When you crave something deliciously warm and spicy you'll want to make Chicken Spinach Tortellini Soup. This is a zesty Southwest chicken soup will warm your tummy as well as your entire body. Fresh cheesy tortellini cooks in no time and hot chunky salsa spikes the rich broth. The recipe is so versatile you can make countless variations to satisfy you and your whole family.
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❤️Why you'll love this recipe
- When cold weather arrives this cheesy tortellini soup s the perfect tummy warmer.
- Easy preparation by using store-bought chicken or vegetable broth.
- Comes together quickly by using rotisserie chicken.
- Uses jarred salsa and canned tomatoes with peppers for flavor.
The zesty Mexican chicken soup is loaded with flavor and vegetables. This is not your traditional chicken noodle soup recipe. It's so much more. More flavor, more pasta, and more vegetables.
🛒Ingredients
The ingredients for this Tortellini Soup with Spinach are easy to find. One stop at the grocery store is all that's necessary.
- Rotisserie chicken or you may use chicken tenders, or boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Baby spinach - the vegetable component.
- Fresh cheese tortellini - you can find these in the refrigerator section of your grocery store. The fresh work better than the dry. They cook evenly and in less time.
- Chicken stock or vegetable stock makes up the quick base of the soup. You may also use homemade stock if you have it.
- Garlic - seasoning
- Onion - seasoning
- Olive oil - for sautéing the onion and garlic
- Oregano - seasoning
- Can of petite cut tomatoes with green chiles
- Chunky salsa - we like to use the Pace brand hot variety. Your heat tolerance will dictate what kind to buy.
- You won't need too much salt - all of the bought items already have salt in them. I would advise to taste when you're done.
- Black pepper or if you like add some hot pepper flakes.
🔪Equipment
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- Large soup pot - large enough to hold all of the ingredients.
- Santoku knife - for chopping the onion and mincing garlic.
- Cutting Board
- Long handled wooden spoon for stirring.
- Ladle for serving the soup
- Soup bowls for enjoying the soup
I enjoy have oversized soup bowl/cups that I can put my hands around. Makes you feel warm all over.
🗒 Instructions
- The soup begins with the onions and garlic sautéing in a large Dutch oven or pot. See that steam coming off of the onions and garlic? It's already starting to warm and perfume the house.
2. Next comes the chicken, if you're using chicken tenders or the boneless skinless chicken breasts. Cube the meat and lightly salt and black pepper it. You'll sauté the chicken until it starts to caramelize about 5 minutes. If you're using rotisserie chicken see step 4.
3. The broth goes in next along with the oregano, petite tomatoes, salsa and we let it come to a simmer.
4. This time we're using the dark meat off the rotisserie chicken and saving the breast meat to use for another time. Once the meat is in the chicken tortellini soup we let it come to a simmer again and then add the fresh cheese tortellini.
5. We added the baby spinach leaves and they wilt immediately. The soup is ready to serve. Wasn't that easy? And you know what? This zesty soup can be the basis of many other delicious soups.
🥫 Storage
Leftover chicken tortellini soup keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator. We've had the soup for a week and it was still delicious.
Warm the soup slowly on medium heat in a pan on the stove or in a microwave safe cup or bowl.
You can freeze the soup but the cooked ravioli can get a bit mushy but they'll still taste good. It's up to you.
👩🏻🍳Tips
Start off with a large enough pot. You'll notice we started off with a silver pot and ended up with a black one. Yep!! By the time we added the rest of the ingredients it was getting a bit too full.
A rotisserie chicken is one of the best kitchen time savers. The bird is already seasoned and cooked so all you need to do is use the meat from the pieces you want.
Buy large packages of tortellini and freeze the rest for additional recipes. Our package was large enough that we were able to make three different recipes.
🤔 FAQs
Yes. Just add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker except for the tortellini and spinach. Cook on low for 6 hours and add the tortellini in the last 15 minutes of cooking. Add the spinach just until it wilts.
The recipe uses spicy salsa as part of the ingredients. This is the same salsa you eat with tortilla chips and nachos.
No. You can make it as hot as you like. Most variety of salsas come in mild and medium heat.
Yes. Simply add 1 cup of heavy cream right at the end after the spinach.
📞Chiacchierata
This tortellini soup recipe is so easy Honey and I have it memorized. It was a good thing too. because when we headed South looking for warm weather the temperature we found cold.
This was not what we were looking for -- we wanted sunshine and warmth.
Our favorite way to warm up even we can't get heat and sunshine is soup. So the first thing we did when we got to our destination was not go to the beach. Oh, no. We went to the grocery store to buy the ingredients for our tortellini soup with spinach.
📚 Variations
- Tex-Mex Soup -- instead of tortellini add beans, corn, cumin, and top with crushed tortilla chips.
- Italian Soup – Instead of using tortellini, try adding cannellini beans. Swap out the petite tomatoes for green chiles, but keep the salsa. It’s delicious! You could add zucchini to it and orecchiette.
- Vegetarian Soup -- omit the chicken and tortellini and add beans, tofu, vegetables you like.
- Chinese Soup -- Omit the tortellini add a bit of ginger to the broth and soy sauce along with the chicken. Instead of the olive oil to saute the garlic use a bit of sesame oil. Ditch the canned tomatoes but keep the salsa. That will keep the zest instead of the oriental hot sauces like Sambal Oelek. Use bok choy for the green or whichever greens you like. Use Chinese noodles for the pasta, any kind you like.
Tortellini and spinach make a great combination. We use them together often as we did in this Recipe.
And here is a Tortellini Soup Recipe that features kale and sausage with plenty of other veggies to make it an ideal complete quick weeknight meal.
You may need . . .
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We eat so much soup in the cooler weather we decided to get special bowls like in restaurants. They are the perfect size for a dinner or luncheon serving. The nice part is that you can stick them in the oven if you want to melt the cheese in Onion soup.
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If you like this recipe, please consider giving it a five star rating.
📝 Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe
This zesty vegetable tortellini soup comes together quickly whether you use rotisserie chicken or chicken tenders. Once the broth, canned diced tomatoes, and salsa are simmering, add the shredded or diced chicken, fresh tortellini, and spinach. Your spicy Southwest chicken soup with spinach will be ready to eat!
If your family can't get enough of Southwestern flavors, you're going to simply love our loaded Southwestern Chicken Soup. How is it loaded? We love adding all of the Mexican toppings to it! So good!
Another soup with Tex-Mex flavor and using rotisserie chicken is our Creamy Chicken Poblano Soup. Every spoonful of this soup is a little spicy, a little creamy, and ultimately satisfying.
And if you're short on time and what a quick and easy dinner the family will enjoy, serve our one-skillet Three Cheese Tortellini With Caramelized Onion and Spinach. So simple yet so full of flavor!
📖 Recipe
Southwestern Chicken Tortellini Soup with Spinach
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenders in bite size pieces or rotisserie shredded. Also you may use leftover turkey.
- 6 oz baby spinach
- 10 oz fresh cheese tortellini
- 2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable stock
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 14 oz. petite cut tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 cup chunky salsa hot, medium, or mild
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large Dutch Oven or pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook until the onion sweats. Lightly salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken bites and continue to cook until the chicken bites lightly brown. Lightly salt and pepper. (If using the rotissiere chicken skip this step)
- Add the broth, oregano, petite cut tomatoes, and salsa. Bring to a gentle simmer. Now add the shredded rotisserie chicken and again bring to a simmer.
- Add the tortellini; bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered until the tortellini are tender -- about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in spinach. It will wilt right away. Serve hot. If you like, sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top of this hearty soup. Your cook time is less than 30 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. PromiseFirst published on August 24, 2019 and updated to improve reader experience on July 17, 2021.
Heather
These yummy looking tortellini sound so satisfying! I never would have thought to combine tortellini with salsa and I can't wait to try!
Susie
Sounds delicious.....Going to give it a try this week. Thanks Marisa
Joanne
That sounds delicious! I would have bought supplies for soup too if it was snowing in Florida when I arrived. Yum. Pinned
Dee | Grammy's Grid
Congrats Marisa! Your post is FEATURED at #AThemedLinkup 9 for All Things Crochet from my previous linkup for Soup Recipes!
Dee | Grammy's Grid
Looks yummy and I know it tastes amazing!! Thanks so much for linking up at #AThemedLinkup 8 for Soup Recipes. Pinned.
Have you seen my short story link party? It is a creative writing exercise for fun and without a lot of editing. Just start typing and see what you come up with! Remember, no story is too short! See the party on my site for the current prompt, closes on the 9th.
Christie Hawkes
Yeah for fall and more opportunities to eat soup! Thanks for sharing this delicious looking recipe on #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty. I've shared on social media.
Susie
Hi Marisa, YEAH! Soup time just around the corner with fall approaching......even though we love soup year round. This recipe sounds delish! Gary loves the heat. I never thought about using salsa....good Idea! I’ve always used spicy rotel tomatoes. I thought about mom’s many recipes.....I loved them all. Also, I like the option offered with printable recipes...great idea and saves time when printing your recipes. Thank you????
Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life
This soup sounds so delicious and so hearty! I'm sure it would be absolutely perfect for the colder temperatures we've been having lately!
Georgie
This looks so so cozy for the winter! I’ve been meaning to make more soups lately so I will definitely give this a try!
Anne Lawton
I love this soup and all of the variations. Thanks for sharing! And I hope the weather improved.
Kathryn @ Urban Foodie Kitchen
This looks like a good one to add to my winter soups list! Great shortcut to use a rotisserie chicken!
Chef Markus Mueller
I love adding pasta to my chicken soup! Using tortellini just adds that many more options depending on what kind of tortellini you use! Love the recipe suggestions for different styles you provide!
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Chef Markus! I bet you make some amazing soups.
Tatiana
I like the idea of using rotisserie chicken here, shreds so quickly. Tortellini soup is one of my favorite anyways, love it!
Michelle
This is such a great soup! It's a meal all in its self. Perfect for cold weather comfort food.
Saima
What a nice recipe for the cold weather! Who can refuse chicken soup in the winter, especially where I live where temperatures can dip really low. Wholesome and warming! And I love the fact that you've given so many different variations on it.
Amy
This looks fantastic! I love getting new soup recipes especially this time of year! I’ll be adding your recipe to the list.
Dominique | Perchance to Cook
I have been craving soup lately and looking for something different to make. I'm glad I found this recipe! I love the combination of spinach, chicken and tortellini. I've never thought to use tortellini in soup before. Yuuum!
Pam Greer
Oh my goodness, I would be so disappointed if I was heading south and it was that cold! Looks like you made the best of the situation with this amazing soup!
Renee Gardner
This soup makes me excited for the cold, wet, days of winter - what I like to call soup season!
Mirlene
This soup sounds so comforting! This is the perfect soup to have during the cold days. I also love how it has all of my favorite ingredients. Tis recipe brings it right back to home.
Catherine
This soup looks delicious and so comforting, Marisa. My family would love this especially with the tortellini in there. XO
Jyothi (Jo)
I’m a soup girl. And being in the middle of soup season I can’t have enough soup recipes. Definitely saving your recipe
Jeannette
I love these comfort foods that just bring the warmth to our tummies. Cheese filled pasta is the best. It's one of those things that I miss. I live in a 2nd world country and these types of luxuries (yes we consider them luxuries, lol) are so scarce. I am visiting America in December, and definitely packing some tortellini in our container to bring back home. The spinach here is amazing; I can't wait to try it with this recipe.
Marisa Franca
Hello, Jeannette! I certainly grew to appreciate food from my mamma and papà. They grew up at a time when meat was scarce and every bit of food was a luxury. I understand and I know you'll love the recipe -- it is full of flavor!! Welcome to America and I hope you'll have a wonderful visit!
Claudia Lamascolo
how I love the vibrant colors here in this soup and the fantastic richness. It's very much a favorite of our whole family. Although we use escarole I love the addition of spinach and will have to try using this some time. Comforting over load right here!
Cheese Curd In Paradise
What a yummy looking soup! It is cold in our area and this so hearty and delicious. It looks like a great way to use leftover turkey from Thursday's dinner!
Mahy Elamin
This is a perfect comfortable soup for me. Quick to make and all the ingredients are very simple. I think it is worth trying because looks tasty.
Dan Zehr
This soup contains all the ingredients that I LOVE. This is a really ingenious recipe. I would try for lunch or dinner. Looks tasty and the main thing is easy.
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours
just perfect winter comfort food - love all the veggies too! I need a bowl once a week all winter.
Veena Azmanov
Now that is comfort food. With the cold weather coming in soon, the kids are going to be in soup mode. Every day its soup, salad, and bread for dinner. Can't wait to try this one soon.
Arlene Mobley
It is still hot here! But you have my mouth watering. I can't wait to try this recipe. Tortellini soup is so easy to make and you can make so many variations.
Gloria
Well the cold weather season is just around the corner (unfortunately). Soon food in bowls will be happening for several months. This sounds just like the right bowl of comfort food for me. I would make a HUGE batch...and try to have leftovers (if the kids did not come over and take some home first).
Stephanie Simmons
This sounds (and looks!) so good! I love a hearty soup and this fits the bill perfectly!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
I love this soup and this would be such a filling one pot meal for sure. Love the addition of salsa in the recipe. I have never tried it before. I always have some tortellini in the freezer. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Adriana Lopez Martin
This soup looks so good and comforting, adding tortellini is a great idea. I actually have some in the freezer making this soup this week!
Blogtastic Food
Wow yum!! Looks so warm and comforting (:
Lauren Vavala
This recipe is the perfect comfort food, but without all the heaviness! Love the addition of chicken and spinach - yum!
Noel Lizotte
I love soup. I love chicken. I love tortellini. This soup was meant for me!
I'm adding this to my list of regular soups ... they work in a rotation since I'm cooking for two these days ... don't want too many leftovers all at once - so I make soups just now and then.
Veena Azmanov
That is a bowl of pure comfort food!! I love soups but here the summers are so hot that we save soups for winter. I can't wait to try this. Sounds so yum. Such a pretty color too.
Gloria
This looks like a comforting bowl of goodness right there. I know when the fall rolls around, and comfort food season takes hold, meals in bowls are the way to go. Nothing beats a great homemade soup any day of the week. Love the fact you can have leftovers too. It is always better the next day!!
Sally Humeniuk
I love recipes like this where leftover rotisserie chicken is used in a fabulous soup such as this. It sounds delicious with the fresh tortellini and using chunky salsa is genius! Great recipe and nice post. Thanks for sharing.
Claudia Lamascolo
Now that is one of the heartiest soups I have seen and love! Tortellini is a whole meal and in a soup with spinach wow what a great idea!
Sara
This looks like a fantastic offering for a cold days meal! I can't wait to try your recipe!
Meredith
I love the versatility of this soup! The tortellini look delicious and I can't wait to make it. Pinning to try later in the week!
Amanda Mason
I love that you started this post off with the ingredients you will need! And I can't believe you had that type of weather in Florida! Although last March is was in the 50's and it almost ruined our family vacation! This recipe sounds delish and I love the accommodations you listed for the different dietary needs!
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago
This looks like it would be wonderful on a cold winter day! Such a nice hearty soup!!
Helene
I have some fresh spinach in my fridge and I was contemplating what to make of it. This tortellini soup would be the best way to enjoy a cool sunday evening. full of flavors making me happy after a relaxed day.
Nicoletta @sugarlovespices
Wow...cold in Florida, unbelievable! I'm in Rome since after Christmas and we're having a beautiful Spring-like weather, a little unusual as well for January. The weather is definitely getting crazy. Love your comforting tortellini soup with spinach, I would just skip the chicken for me.
Sharon Glascoe
This is a great pot of soup! Thanks for adding the variations to this as well.
Analida Braeger
I am loving this soup and the spicy flavors! I find myself getting those rotisserie chickens and saving a carcass
or 2 in the freezer to later boil up to make my own chicken stock. So good!
Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen
Love the ideas for variations you've given here. What a fun way to mix things up! This looks like it's a comforting bowl of soup, no matter how you serve it!
Michelle
That looks so easy and so satisfying. Yum!
Kushi
Perfect for this weather. Looks amazing
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Kushi! It is a great tasting soup.
Ciao Chow Linda
Great idea to use those already cooked rotisserie chickens from the supermarket. I actually have some chicken meat in the freezer from a broth I made and have been trying to decide what to do with it. This is a perfect solution.
Marisa Franca
Hi, Linda! The rotisserie chicken has been a life-saver for me several times. And I can use the bones for broth. It's a win-win. Have a great weekend.
Denise Wright
I love soup and this looks like one my family will love! I like that it's hearty enough to eat as a meal too!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Denise! Some homemade bread and a salad would be perfect along with it. Oh, and some wine. Have a good weekend.
Amanda
I'm loving this southwestern twist on traditional tortellini soup! I would've never thought to add salsa. Can't wait to add this to my winter soup rotation (soup is on the menu several times a week in our house!).
Marisa Franca
Hi, Amanda! You wouldn't believe how good the salsa is in it! You can get the heat factor that you like.
Veena Azmanov
I am so loving all the soup season this year. Cold weather out side and hot soup inside. Can't go wrong with that. Right? This soup looks so hearty and scrumptious. Love tortellini but never usually make it often. Must try this soup soon.
Marisa Franca
Hi, Veena! Tortellin is really a nice addition to our soups. I'm sure your kids would love it.
Karen (Back Road Journal)
I like the way you have given a typically Italian soup a makeover and headed south with the recipe. 😀
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Karen! We do like to mix up flavors! xoxo
Elaine @ Dishes Delish
I don't use tortellini in my soup nearly enough. Looking at and reading about your soup makes me want to fix that right away! I will start by making your recipe! Your photos are gorgeous and the soup looks delicious!
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Elaine! This recipe is very easy and oh so tasty. I know you'll enjoy it.
Susie
Hi Marisa.....As for soup variations....We enjoy all soups but do more Tex Mex.....I’m glad your weather is getting warmer.....Relax and enjoy your vacation.
Sorry I missed your phone call yesterday......I’ll be in touch soon????
Marisa Franca
Hi, Susie!! Well, it looks like we may have to make some more soup. The weather is turning cooler again. Love to everyone.
Jolina
This looks fantastic! Perfect for the arctic freeze we're currently in. Sorry the cold followed you to Florida. Though I find a trip to Trader Joe's always cheers me up 🙂
Marisa Franca
Hi, Jolina! Trader Joes can make the gumpiest person cheerful. Have a great weekend.
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
We are right in the middle of soup season. This sounds delicious, and I know my kids (and grandkids) would devour this. Hearty and comforting....homemade soup is always so good.
Marisa Franca
Hi, Gloria! I didn't think we'd be in soup territory but it looks like we are. You're right -- homemade soup is always good.
Debbie and George
***** That's 5 stars 🙂
We had the bad weather here also, and lost power for hours. Soup is a definite plan this time of year. Stay safe and warm!
Marisa Franca
Hi!! So sorry to hear about your weather. We listen to your news station every morning. Hopefully the weather turns warmer soon. Love you guys!!
Jovina
Definitely a soup to warm you up. Looks so delicious.
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Jovina! Looks like we're going to have to make more -- it's getting chilly again. Have a nice weekend.