Tuscan Chicken Soup
This amazing Tuscan soup recipe is so easy when you have a shredded rotisserie chicken on hand! Kids will love the sweet Italian vegetable soup made with tiny chopped up fresh carrots, celery, and zucchini.
During a recent trip to visit family in the Twin Cities area, we stopped in at a cafe called D'Amico & Sons for a quick lunch. Too much heavy fast food on our trip left me with an upset stomach so all I wanted was a light and healthy vegetable soup. When the server brought my bowl, I immediately knew I had picked a winner.
This Tuscan soup has a tomato-based broth with just a hint of creaminess without being a full-fledged cream soup.
It is thick with Italian vegetables and teeny tiny pasta but still brothy enough to be a soup but not a stew.
It might possibly be the most perfect chicken veggie soup I have ever had. The little bits of chicken gives it that nice savory taste but it is truly the sweet carrots and zucchini that are the heroes of this dish.
Editor's Note: This is one of the very first recipes I ever published and it has been one of the most beloved dishes on my site. I've recently updated it with step-by-step photos and make ahead tips so it can be even more helpful for you.
Why This is the Best Recipe
Soup season is my favorite time of year and I think this is the best Tuscan chicken soup recipe because:
- Light and Veggie-Heavy: There are so many fresh veggies hiding in this soup but it is super kid-friendly.
- Tomato-Based: I love classic chicken soup but this tomato based version has SO much more flavor.
- Meal Kit Friendly: You can prep batches of the soup for your freezer or keep it in the fridge for meals all week long. See my tips below!
Ingredients
The ingredients for this homemade soup are so wholesome:
- Rotisserie Chicken: My favorite dinner shortcut ever. You could use any leftover cooked chicken you have on hand, but this is the fastest way to get it from the store.
- Fresh Carrots: I prefer whole carrots that have been peeled and diced but in a pinch you could substitute baby carrots.
- Fresh Celery
- Zucchini: This is a great way to use up some zucchini, but don't miss more ways to use zucchini here.
- Onion
- Can of Crushed Tomatoes
- Chicken Stock
- Heavy Cream: You only need a touch of cream for this soup, you could substitute milk or even a little butter if you prefer.
- Acini de Pepe Pasta: This Italian soup noodle looks like tiny round peas once cooked. You could substitute orzo like this pastina recipe or a wavy egg noodle or even rice if you prefer.
- Minced Garlic
- Olive Oil
- Dried Oregano and Basil
Prep the Veggies
The soup itself will come together really quickly so it is helpful to start by prepping all the veggies and shredding the chicken you plan to use.
Peel the carrots and then finely dice the carrots, celery, onion, and zucchini.
TOP TIP: Keep the zucchini and chicken separate from the other veggies. They go in at different times.
Cooking Instructions
In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and turn the heat to medium-high.
Add the carrots, onions, and celery to the pot and stir. Cook until the onions have begun to soften.
Add the zucchini, minced garlic, dried oregano and dried basil. Stir and cook for a minute or until the garlic is quite fragrant.
Add the can of crushed tomatoes and stir. Use the tomatoes to deglaze the bottom of the pan and scrape up any browned bits that may have collected from the olive oil and onions.
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Add the chicken broth and bring the soup to a simmer.
Add the Chicken and Pasta
The final step for cooking the soup is to add the chicken and the pasta.
There are two important things to note:
- Rotisserie Chicken is Delicate: Cook the chicken gently or it will fall apart in the broth if you cook it too long. You can simmer the soup gently or just add it long enough to warm through at the end, that's up to you.
- Pasta Will Thicken the Soup: The acini di pepe pasta I use really does thicken up this soup if it sits in the fridge overnight. If you are meal prepping for the freezer, you may want to consider leaving it out until you're ready to serve the soup. It cooks so quickly, it won't add much time. Otherwise, plan to add lots more chicken broth to thin the soup out when you reheat it.
Add the chicken and let the soup simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the pasta and let it cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Finally, add the heavy cream and stir it in to warm through.
Variations
I love to serve this soup for company but if your guests have special dietary needs it is easy to adjust this recipe to fit their requirements:
Gluten-Free Soup:
Leave out the pasta completely and eat as a vegetable soup or add your favorite rice.
Dairy-Free Soup:
Skip the heavy cream.
Vegan Soup:
Substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock and omit the chicken. Leave out the heavy cream.
Short Cuts to Faster Soup
Homemade soup doesn't need to take hours and hours to prepare. With a few handy shortcuts, you can make this Tuscan chicken soup even on a busy weeknight:
- Chop the Veggies Small: Cut the veggies as small as you can. Not only will the soup taste better but it will cook more quickly since the vegetables won't take as long to soften.
- Use a Rotisserie Chicken: My favorite trick for getting cooked chicken into a new dish. I almost always have a packet of pre-shredded chicken meat ready to go in my freezer.
- Use Boxed Chicken Stock: The fresh veggies will bring plenty of homecooked flavor, the boxed stock is just a fantastic speedy shortcut for the broth.
- Fast Cooking Soup Noodles: The Acini de Pepe cook right in the soup in practically no time!
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Tuscan soup with some fresh warm bread and butter and it is total cold winter day heaven. Even the Peanut gave it two thumbs up. She practically licked her bowl clean and I couldn't feel better about the ingredients in it.
Make Ahead Tips
This Tuscan chicken soup can absolutely be made ahead of time and even frozen.
One thing to keep in mind is that the Acini de pepe pasta will continue to absorb the soup broth as it sits and your leftovers may appear too thick.
You can simply add a little more chicken broth when you reheat any leftovers to restore the texture of the soup.
Otherwise, prep yourself a meal kit and store the veggie soup separately from the shredded chicken and pasta. Then just simmer and add the ingredients to complete the soup.
More Rotisserie Chicken Recipes
Keep a shredded rotisserie chicken or a batch of Instant Pot shredded chicken on hand and you can make so many different easy shredded chicken recipes for dinner.
Don't love shredded chicken? You could always dice up my air fryer chicken breasts if you prefer to season the chicken and get those golden brown edges.
📖 Recipe
Tuscan Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 4 carrots peeled and diced
- 4 stalks celery diced
- 2 zucchini diced
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken shredded
- 1/2 cup heavy cream optional
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup Acini de Pepe pasta
Instructions
- In a large pot add 2 tbsp olive oil and sauté the onions, celery, and carrots over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes. Add the zucchini, garlic, basil, and oregano. Sauté until the veggies are tender about 4-6 minutes.
- Pour the chicken stock and tomatoes into the pot and stir. Add the chicken and stir. Simmer the soup for 20 minutes.
- Add the pasta and cook it right in the soup for another 10 minutes. Taste and season the soup with salt and pepper. Add the heavy cream at this time if you choose and allow it to simmer for 6-8 minutes.
- Top with grated Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino romano cheese and serve!
Recipe Notes
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This is one of the best soups I have ever tasted. I can't wait to make it again this week
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How to make great Tuscan chicken soup with a roast chicken you share great. I appreciate your making this soup.
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How to make Tuscan chicken soup you share quite simple and attractive. Very delicious food. I will learn to make this dish. thank you.
How to make Tuscan chicken soup you share quite simple and attractive. Very delicious food. I will learn to make this dish.
How to make Tuscan chicken soup you share quite simple and attractive. Very delicious food. I will learn to make this dish. thank you.
How to make Tuscan chicken soup you share quite simple and attractive. Very delicious food. I will learn to make this dish.
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I’ve posted to you years ago. and would like to tell you I’m still making this soup and have given the recipe out many times.
Love Love Love it
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This is the original recipe. I live in Minnesota and have had this soup at D'Amico and Sons many, many times. It's a comforting, nourishing soup any time of year and is always on the menu. Bon appetit!
http://chefnadine.blogspot.com/2011/01/grandma-marys-chicken-soup-aka-tuscan.html
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Made this again today. I've made it about 3 or 4 times since I read your blog and I really love. I didn't have any of the pasta you recommended so I used Farfelle today (Bowties).about half a box It always comes out delicious. I added some spinach and yellow squash today as well.
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I made this last night. Followed the recipe to a "T", it was positively delicious! Thank you for posting it!
Thank you for this recipe...it is delicious! I had some leftover baked chicken breasts that needed to be used up, and this fit the bill perfectly. I used Israeli couscous instead of the suggested pasta, and did use cream. I forgot all about adding the cheese at the end, but no one missed it. My kids are no strangers to vegetables, but (like all) can be rather picky sometimes...not tonight! They ate this up! We will be making this again and again!
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Hallo. I am from Hungary, but live in Sweden, and I am soup fantatic. In Hungary, people eat soup every day as a starter even though I myself usually settle for a filling soup. This has awakened my imagination and I will do it. A simple summer soup, maybe with a hot cheese sandwich becomes a full dinner.
A little tip if you happen to have too much vegetables in the soup : remove some of the vegetables and broth and mix with a hand blender. Pour back into the rest and you get a different kind of soup which gets a bit hazy without being overpowering.
If I have rice or pasta in a soup, I boil it for themselves and serving by adding up the rice or pasta in the bottom of a plate and ladles on the hot soup.
nice! thank so much!
This is THE BEST vegetable soup I have ever made/tasted!!! I've given it to several people and they all have rave reviews and ask for the recipe. I have made this at least 10 times. I like to add a bunch of Kale,yellow squash, and white beans - for more veggies and protein, especially if I'm low on chicken. My kids (5, 3 and 1) gobble it down like it's going out of style. Thanks so much for a GREAT recipe!!!
Have to tell you - this is my new favorite soup. So, so good and it fills the house with delicious smells! Thank you for sharing.
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This looks absolutely amazing! Just made the menu for dinner tonight!!!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was very good. I diced all of the veggies. Added a little more pasta so I added a bit more broth and a little extra cream. Added spinach also. Will definitely make it again!
Hi, what is the Acini de Pepe pasta method?
Just made this tonight! Excellent~ I pretty much followed the recipe - I did add fresh baby spinach at the end when I was adding the pasta (I used Orzo) and I also used light cream. Wonderful~ Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I'm about to make it for the fourth time, it's absolutely delicious!
we La La La LOVE this soup!! Thank you!!!!
This has become my FAVORITE go-to soup! It's like a hybrid of tomato and chicken noodle soup. My very picky husband and kids love it as well. Well done, Tiffany! Cheers!
My new favorite go to recipe!!!! This might be the perfect soup.
This soup is delicious!! It's my go to soup. Everyone I've ever made it for loves it. I have substituted quinoa for the pasta and it is delicious! I make this all the time.
2 questions:
1) What type of pasta did you use?
2) How many does it serve?
This freezes beautifully, if you do it BEFORE the pasta goes in. Pasta in soups dissolves into mush in the freezer.
I freeze it in a one-gallon Ziploc bags, double bagged (safest with soups, so you don't have a mess at thawing time) with a little quart bag of pasta tucked into the outer bag. When we're ready to eat it, I heat it to boiling, add the pasta, and let it simmer together for 8 or 10 minutes until the pasta is tender. This makes a very generous pot, so for a smaller family, I'd split it into 2 one-gallon Ziplocs so you don't have a ton of leftovers hanging around waiting to be eaten with the pasta getting mushy.
Super delicious recipe. I love to take this frozen to families with new babies, so they can eat it whenever the time is right for them!
Made this with white rice and did not add cream. It was great! Even the leftovers are good.
Hi there, do you think this soup would hold up in the freezer? I am going on maternity leave soon and am hoping to fill my freezer with yummy soups!
This looks delicious. Has anyone tried freezing it?
I used low fat evaporated milk in place of the cream and it was great- added a little creaminess without the extra calories. Also added about 1 C of fresh baby spinach with the pasta to get some extra greens in my family. Everyone loved it, even my 2 year old!
This has become one of my family's favorite soups. It's so easy to make and absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing.
I made this last week and we absolutely loved it. I want to make this for my daughter,but I'll use gluten free pasta. I made double the amount of vegetables and froze them so next time I'll just heat the broth and add them in with the chicken.
I've posted to you years ago. and would like to tell you I'm still making this soup and have given the recipe out many times.
Love Love Love it
great recipe, i added a touch of fresh ginger. beautiful tasty.brings back to life be it flu, cold or stomach problem:)
I love soup and am always willing to try a new recipe or new version. I made this & I have to say it was FABULOUS!!!! It is my new favorite soup. The flavor was amazing, I lightened it up my holding off on the heavy cream & I can honestly say it didn't need it. At about 300 calories for 2 cups (which is very filling) it makes seven economical servings. This is my new favorite, go to soup. It takes a little longer to dice up all the veggies & remove the meat but all worth it!!! Thank you!!!
So glad you love it, it's a favorite around here, too!
I made this for my friend for dinner the other night. So tasty! Thank you for the recipe.
I found your blog via pinterest and made this soup tonight! It was delicious--thank you for sharing. 🙂
vanessa
This looks so, so good. I can't wait to make this.
Warm wishes from the romance capital of the World!
Made this last night - made it gluten/dairy free by scooping my portion out before adding the pasta and the cream. So good -
I made this yesterday - it is divine!
I miss D'Amico's! Thanks for the recipe. Looks yummy!
looks not very delicious i think i will try only one time!