Marry Me Chicken Soup (with Greek Yogurt)

I don’t know who came up with the name marry me chicken soup, but I will say it’s a pretty incredible tasting soup! I love that it has a rich flavored broth that’s creamy , but it’s not over the top. The consistency of the broth reminds me of my Tuscan chicken tortellini soup.

One of the things that makes this soup so good is the sun-dried tomatoes. They give it a sweet, tangy, rich tomato flavor that can’t be replicated. This is also a soup that can be eaten as a main dish. Both the pasta and chicken help give it a great balance of protein, carbs, and fat.

One of my secret tricks to reduce some of the fat and add extra protein is to swap half of the heavy cream with Greek yogurt. Be sure to use whole milk Greek yogurt or you’ll run the risk of it curdling in the soup. Check out some of my other tips for success below!

Onion and garlic – Aromatics the flavor the base of the soup. If you want an extra garlicy flavor, I suggest using an addition clove.

Tomato paste – I use double concentrated tomato paste for an extra rich tomato flavor.

Sun-dried tomatoes – Use sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oilnot dried. They’re sweet and tangy and give the soup so much flavor. Be sure to drain the oil and chop them before adding them in.

Italian seasoning, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes – A classic combination of dried Italian herbs. The red pepper flakes adds a little bit of a spicy kick to the soup. Omit or reduce the amount if you are sensitive to heat.

Chicken broth – I always recommend using low-sodium broth so that you have better control over how salty the soup is.

Pasta – I love using shell pasta because it traps some of the sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, and broth inside. You can use any short pasta shape such as farfalle, orecchiette, or fusilli.

Chicken – Any cooked chicken will work. I like to use shredded boneless skinless chicken breast, but rotisserie chicken or boneless skinless chicken thighs are good too.

Baby spinach – Keep it easy and buy pre-washed bagged spinach. No need to chop it up, just throw in a few big handfuls, it will wilt down.

Heavy cream – Heavy cream or whipping cream gives the soup broth a lightly creamy consistency and luxurious flavor.

Greek yogurt – Greek yogurt is an excellent way to cut down on the fat and calories in this soup and add extra protein. It contains 9 essential nutrients and approximately 20 grams of protein in 1 cup. You’ll want to use whole milk Greek yogurt for this recipe so that it doesn’t curdle in the soup.

Parmesan cheese – Shred the parmesan cheese yourself so that it melts into the soup properly.

• Make the soup gluten-free by using a gluten-free pasta. You can also make it low carb by omitting the pasta and adding an extra cup of shredded chicken and additional spinach.
• Make the soup lighter by using half and half instead of heavy cream. Be sure to stir it in off the heat to prevent it from curdling.
• Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of pesto when you add in the cream for an extra pop of basil and garlic flavor.
• Stir in a couple tablespoons of chopped fresh basil or parsley for that delicious fresh herb flavor!

The leftover chicken soup will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. The pasta will continue to soften the longer it sits.

Reheat the leftovers in the microwave or on the stove over medium-low heat. Don’t boil or you may cause the dairy to curdle.

Because of the pasta and dairy in the soup, I don’t recommend freezing it.

Soups with chicken added to them are some of my favorites. I’ve listed a handful of my favorites that I think you’ll love!