Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup (Printer-Friendly)

Tender shredded chicken with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes in a savory herb-infused creamy broth. Italian comfort in a bowl.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie or poached breast/thighs)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 large carrot, diced
06 - 3 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
07 - ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped

→ Liquids

08 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Herbs & Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme blend)
11 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
12 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

→ Cheese

14 - ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot, sauté until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add sun-dried tomatoes and Italian herbs; sauté for 2 minutes.
04 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
05 - Add shredded chicken to the pot; simmer for 10 minutes.
06 - Stir in heavy cream, spinach, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, until spinach is wilted and soup achieves creamy consistency.
07 - Stir in Parmesan cheese if using, just before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls, garnish with extra Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you simmered it all day, but you'll be done in under an hour.
  • The creaminess clings to every spoonful without feeling heavy or overly rich.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have mingled overnight.
  • You can use rotisserie chicken and skip half the work entirely.
02 -
  • Don't let the soup boil hard after you add the cream, or it might separate and look grainy instead of silky.
  • Chop the sun-dried tomatoes small; big chunks can be chewy and overwhelming in a spoonful.
  • If you're reheating leftovers, add a splash of broth or cream because the soup thickens as it sits in the fridge.
03 -
  • Use the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar to sauté the onions for an extra layer of flavor.
  • If you don't have rotisserie chicken, poach chicken thighs instead of breasts; they stay juicier and add more richness to the broth.
  • Grate the Parmesan fresh right before adding it; pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents that can make the soup grainy.
  • Taste the soup before adding salt, especially if your broth and sun-dried tomatoes are already salty.
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