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Creamy broth, tender chicken, little bites of pasta, and plenty of Parmesan make this Marry Me Chicken Soup the kind of dinner I want when something warm and comforting is calling my name. Add sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and a handful of spinach, and every spoonful has a little bit of everything.
What I especially love about this soup is how much flavor comes from such a simple combination of ingredients. The sun-dried tomatoes bring a rich, tangy sweetness, Parmesan adds that salty, savory finish, and cream cheese and half and half turn the chicken broth wonderfully creamy. Ditalini makes it hearty enough for dinner, and because the recipe starts with rotisserie chicken, it’s easy to get on the table, too.
Serve it piping hot with extra Parmesan and a big piece of crusty bread for dipping. It’s creamy, cozy, and satisfying without feeling too heavy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There’s a lot to love about a big pot of this soup, but the creamy broth might be my favorite part. Cream cheese and half and half give it richness, while the chicken stock keeps it light enough that you’ll want to go back for another spoonful.
It’s packed with flavor. Garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, and a pinch of red chili flakes give the broth layers of savory flavor without requiring a long list of ingredients.
It’s an easy way to use rotisserie chicken. Since the chicken is already cooked, you can simply shred it and stir it into the soup near the end.
The pasta makes it extra cozy. Ditalini is just the right size for scooping up with the chicken and vegetables, and it gives the soup enough substance to make it a complete meal.
Everything comes together in one pot. Start with the vegetables, build the broth right on top of them, and finish with the creamy ingredients, chicken, Parmesan, and spinach.
It’s ready in 45 minutes. This is exactly the sort of comforting soup that feels special enough for the weekend but is simple enough to make for a weeknight dinner.
Marry Me Chicken Soup Ingredients
Here’s what each ingredient brings to the soup:
- Olive oil – Used to sauté the vegetables and get the flavorful base of the soup started.
- Onion, carrot, and celery – This classic combination adds savory flavor and a little natural sweetness to the broth. Dice them fairly small so they soften quickly.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic adds plenty of savory, aromatic flavor and pairs especially well with the sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan.
- Sundried tomatoes – These are one of the key flavors in Marry Me Chicken Soup. They add a concentrated tomato flavor with a slightly sweet and tangy bite.
- Red chili flakes – Just a pinch adds gentle heat and balances the richness of the creamy broth.
- Bay leaf – Simmering a bay leaf with the chicken stock gives the broth another subtle layer of savory flavor.
- Ditalini pasta – These small pasta shapes make the soup hearty while being easy to scoop up in every spoonful.
- Chicken stock – This forms the base of the soup and gives it a rich, savory chicken flavor.
- Low-fat cream cheese – This melts into the broth to make the soup creamy and slightly thicker without needing a large amount of heavy cream.
- Half and half – Adds extra richness and gives the broth its smooth, creamy consistency.
- Rotisserie chicken – Using cooked, shredded rotisserie chicken keeps this recipe quick and easy while adding plenty of tender chicken to every bowl.
- Parmesan – Adds cheesy, salty, savory flavor and helps make the creamy broth even more delicious.
- Fresh baby spinach or kale – Stirred in at the end so the greens wilt while still adding freshness and color to the soup.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper – Add these at the end to bring all the flavors together. Taste first, since the chicken stock and Parmesan can already be salty.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Let’s make soup!
Start with the vegetables
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat until softened.
This simple vegetable base is where the soup begins to build its flavor.
Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes
Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute, then add the sundried tomatoes and red chili flakes and cook for a further minute.
At this point, the garlic and tomatoes will become fragrant and the red chili flakes will add just a hint of warmth.
Simmer the pasta
Add the bay leaf, ditalini pasta, and chicken stock. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the pasta is almost cooked through. This should take about 10-12 minutes.
The pasta cooks right in the broth, which keeps this recipe wonderfully simple.
Make it creamy
Stir in the cream cheese and half and half. Let it simmer until the cream cheese has melted and the soup starts to thicken slightly.
You’re looking for a creamy broth that still feels like soup rather than a thick sauce.
Finish the soup
Add the shredded rotisserie chicken, Parmesan cheese and spinach. Stir well to combine, then cook for 1-2 minutes with a lid on until the spinach is wilted and the chicken is heated through.
The chicken only needs warming at this point, and the spinach wilts quickly into the hot broth.
Season and serve
Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper and serve hot, with extra freshly grated Parmesan on top if you like.
Grab some crusty bread and dig in!
Expert Tips
Keep an eye on the ditalini. The recipe calls for simmering it until it is almost cooked before the creamy ingredients go into the pot. It will continue cooking as you finish the soup.
Let the cream cheese melt into the broth. Give it time to soften and incorporate before adding the chicken, Parmesan, and spinach. This helps create that smooth, creamy consistency.
Add the chicken near the end. Rotisserie chicken is already fully cooked, so there’s no reason to simmer it for a long time. The final 1-2 minutes are there to heat it through.
Season after adding the Parmesan. Parmesan, chicken stock, and rotisserie chicken can already bring quite a bit of salt to the soup. Taste the finished broth first, then add as much salt and freshly ground black pepper as it needs.
Remember that the pasta keeps absorbing broth. This is especially noticeable with leftovers. If your soup looks thicker the next day, that’s completely normal—a little chicken stock or water will loosen it again.
Recipe Variations
The original combination is delicious as written, but there are a few simple ways you can make the soup work for what you have on hand.
Try kale instead of spinach. The recipe already gives you the option of using fresh baby spinach or kale, so either green works well.
Give it a little more heat. If you enjoy a spicy soup, you can use a little more red chili flake to suit your taste.
Finish with more Parmesan. A generous shower of freshly grated Parmesan over each hot bowl is an easy way to emphasize the cheesy, savory flavor.
You can also keep things simple and make the recipe exactly as written—the sun-dried tomato, garlic, chicken, and Parmesan combination already gives the soup plenty of character.
Storage & Reheating
This is a great soup to save for another day, though there’s one thing to remember: the pasta will continue soaking up the broth as it sits.
Let leftover soup cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it for 3-4 days.
When you’re ready for another bowl, reheat the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave. If the ditalini has absorbed a lot of the broth, stir in a little chicken stock or water until the soup reaches the consistency you like.
You can also freeze the soup in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
I could happily call a steaming bowl of this soup dinner all on its own, but crusty bread makes it even better. Tear off a piece and use it to soak up the creamy, Parmesan-rich broth at the bottom of your bowl.
If you want something fresh alongside it, serve the soup with a simple green salad. The crisp greens are a nice contrast to the creamy broth and tender pasta.
And don’t forget the finishing touch: a little extra freshly grated Parmesan on top. Serve everything while the soup is piping hot, and you have a cozy, satisfying dinner that’s especially good on a chilly evening.
Recipe FAQs
1. Can I use a different type of pasta?
Yes, you can use another small pasta if you don’t have ditalini. Just keep an eye on the cooking time since different pasta shapes may cook a little faster or slower. You want the pasta almost cooked through before adding the cream cheese and half and half.
2. How do I keep the cream cheese from getting lumpy?
Room-temperature cream cheese will melt into the soup much easier. Stir it in with the half and half and let everything simmer until the cream cheese is completely melted and the broth starts to thicken slightly.
3. Can I use leftover chicken instead of rotisserie chicken?
Yes, leftover cooked chicken works great in this soup. Simply shred it and use 2 cups (300 g), just like the rotisserie chicken in the recipe. Add it toward the end since the chicken is already cooked and only needs 1-2 minutes to heat through.
4. Why does my Marry Me Chicken Soup get thicker after sitting?
The ditalini will continue to soak up the chicken stock as the soup sits, especially overnight in the refrigerator. This is totally normal. Simply add a little chicken stock or water when reheating to loosen the soup back up.
5. What is the best way to reheat Marry Me Chicken Soup?
You can easily reheat it on the stovetop over gentle heat or warm individual servings in the microwave. If the soup has thickened in the refrigerator, add a little chicken stock or water until it reaches the consistency you like.
Creamy Marry Me Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 2-3 celery stalks, diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (50 g) sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
- A pinch of red chili flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 cup (125 g) ditalini pasta
- 6 cups (1.5 l) chicken stock
- 1/2 cup (125 g) low-fat cream cheese
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) half and half, single cream
- 2 cups (300 g) rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 1/3 cup (30 g) Parmesan, grated
- 2 cups (60 g) fresh baby spinach, or kale
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Soften the vegetables.Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften.
- Build the flavor base.Add the finely chopped garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the sundried tomatoes and red chili flakes and continue cooking for a further minute.
- Cook the pasta.Add the bay leaf, ditalini pasta, and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 10-12 minutes, or until the pasta is nearly cooked through.
- Make the broth creamy.Stir in the cream cheese and half and half. Continue simmering until the cream cheese has completely melted into the broth and the soup has thickened slightly.
- Add the chicken, cheese, and greens.Stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken, grated Parmesan, and spinach. Cover the pot and cook for 1-2 minutes, just long enough for the spinach to wilt and the chicken to become thoroughly heated.
- Season and serve.Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve the soup hot, adding extra freshly grated Parmesan on top if desired.
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Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 613mg | Potassium: 613mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2217IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 2mg Nutrition information is per serving and is an estimate.
