Description
Marry Me Chicken Soup is a creamy, comforting dish featuring tender chicken, sun dried tomatoes, and gnocchi simmered in a savory tomato broth enriched with cream and parmesan. This easy-to-make soup is topped with fresh spinach and basil, perfect for a hearty meal any day of the week.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, cubed
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons sun dried tomato oil (from jar)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (8-ounce) jar sun dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 5 cups baby spinach, chopped
Broth and Seasonings
- 4 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 cups chicken broth
- Parmesan rind (optional)
Pasta and Dairy
- 12-16 ounces gnocchi (gluten-free if needed)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Toppings
- Fresh basil (optional)
- Extra parmesan cheese (optional)
- Extra red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Season and Sear Chicken: Season the cubed chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat the oil reserved from the sun dried tomatoes in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a bowl or plate and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Lower the heat to medium and add butter to the pot to melt. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened and fragrant. Stir frequently to avoid burning.
- Add Tomato Elements and Seasonings: Stir in the tomato paste, chopped sun dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Cook while stirring until the tomato paste lightly coats the onions and deepens in color, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Broth and Simmer: Pour in 6 cups of chicken broth and add the parmesan rind if using. Increase heat to bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to low and let it simmer gently for 8-10 minutes to build flavor.
- Cook Gnocchi: Add the gnocchi to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender and floating to the top. Remove the parmesan rind before proceeding.
- Finish Soup: Return the cooked chicken to the soup along with the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and chopped spinach. Cook over medium-low heat until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts, about 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as desired. Adjust thickness by adding more broth or cream if needed.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh basil, extra parmesan cheese, or red pepper flakes if desired. Serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
- Dairy-Free: Use plant-based butter or olive oil instead of butter, substitute heavy cream with coconut cream, and use nutritional yeast in place of parmesan cheese.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free gnocchi, such as Dellalo gluten-free gnocchi.
- Rotisserie Chicken: For convenience, skip searing chicken and use shredded rotisserie chicken. Stir it in at the end with the spinach.
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Cool soup to room temperature before transferring to a freezer-safe container, leaving headspace for expansion. Soup freezes well up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Thaw overnight in refrigerator if frozen. Reheat on stovetop or microwave, adding water or broth if the soup thickens too much.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
