Lemon & Spinach Chicken (Tortellini) Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 medium carrots, scrubbed and diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs*, cut into 3 pieces
- 1 bay leaf
- 10 ounces fresh or dried cheese tortellini
- 3 cups spinach, roughly chopped or torn
- 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
- 2 lemons
- fresh parmesan shavings, for garnish
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sauté carrots, onion, and celery until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook for 30 more seconds.
- Stir in chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Add chicken and bay leaf, reduce heat to medium, and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the tortellini, recover, and continue cooking.
- Cook for 5 more minutes, then transfer the chicken to a bowl and use two forks to shred. Return chicken to the pot. If you used fresh tortellini, it should be ready to eat. If you used dried, you may need to continue cooking for another couple of minutes.
- Stir spinach and 1/4 cup parsley into the soup, and combine the remaining 1/4 cup parsley with the zest of 1 of the lemons and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cut the two lemons in half and squeeze the juice into the soup. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice if desired.
- Serve soup with parsley-lemon zest mixture and fresh parmesan shavings.
Notes
*If you’re using chicken thighs (I actually prefer thighs – they stay much juicier) poach them for 15 minutes, then add the tortellini and cook for 5 more minutes, then remove the chicken and shred for a total chicken cook time of 20 minutes.
Use any broth/stock you have! Bouillon also works.
Any type of noodle also, of course, works. Tortellini not required, though highly recommended!