Simple Marry Me Chicken Soup

If you ask me, “Marry Me” recipes earn their name for good reason.

This cozy soup takes all the flavors from the famous Marry Me Chicken and turns them into a comforting bowl you’ll want to make again and again. Tender chicken and pasta swim in a creamy, tomato-flecked broth that’s packed with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian herbs.

The combination of cream cheese and Parmesan creates a rich base, while fresh spinach adds a pop of color and nutrients. It comes together in one pot, making cleanup easy on busy weeknights.

It’s the kind of soup that’ll have everyone at the table asking for seconds, maybe even asking you to marry them.

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What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this soup, you have plenty of options when it comes to chicken. Rotisserie chicken is honestly a lifesaver here – it’s already cooked, seasoned, and super easy to shred, making this recipe come together even faster. If you’d rather cook your own, boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs both work great, though thighs will give you a bit more flavor and stay juicier in the soup. You can poach the chicken right in the broth as the soup cooks, or use leftover cooked chicken you have sitting in the fridge. Just make sure to shred or dice it into bite-sized pieces so it’s easy to eat with a spoon.

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Options for Substitutions

This soup is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Sun-dried tomatoes: If you don’t have sun-dried tomatoes, you can use chopped fresh tomatoes or a can of diced tomatoes (drained). The flavor will be a bit different but still tasty.
• Heavy cream: Half-and-half works well if you want something lighter, or try whole milk mixed with a tablespoon of flour to help prevent curdling. For a dairy-free option, coconut cream gives a nice richness.
• Pasta: Any short pasta works here – penne, rotini, or bow ties are all good choices. You can also use orzo for a different texture, though it may need slightly less cooking time.
• Spinach: Fresh kale or Swiss chard make great substitutes. Just chop them finely and add a minute or two earlier since they take longer to wilt than spinach.
• Cream cheese: Greek yogurt or sour cream can work in place of cream cheese, but add them at the end off the heat to prevent curdling. Use the same amount and stir well.
• Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is a time-saver, but you can also use turkey, shredded pork, or leave it out entirely for a vegetarian version.
• Parmesan: Pecorino Romano or Asiago cheese work as substitutes, though they’re a bit saltier so you might want to adjust the salt accordingly.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake you can make with this soup is adding the pasta too early or cooking it too long, which turns it mushy and absorbs all your broth – keep an eye on it and test for doneness a minute or two before the package directions suggest.

Another common error is cranking the heat too high when adding the cream cheese and Parmesan at the end, which can cause the dairy to separate and create a grainy texture instead of a smooth, creamy soup.

To get the best flavor from your sun-dried tomatoes, make sure to drain them well if they’re packed in oil, and chop them into smaller pieces so they distribute evenly throughout the soup.

If you’re meal prepping, cook the pasta separately and add it to individual bowls when serving, since pasta continues to soak up liquid as it sits and can turn your soup into more of a thick stew by day two.

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What to Serve With Marry Me Chicken Soup?

This soup is pretty hearty on its own since it’s loaded with pasta, chicken, and cream, but a warm piece of garlic bread or a crusty baguette is perfect for soaking up all that creamy, tomatoey broth. I love serving it with a simple side salad – something light like arugula or mixed greens with a lemon vinaigrette helps balance out the richness of the soup. If you want to make it a full meal, some roasted vegetables like zucchini or asparagus would work nicely on the side. You could also sprinkle some extra parmesan and fresh basil on top right before serving to make it feel a bit more special.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The pasta will soak up some of the broth as it sits, so you might want to add a splash of chicken broth when reheating to loosen it back up.

Freeze: This soup freezes pretty well for up to 2 months, though the cream and cheese can sometimes separate a bit. If you’re planning to freeze it, consider cooking the pasta separately and adding it fresh when you reheat for the best texture.

Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can also microwave individual portions, but stir it halfway through to help everything heat evenly and come back together nicely.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2850-3100
• Protein: 130-150 g
• Fat: 160-180 g
• Carbohydrates: 210-230 g

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oil (such as olive or avocado oil)
• 1.5 cups onion (diced, about 1 medium onion)
• 5 garlic cloves (minced for best flavor)
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped, oil-packed preferred)
• 8 cups chicken broth (low sodium is a good choice)
• 1 cup heavy cream (adds richness and creamy texture)
• 1 tbsp basil (dried or fresh finely chopped)
• 2 tsp salt (to taste, adjust as needed)
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes (for a touch of heat)
• 8 oz pasta (such as ditalini or small shells)
• 3 cups spinach (fresh, roughly chopped)
• 2 cups cooked chicken (shredded or diced)
• 8 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
• 2.5 oz Parmesan cheese (freshly grated for best results)

Step 1: Build the Aromatic Base

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1.5 cups onion
• 5 garlic cloves

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.

Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.

This aromatics base is crucial for building deep flavor—don’t skip the garlic cooking step or it can taste raw.

Step 2: Bloom the Tomato and Build Depth

• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes

Stir in the tomato paste and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, cooking for about 2 minutes while stirring constantly.

This ‘blooming’ step develops the tomato flavors and removes the raw paste taste.

The sun-dried tomatoes add concentrated sweetness and umami that makes this soup special.

Step 3: Create the Soup Base and Simmer

• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp basil
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes

Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Add the heavy cream, basil, salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes.

Stir well to combine, then reduce heat to medium and let simmer for about 12 minutes.

This simmering time allows the flavors to meld together and the seasoning to distribute evenly throughout the broth.

Step 4: Cook the Pasta

• 8 oz pasta
• soup base from Step 3

Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook until it reaches al dente (usually about 10-12 minutes, depending on your pasta shape).

Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

I prefer to cook the pasta directly in the soup rather than separately—it absorbs the flavors and makes cleanup easier.

Step 5: Finish with Greens, Protein, and Cheese

• 3 cups spinach
• 2 cups cooked chicken
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 2.5 oz Parmesan cheese
• pasta and soup base from Step 4

Reduce the heat to low and add the fresh spinach, cooked chicken, softened cream cheese, and grated Parmesan cheese.

Stir gently and continuously for about 5 minutes until the cream cheese is fully melted and the spinach is wilted.

The residual heat will warm the chicken through without overcooking it.

I like to cut the cream cheese into small chunks before adding it—it melts more evenly and prevents lumps.

Step 6: Serve and Garnish

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately.

Top each bowl with extra freshly grated Parmesan, a sprinkle of fresh or dried basil, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for those who like heat.

Simple Marry Me Chicken Soup

Delicious Simple Marry Me Chicken Soup recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 47 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 2975 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbsp oil (such as olive or avocado oil)
• 1.5 cups onion (diced, about 1 medium onion)
• 5 garlic cloves (minced for best flavor)
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped, oil-packed preferred)
• 8 cups chicken broth (low sodium is a good choice)
• 1 cup heavy cream (adds richness and creamy texture)
• 1 tbsp basil (dried or fresh finely chopped)
• 2 tsp salt (to taste, adjust as needed)
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes (for a touch of heat)
• 8 oz pasta (such as ditalini or small shells)
• 3 cups spinach (fresh, roughly chopped)
• 2 cups cooked chicken (shredded or diced)
• 8 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
• 2.5 oz Parmesan cheese (freshly grated for best results)

Instructions

 

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. This aromatics base is crucial for building deep flavor—don't skip the garlic cooking step or it can taste raw.
• Stir in the tomato paste and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, cooking for about 2 minutes while stirring constantly. This 'blooming' step develops the tomato flavors and removes the raw paste taste. The sun-dried tomatoes add concentrated sweetness and umami that makes this soup special.
• Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the heavy cream, basil, salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Stir well to combine, then reduce heat to medium and let simmer for about 12 minutes. This simmering time allows the flavors to meld together and the seasoning to distribute evenly throughout the broth.
• Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook until it reaches al dente (usually about 10-12 minutes, depending on your pasta shape). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. I prefer to cook the pasta directly in the soup rather than separately—it absorbs the flavors and makes cleanup easier.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the fresh spinach, cooked chicken, softened cream cheese, and grated Parmesan cheese. Stir gently and continuously for about 5 minutes until the cream cheese is fully melted and the spinach is wilted. The residual heat will warm the chicken through without overcooking it. I like to cut the cream cheese into small chunks before adding it—it melts more evenly and prevents lumps.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately. Top each bowl with extra freshly grated Parmesan, a sprinkle of fresh or dried basil, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for those who like heat.