This chicken tomato soup has it all. The comfort of a classic tomato soup loaded with veggies, chicken, and noodles. Finished off with fresh basil and parmesan cheese. It's filling, comforting, and a family favorite.
Can't get enough of soup season? We can't either! The best part of soups is that the options are endless. Creamy tomato soup? Chicken Noodle? A good veggie soup? Soups could be on the menu all winter long.
This creamy chicken tomato soup recipe is really a combination of them all. A creamy tomato basil base filled with chicken, loaded with veggies, and finished with shell noodles. It's a complete meal the whole family will love.
It's so packed it's almost borderline stew or casserole. Which is how we prefer our soups.
If you are looking for a soup that checks all the boxes this is it!
Serve along side this overnight sourdough bread recipe or some sourdough focaccia.
If you love fresh basil don't miss my almond basil pesto.
🍅Ingredients
Chicken Breast: Use 1 pound of chicken breast. Dice into small bite-sized pieces and lightly toss with salt and pepper before cooking. Rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken can also be used.
Olive Oil and Butter: Both are used to give this soup even more flavor and the butter helps with thickening the soup.
Shell Noodles: Cook the noodles in a separate small pot just until they are fully cooked but are still firm. This will make sure they will not get soggy. If you want a rice soup instead, consider swapping noodles for cooked rice.
📝Tips to Make it Better
This chicken tomato soup is really simple to make, however, there are some tips to make it even better!
- How to keep the pasta fresh.
- When cooking pasta, in a separate pot, just leave it slightly undercooked. Then when added to the soup allow the noodles to finish cooking and bring back up to temp.
- Don't store the noodles in the soup. Keep leftover soup and noodles separate and just incorporate noodles when reheating. So when serving, pour the soup over the noodles.
- Use a heavy bottom pot like a Dutch oven or stock pot, at least 6 qt.
- This soup is steller without the cream or parmesan cheese. These two things can be left out of your looking for a lower-fat option.
- Add a little salt when sautéing the onions. This will help bring so much flavor out of the veggies.
🥘How to Make
Step 1: Cook the pasta in a small pot until al dente according to package directions.
💡Pro Tip: The pasta should be slightly undercooked that way when it is added to the soup it can finish cooking and not get too soggy.
Step 2: Heat a large Dutch oven (or other large pot) over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Step 3: Add diced chicken, lightly season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned and cooked all the way through. (Image 1). Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Step 4: In the now-empty pot add the other 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoon of butter. As the butter melts, scrape the bottom of the pot, incorporating all the brown bits stuck to the bottom.
Step 5: Once butter is melted, add in diced onions and sauté until soft and translucent. About 5 Minutes. (Image 2).
Step 6: Add in diced carrots and celery and continue to cook until they begin to soften. Another 2-3 Minutes. (Image 3).
Step 7: Add in minced garlic and let cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Step 8: Add in the ¼ cup flour and mix really well. It will be thick. Cook for another 1-2 min stirring occasionally so the flour doesn't burn.
Step 9: Slowly add in 6 cups of chicken broth. Make sure to stir while adding.
Step 10: Add in all the seasoning, bay leaves, cooked chicken, and crushed tomatoes then bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. About 10-12 min. (Image 4).
Add in more water if you would like to thin it out some more.
Step 11: Add in fresh basil and noodles and allow noodles to come back up to temp.
Step 12: This soup really could be enjoyed at this step. However, if you are looking for a more creamy consistency slowly pour in the heavy whipping cream, stirring to incorporate. (Image 5).
Step 13: Remove from heat and fold in the parmesan cheese and top with fresh basil. (Image 6).
Step 14: Serve Warm. Keep any leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
❓Recipe FAQs
One way to give soups tons of flavor is to add a little bit of salt to the chicken, onions and veggies while they are cooking. Do not wait to add salt at the end. Sprinkle a little with each step. Make sure you are also using a good quality broth.
The most important ingredient you can add to soups is a good broth. A good quality broth is easy to make and will give you the most depth of flavor.
To keep the pasta from getting soggy, cook separate and only add at the end or serve the soup over pasta. Store the soup and pasta separate to keep the noodles from getting soggy.
🍲Other Soup Recipe
📋Recipe
Chicken Tomato Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil - Divided
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- 1 pound Chicken Breast cut into Bite Size Pieces - About 2 breasts
- 1 Medium Onion - Diced
- 3 Medium Carrots - Diced, About 1-1.5 cups
- 4 Stalks Celery - Diced
- 4 Cloves Garlic - Minced
- ¼ Cup All Purpose Flour
- 4 Cups Chicken Stock
- Water - As needed to thin out. Or add more chicken stock.
- 1 28oz Can Crushed Tomatoes - San Marzano are the best
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- Pepper to taste
- 12 oz Shell Pasta
- ¼ Cup Fresh Basil - Chiffonade
Optional (But Recommended)
- ½ Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
Cook Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Set aside
Cook Soup
- Heat a large dutch oven (or other soup pot) over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Add diced chicken, lightly season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned and cooked all the way through. Transfer to a plate and set aside. About 5 Min.
- In the now empty pot add the other 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoon of butter.
- Once butter is melted, add in diced onions and saute until soft and translucent. 5-6 Minutes
- Add in diced carrots and celery and continue to cook until they begin to soften. Another 2-3 minutes
- Add in minced garlic and let cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add in the ¼ cup flour and mix really well. It will be thick. Cook for another 1-2 min stirring occasionally so the flour doesn't burn.
- Slowly add in the chicken broth. Make sure to stir while incorporating. Add more chicken broth or water as needed to reach your desired consistency .
- Add in all the seasoning, crushed tomatoes, cooked chicken and bring to a boil. About 10-12 min.
- Add in the pasta and fresh basil.
- Slowly pour in the heavy cream, stirring to incorporate.
- Remove from heat and fold in the parmesan cheese.
- Serve warm
- Store in food safe container and keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Notes
- How to keep the pasta fresh.
- When cooking pasta, in a separate pot, just leave it slightly undercooked. Then when added to the soup allow the noodles to finish cooking and bring back up to temp.
- Don't store the noodles in the soup. Keep leftover soup and noodles separate and just incorporate noodles when reheating. So when serving, pour the soup over the noodles.
- Use a heavy bottom pot like a dutch oven or stock pot, at least 6 qt.
- This soup is steller without the cream or parmesan cheese. These two things can be left out of your looking for a lower fat option.
- Add a little salt when sautéing the onions. This will help bring so much flavor out of the veggies.
Cami
Made it today but vegetarian version ! (almost vegan but i've put butter & parmesan ! - easy to substitute though)
I changed the chicken for grilled tofu, the cream of soy cream, and the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
It was really good !! Thanks a lot for this recipe ; measurements are perfect.
Kristin @ Dirt & Dough
Hi Cami! I love the substitutions you made to make it vegetarian. That's how my husband would prefer it so I'm going to give it a try. Thank you for your review, I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Lauren
This looks so delicious! On my list!
Kristin
Thank you so much! Let me know what you think.
Nehana
I can't wait to try this! A great twist on tomato soup! Printed it out for later.
Kristin
Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy it.
Jenny
Ooohh this looks amazing! I’ve been looking for some new soups to try this winter. Can’t wait to make it!
Kristin
It's a favorite in our house. I hope you enjoy it!
Arica
This looks and sounds absolutely delicious. What a fun idea! I'm going to have to try this one for sure!
Kristin
Thank you so much! It's a favorite in our house.
Linda
This looks so hearty and comforting! I love that it's loaded so I don't feel obligated to make the ubiquitous grilled cheese sandwich to go with! My kiddo (well...all of us) will love this!
Kristin
Thank you so much! I agree. We love a good hearty soup that you don't need all the extra stuff in it. It's a family favorite.
Barbie
This made me hungry before going to sleep 😭
Thanks for sharing! Will try this soon.
Kristin
I hope you enjoy it!