8 times now and each time it is just amazing. Amazing. It’s a fairly simple recipe, but is packed with taste!
Something I’ve had an issue with is what to do with the leftovers. I’ve noticed that the leftovers turn a little goopy with the chicken just shredding apart and turns thick almost like a gumbo.
Any advice?
I only put in enough pasta for what I think will feed everyone and then add to the leftovers later.
And seriously, it’s amazing!
Thomas that was such a nice comment to get. Thank you.
And I’m not sure what to do on the leftovers! Could you add more chicken broth?
I will definitely try that.
Does the chicken thigh shred apart in yours? I’m considering trying chicken breast next time to see if that changes much.
Thanks again for the recipe!
I bet chicken breasts wouldn’t do that as much!
Cold day today and perfect for this soup, but I didn’t want to wait 4 or 5 hours for it to cook in the slow cooker so I made it in my Dutch oven. Followed the directions exactly, but slow simmered it stove top for one and a half hours. Then added the spinach, Parmesan cheese and cream. It was absolutely out of this world!
I don’t think the cooking method changed anything except possibly to evaporate some of the liquid and give the broth a more intense and delicious flavor. This is definitely a keeper.
Awesome, Gloria! Thanks for sharing 🙂
If I were to use ground beef and beef broth how would I go about that instead of chicken?
Hi, you would need to brown the ground beef on the stove before you add it in to the slow cooker.
I a in the process of making this right now lol so I am not sure if you will see this in time or not— should I drain the tomotoes??
don’t drain the tomatoes!
Delicious!!! I used a bag of frozen spinach and FF half-and-half. I also used a multi-cooker, so I was able to just saute (1st step) then switch to slow cook. Great recipe!!!
That is awesome, Meg. The multi cooker seems like the perfect solution for this recipe.
I have some leftover chicken breasts that are already cooked. Would there be anyway I could add those instead of the chicken thighs and if so what would the cook time be?
Sure thing. You can keep the cooking time the same.
Hi there. I wanted to use chicken breast ( boneless / skinless). Would I need to modify th recipe at all. Do u think it would impact the taste ? Thanks
You’d probably be just fine to keep the recipe as in. I prefer the juicier chicken thighs but that’s just a matter of preference. Breasts do tend to get dried out quicker but since they will be completely surrounded by liquid they’ll be okay I’m sure.
This looks delish…can’t wait to try it!
I need to make it glutton free…. I have GF tortellini to use, but need suggestions on what to do about the flour. What do you think would be the best substitute? Or should I just omit? Your advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Is there a gluten free flour you could use? You could eliminate the flour but it wouldn’t be as thick. Let me know what happens!
Made this for the first time tonight, and Wow amazing! We used chicken breast instead of thigh, frozen cheese ravioli instead of the tortellini and omitted the cream entirely. The whole house smells amazing, and we are stuffed with yumminess!
Thanks Kristen! This is so fun for me to hear 🙂 I appreciate you taking the time to comment!
I’ve made this recipe multiple times and it never gets old. My friends and family all ask for the recipe and I make sure to send them the link to your page. Normally I add ingredients to most recipes to make them better but I just can’t change this one at all. So delicious and anyone reading this needs to make this immediately!
Fred, what a nice comment! I’m so glad that you told me this. It made my day 🙂
Hi, I tried this for the first time tonight. I heated my half and half for two minutes in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval. When I poured it into the soup, I see there are white bits everywhere, but I don’t know if it’s the parmesean cheese or curdled half and half?! Help??
I don’t know either! It should be okay…probably just the cheese 🙂
I would love to make this tonight. Do you think is would be okay if the recipe was cut in 1/2?
yes, totally!
This may be a silly question- could you cut the chicken into pieces before cooking?
Yes! That would be just fine.
I have substituted the Italian Sausage for chicken and its delicious. Also, I substitute 8 oz cream cheese for the cream.
Hi, so I’m new to your site, found this recipe on pinterest of course. I wanted to just comment on where the sharing link buttons are on the page for a tablet. Where they are (on the middle far left side of the page) very much impedes the ability to not only read the recipe without scrolling up and down several times, but I’m noticing it makes it difficult to type this comment as well. Now not being a blogger myself, I’m not sure if this can be changed to either not float on the left side but maybe be a more permanent fixture on the right side OR float on the right side altogether. I just know that I’m finding it difficult to see it.
Now about the recipe, this looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it but I had a question. Does this have to use thighs rather than breasts? I never have thighs on hand, so I was just wondering if it might be as goos. Your help is very much appreciated. Thank you for sharing this recipe
Thanks so much for calling my attention to this!!
I need to look into the ipad and figuring out how to to the share buttons. I’ve been making changes to my blog the last couple of weeks and am trying to make it better.
You can use breasts for this recipe and it should work great! I like thighs better, personally…but that’s just me.
I was going to make this today but substitute chicken for Italian sausage. Would u suggest any changes in time or prep?
That sounds amazing!! Id keep everything the same. Let me know how you like it!
I was thinking of doing the same thing. How did it turn out?
I have been looking for a different slow cooker recipe and a new good soup recipe. This is it!
It's just the two of us so can this soup be frozen? If so, how do I do it?
I've never tried freezing it but I would be nervous about the pasta getting mushy and weird. Without the tortellinis it would probably be okay. Good luck!
I was thinking about converting this recipe to do in the oven. That way I can sauté everything in a Dutch oven on the stovetop first, & then cover it & cook the soup in the oven in the same pot. Do you have any suggestions as far as time & temperature–maybe 1.5 hrs at 350?
I bet that would work! I'm not too familiar with dutch oven cooking but I bet this would work great. Good luck.
I make soups all the time, especially Sunday Football days! My husband told me this was his favorite soup I ever made! Thanks
What a great compliment! I'm glad you guys like it 🙂
Made it for dinner tonight, it was tasty and rich (maybe too rich). Some in the family liked it and some not. Used frozen tortelini and extra fresh spinach. Definitely more than 8 servings, though, and once I added the tortelini, they needed more than 10 minutes to cook, more like 30 extra min. No problem with adding the cream . It was worth trying it all in all 🙂
Do you think coconut milk could be substituted for the cream? I have an open can from another recipe that I'd love to use up!
I wouldn't. You could try it though. I feel like it would give it a weird coconut taste. I would use plain milk before I would use coconut milk. That's just my 2 cents.
This was delicious! My new favorite! I used the diced tomatoes with roasted garlic and I ran out of chicken broth so I used half veggie broth. I also used the 3 cheese tortellini! Thanks for a great new and different soup other than my usual chili and chicken noodle!
Sounds fab! Glad you liked it 🙂
so if you're cooking gluten free what substitute do you recommend? just using some gluten free noodles instead of tortellini? I am sure it won't taste as good but what would you recommend as an alternative? thanks!
Hmmm, I'm not sure. I know they have all sorts of gluten free products these days. Have you ever noticed gluten free tortellini or ravioli? Or if not then maybe just some regular pasta.
This soup is amazing. I did the saute method for the base of the soup, used chicken breast and fresh tortellini. It took about 3 hrs 45 minutes on high with my crockpot. I work nights so I've been looking for dishes that I can eat off of for a few nights and this soup will definitely stay in my rotation this fall/winter.
hooray! That is so great to hear.
I won first place in a "Souper Bowl" soup cook-off at work and I didn't change a thing!
Awesome recipe thanks!
Anna, this makes me sooooo happy! Thanks for telling me. I'm glad you won!
How would you recommend completing the first step if you don't have a microwave? Would cooking the mixture on the stove work?
That's what I would do, Cory. Just sautee on the stove 🙂
Hi! Do you think I could use FF evaporated milk instead of heavy cream to cut calories? Thanks!
Hi Jaclyn, I'm sure you could use that. It won't taste as good but you'll be saving a lot of calories 🙂
I accidentally added the cream with the chicken before the 6 hours cook time? Is it going to ruin it? What'll happen if I cook it with the cream in it.
I'm not sure! I bet the cream will curdle. What happened???
I'm sorry 🙁
Halved this recipe and used dry tortellini. Came out great! It reminded me a bit of spaghetti-o's, but everyone else really liked it. We cut back on the amount of tortellini and we also pureed the tomatoes for a smoother consistency.
haven't had spaghettios forever but I actually really love them! ha ha!
About to make this for the second time, but I'm wondering what your thoughts are on using dry tortellini instead of frozen or fresh. We LOVED it the first time, and I don't want the noodles to mess it up this time 🙂
Hmmmm, I don't know! I bet it would be okay. How long do the dry take to cook? I wonder if you would want to cook them over the stove top and then add them in. Sometimes cooking dry pasta in the crockpot makes it weird.
Hi Karen..
I just made it for the 1st time.. the house smells amazing..
and the soups tastes sooooo good!!!
thanks for the recipe 🙂
I'm making this soup for the second time today and I just have to tell you how much we liked it. You make me look like a hero to my wife. She just loves soup and as the saying goes–Happy wife, happy life!
Hey! That is so awesome! I love it 🙂
Unless you are a huge fan of basil, you will want to cut the basil way back! I think this has potential to be really great, but the basil was way too strong for me. Of course, I am not a pesto fan at all. I also used Kale instead of spinach, which to me has a much milder flavor. I will make again with the basil adjustment. Thank you for posting this.
This is probably a stupid question but do you cook the chicken before adding it to the recipe?
nope!
For the heavy cream did you leave it out for it to get warm or did you heat it up in the microwave or on the stove?
I put it in the microwave for 45 seconds!
We are newly married and still trying to learn how to cook so I'm hoping you can help us out! Can we put frozen chicken thighs in there??? Would it cook for 6 hours or should we cook it for 8? Thank you!! 🙂
Yes I totally did that. I would cook for up to 8 hours, depending on how fast your slow cooker cooks.
Awesome-thank you so much!!!!
I made this on Saturday it was wonderful – so rich and delicious. My limited kitchen skills caused no problems. Thank you very much for sharing it.
In case it helps anyone else, I made the following small changes/substitutions without problems:
– used jarred minced garlic instead of fresh cloves
– used light cream since I was out of heavy cream (I warmed it before adding, and didn't notice any souring)
– used chicken breasts instead of thighs
– did step #1 in a skillet (as suggested in another comment), on medium heat until the onions looked a little clear
Next time I will definitely add more spinach! Thank you.
Wow! Sounds terrific Daniel. Thanks for the good suggestions 🙂
Rather than microwaving the first mixture, could i saute it in a skillet on the stove?
Yep!!!
Mom loved it. One kid didn't like the noodles. A little too fancy for husband. Yummy.
Have you tried this with half and half? Trying to lighten it up a teeny bit
I haven't tried it but I bet it would be great with half and half!
how long can i cook this if i make it vegetarian?
You can probably cook it on low for up to 8 hours!
What kind of spinach is used
I just used fresh baby spinach that is bagged in the produce section.
My family absolutely loved this tonight. It's time to start using my slow cooker more regularly. Thank you!
Hooray!
making this today for dinner! so excited!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
did you like it?? We love it at our house!
Now that the cold weather has hit, I'm craving soup even more. And I love that this is made in the slow cooker!
I know! cold weather = soup for dinner every night!