Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup is a clear, brothy soup of chicken breast, carrots, celery, onion and garlic cooked low and slow in chicken broth with herbs. The chicken comes out to be shredded, then cheese tortellini go in for the last 15 minutes. It takes 5 minutes to load the pot and serves 6.
How to make it: Put the vegetables in the slow cooker, then the thawed chicken, garlic, broth, water, bay leaves and Italian seasoning. Cook on low for 6 hours, until the chicken reaches 165°F. Shred the chicken and stir it back in, add the uncooked tortellini and cook 15 minutes more. Season, remove the bay leaves and serve.
Why You’ll Love It
- Five minutes of prep: chop, load the pot and walk away.
- Chicken noodle comfort, cheese-filled: tortellini instead of noodles.
- Light, clear broth: no cream, no tomatoes, just vegetables and herbs.
- No pre-cooking: the chicken goes in raw and the tortellini go in straight from the package.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken: 1 1/2 pounds of boneless chicken breast, fully thawed. Boneless skinless thighs work too.
Vegetables: 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced, 3 stalks of celery, 1 medium onion and 3 cloves of garlic.
Broth: 6 cups of low sodium chicken broth and 1 cup of water.
Seasoning: 2 bay leaves and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, plus salt and pepper to taste at the end.
Tortellini: 2 cups of cheese tortellini, added uncooked. Fresh (refrigerated) tortellini works well.
To serve: chopped fresh parsley, if you like.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breast, thawed
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups cheese tortellini, uncooked
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup
1. Fill the slow cooker. Put the carrots, celery and onion in the slow cooker first, then add the thawed chicken, garlic, broth, water, bay leaves and Italian seasoning. Leave the tortellini out.
2. Cook on low. Cook on low for 6 hours, keeping the lid on except to stir or check. The chicken is done when it is cooked through, very tender, and a food thermometer reads 165°F.
3. Shred the chicken. Lift the chicken out of the slow cooker. Shred it or cut it into cubes, then stir it back into the soup.
4. Add the tortellini. Stir in the cheese tortellini and cook for 15 minutes, or until they are cooked all the way through.
5. Season and serve. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Take out the bay leaves and serve right away, topped with chopped parsley if you like.
When to Add the Tortellini
The tortellini go in at the very end, not at the start, and they go in uncooked. Here is the order:
- Chicken and vegetables cook all day. Six hours on low in the broth.
- Chicken comes out. Shred it with two forks or cut it into cubes, and stir it back in.
- Tortellini go in last. Stir them into the hot soup straight from the package and cook about 15 minutes, until they’re puffy and cooked through. Start checking at 8 minutes; slow cookers vary.
- Serve right away.
For the tortellini step, you can turn the slow cooker to high and put the lid back on.
Can You Put Raw Chicken in a Slow Cooker for Soup?
Yes, as long as it is fully thawed. USDA FSIS says to always thaw meat or poultry before it goes into a slow cooker. Put the vegetables in first, keep the lid on except to stir or check, and cook until the chicken reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. Cooking on low the whole time is safe.
Variations
- High setting: cook the chicken 3 to 4 hours on high instead of 6 on low, then add the tortellini.
- Chicken thighs: use boneless skinless thighs in place of the breasts.
- A little creamy: stir in 1/4 cup of cream with the chicken at the end. It stays a light broth soup.
- Different herbs: use 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme and 1 teaspoon dried parsley in place of the herbs listed.
- Stovetop: simmer everything but the tortellini, covered, for 30 to 45 minutes until the chicken is tender and 165°F, then simmer the tortellini 2 to 3 minutes.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Divide the soup into smaller shallow containers so it cools quickly, cover, and eat within 3 to 4 days, per USDA FSIS.
Freezer: Freeze for 3 to 4 months and thaw in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Cover and bring it to a rolling boil (165°F) on the stove or in the microwave. Don’t reheat leftovers in the slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with homemade cheesy garlic breadsticks or crusty bread and a green salad. For more slow cooker and chicken soups, try slow cooker lemon chicken and rice soup, creamy chicken noodle soup, crack chicken soup, slow cooker lasagna soup or slow cooker pasta fagioli.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put tortellini in a slow cooker?
Yes, at the end. Stir uncooked cheese tortellini into the hot soup for the last 15 minutes, until they’re puffy and cooked through.
Do you need to cook tortellini before putting in soup?
No. They cook right in the hot broth. Start checking after 8 minutes, since slow cookers vary.
Can you put raw chicken in a slow cooker for soup?
Yes, if it’s fully thawed. Cook it until it reaches 165°F on a food thermometer, then shred it.
Can I make chicken tortellini soup on the stove?
Yes. Simmer the chicken, vegetables and broth, covered, for 30 to 45 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F, then cook the tortellini 2 to 3 minutes.
Final Notes
Load the pot in the morning, shred the chicken when you get home, and the tortellini are done by the time the table is set. If you make it, tell me in the comments what you served with it.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breast thawed
- 3 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or more to taste
- 2 cups cheese tortellini added uncooked at the end
- fresh parsley chopped, for serving, optional
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Put the carrots, celery and onion in the slow cooker first, then add the thawed chicken, garlic, broth, water, bay leaves and Italian seasoning. Leave the tortellini out.
- Cook on low for 6 hours, keeping the lid on except to stir or check. The chicken is done when it is cooked through, very tender, and a food thermometer reads 165°F.
- Lift the chicken out of the slow cooker. Shred it or cut it into cubes, then stir it back into the soup.
- Stir in the cheese tortellini and cook for 15 minutes, or until they are cooked all the way through.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Take out the bay leaves and serve right away, topped with chopped parsley if you like.
