Get ready to fall head over heels for this Creamy Marry Me Chicken Soup! It takes all the irresistible flavors of the famous “Marry Me Chicken” – tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, Parmesan, and a luscious cream sauce – and transforms them into an incredibly comforting and satisfying soup. I love how this recipe is both easy to make, using convenient ingredients like rotisserie chicken, and delivers a truly decadent flavor experience. This Marry Me Chicken Soup is perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or any time you want a bowlful of pure love (and deliciousness!).
Why You’ll Love This Marry Me Chicken Soup
- Incredibly Flavorful: The combination of sun-dried tomatoes, basil, garlic, Parmesan, and cream creates a rich, savory, and slightly tangy sauce base.
- Creamy and Comforting: It’s the ultimate comfort food soup – rich, creamy, and packed with satisfying ingredients like chicken and pasta.
- Easy to Make: Uses rotisserie chicken and simple steps for a relatively quick preparation.
- One-Pot Potential: While the pasta is cooked separately in many recipes, this version aims to incorporate it smartly. (Original instructions seem to cook pasta in the soup, which I’ll reflect).
- Restaurant-Inspired: Captures the essence of the popular dish that’s said to inspire marriage proposals!
Ingredients for Marry Me Chicken Soup
Here’s what you’ll need to make this proposal-worthy soup. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Main Ingredients
- Drained julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (Vegetable)
- Oil from sun-dried tomato jar (Oil)
- Yellow onion, chopped (Vegetable)
- Garlic cloves, minced (Aromatic)
- Chicken broth (low sodium) (Liquid)
- Heavy whipping cream (Dairy)
- Uncooked medium shell pasta (Pasta)
- Shredded rotisserie chicken (Meat)
- Cream cheese, cubed, at room temperature (Dairy)
- Parmesan cheese, finely shredded (plus more for garnish) (Dairy)
- Packed roughly chopped fresh baby spinach (Vegetable)
Seasoning & Herbs
- Chopped fresh basil (plus more for garnish) (Herb)
- Kosher salt (Seasoning)
- Dried Italian seasoning (Spice Blend)
- Garlic powder (Spice)
- Crushed red pepper (plus more for garnish) (Spice)
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
I adore this Marry Me Chicken Soup as written, but here are a few tasty variations:
- Different Pasta: Use other small pasta shapes like ditalini, rotini, or elbow macaroni.
- Add Mushrooms: Sauté some sliced mushrooms along with the onion and garlic.
- Make it Spicier: Increase the amount of crushed red pepper flakes or add a dash of hot sauce.
- Different Cheese: Substitute Asiago or Romano cheese for the Parmesan.
- Add White Wine: Deglaze the pot with a splash of dry white wine after cooking the aromatics.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Soup
Let me show you how easy it is to make this incredible Marry Me Chicken Soup:
Sauté Aromatics
- First, I gather all my ingredients.
- I heat the reserved oil from the sun-dried tomato jar in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until it shimmers.
- I add the chopped onion and minced garlic; I cook, stirring often, until they soften, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Build the Soup Base
- I add the tomato paste and the chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the pot.
- I cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly in color, about 2 minutes. This deepens the flavor.
- Next, I stir in the chicken broth, heavy cream, chopped fresh basil, salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper.
- I bring this mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, which takes about 12 minutes.
Cook the Pasta
- Once the broth mixture is boiling, I add the uncooked pasta.
- I reduce the heat to medium-low.
- I cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente (tender but still firm to the bite), about 12 minutes. Stirring prevents the pasta from sticking.
Finish the Soup
- I reduce the heat to low.
- I add the chopped fresh baby spinach, shredded rotisserie chicken, cubed room-temperature cream cheese, and finely shredded Parmesan cheese to the pot.
- I cook, stirring often, until the cream cheese and Parmesan are completely melted and the chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes. It’s important the cream cheese is softened so it melts smoothly!
Serve
- Garnish and Serve
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Chicken Soup
Here are my secrets for making this Marry Me Chicken Soup truly exceptional:
- Use Rotisserie Chicken: This is a fantastic time-saver and adds great flavor.
- Room Temperature Cream Cheese & Parmesan: Ensure these ingredients are at room temperature so they melt smoothly into the hot soup without clumping.
- Don’t Overcook Pasta: Cook the pasta just until al dente, as it will continue to soften slightly in the hot soup.
- Scrape the Pot: When adding the broth, scrape any browned bits from the bottom – that’s pure flavor!
- Adjust Seasoning at the End: Taste the finished soup and adjust salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper as needed before serving.
How to Serve
This Marry Me Chicken Soup is a hearty meal in a bowl! Serve it:
- Garnished: Top generously with additional shredded Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
- With Crusty Bread: Perfect for soaking up every last drop of the creamy broth.
- With a Side Salad: A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette balances the richness.
Serve hot!
Make Ahead and Storage
This soup tastes even better the next day! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Note that the pasta will continue to absorb liquid, so you may need to add a splash of broth or water when reheating to reach the desired consistency.
FAQs about Marry Me Chicken Soup
- Can I use regular cooked chicken instead of rotisserie?
- Absolutely! Use any leftover cooked chicken breast or thigh meat, shredded or cubed.
- Can I make this with a different type of pasta?
- Yes, any small to medium pasta shape like ditalini, shells, elbow macaroni, or rotini will work well. Adjust cooking time based on package directions.
- Can I freeze this soup?
- Cream-based soups with pasta don’t always freeze perfectly; the cream can sometimes separate, and the pasta can become mushy upon thawing and reheating. It’s possible, but the texture might not be ideal.
Enjoy this creamy, flavorful, and utterly delicious Marry Me Chicken Soup! It’s a perfect comforting meal that might just win someone’s heart.
Print
Marry Me Chicken Soup
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Soup, Main Course
- Cuisine: American, Italian-Inspired
Description
Inspired by the viral “Marry Me Chicken,” this soup version is a bowlful of pure love! It features tender chicken, pasta shells, and spinach in a rich, creamy broth flavored with sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and herbs.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes with herbs, julienne-cut, plus 1 tablespoon oil reserved from the jar
- 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
- 4 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 (32-ounce) packages low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 teaspoons chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish (optional)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for garnish (optional)
- 8 ounces uncooked medium shell pasta
- 3 cups packed roughly chopped fresh baby spinach
- 2 cups shredded cooked rotisserie chicken
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) Parmesan cheese, finely shredded, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients: Prepare all ingredients as listed. Cut cream cheese into cubes and let it sit at room temperature.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat the reserved 1 tablespoon of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Cook Tomato Paste & Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Add the tomato paste and the drained, julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes to the pot. Cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly in color, about 2 minutes.
- Add Liquids and Seasonings: Stir in the chicken broth, heavy cream, chopped fresh basil, kosher salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Bring to Boil: Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally (about 12 minutes).
- Cook Pasta: Add the uncooked pasta shells to the boiling liquid. Reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente (firm to the bite), about 12 minutes or according to package directions.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Reduce the heat to low. Add the chopped fresh spinach, shredded rotisserie chicken, cubed room-temperature cream cheese, and shredded Parmesan cheese to the pot.
- Melt Cheese and Heat Through: Cook, stirring often, until the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese are completely melted and smooth, and the chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes. Do not allow the soup to boil rapidly after adding the cheese and cream cheese.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with additional shredded Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Using oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes with herbs adds extra flavor. Don’t skip reserving the oil!
- Room Temperature Cream Cheese: Using room-temperature cream cheese helps it melt smoothly into the soup without clumping.
- Pasta: Medium shells are used here, but other pasta shapes like rotini or penne would also work. Cook until al dente.
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is a convenient shortcut. You can also use any leftover cooked chicken.
- Parmesan: Use freshly shredded Parmesan for the best melting and flavor.
- Storage: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if needed.