Chicken Alfredo Tortellini Soup

Is there anything better than soup in the winter?

This one has it all.  Chicken, cheese tortellini, and the broth tastes just like alfredo sauce!  It is divine!

I actually made this soup for this month’s Cook the Books Club pick.  Deb from Kahakai Kitchen picked Eat Joy: Stories and Comfort Food from 31 Celebrated Writers edited by Natalie Eve Garrett. 

You, guys...I was not a fan.  Here’s my Goodreads review.

Eat Joy: Stories & Comfort Food from 31 Celebrated Writers by Natalie Eve Garrett
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Just awful. For a book with "Joy" in the title, this book was sure a downer. The stories ranged from melancholy (at best) to depressing to self absorbed and self-congratulatory.

It was interesting to see a few familiar names (I've read other books by several of the featured authors), and I enjoyed the recipes included at the end of each essay, but overall, I was skimming by the end, just to get through it.

View all my reviews

Thankfully, there was plentiful foodie inspiration, including a tortellini soup!  I didn’t use the recipe from the book, but it was inspired all the same!

Chicken Alfredo Tortellini Soup

Adapted from The Slow Roasted Italian

2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, diced

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in bite sized pieces

Salt & pepper

¼ cup all purpose flour

8 cups chicken broth

2 cups half and half

20 ounces cheese tortellini

1 cup parmesan cheese

5 ounces baby spinach

Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and carrot and cook for 3 minutes until just getting tender.  Add the chicken and cook until beginning to brown.  

Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute.  Add the flour and season lightly with salt and pepper.  Cook for another minute, stirring constantly.

Whisk in the chicken broth, allowing the broth to thicken slightly after each addition.  Simmer until the chicken is fully cooked through.  

Bring the soup to a boil and add the tortellini.  Cook for 4 minutes (or according to package instructions).

Finally, stir in the half and half, spinach and parmesan cheese.  Cook, stirring frequently until the soup is heated through (not boiling), the cheese is melted, and the spinach is wilted.

Serves 8