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This Marry Me Chicken Soup is everything you love about the viral chicken dish. It’s creamy, cozy, and packed with bold flavor, all served up in a warm, comforting bowl. Simple enough for a busy weeknight and special enough to make someone fall in love with your cooking. One bite, and you’ll see why this soup gets all the attention!
I’ve made more soups in my life than I can count, and I truly believe there’s nothing more comforting than a pot of homemade soup simmering on the stove. My family loves them too, so I’m always dreaming up new ways to keep soup night fresh and exciting. This Marry Me Chicken Soup came from one of those “let’s try something new” moments, and it’s been on repeat ever since.
If you’ve ever tried my Marry Me Chicken or seen the viral trend online, you know the flavors are something special. Creamy, savory, and kissed with a little tang from sun-dried tomatoes. This soup version wraps all those dreamy flavors into a cozy bowl, and it’s just as satisfying.
Here’s what I love most. It tastes like something you’d get at a nice café, but it’s made with simple ingredients and takes less than an hour to prepare (and that’s because you want it to simmer to infuse those flavors). One pot, no stress. The kind of dinner that makes everyone feel spoiled without you breaking a sweat. That’s my kind of weeknight win.
Whether you’re feeding hungry kids after practice, meal-prepping for the week, or serving something a little special for date night in, this soup checks all the boxes. It’s easy, hearty, and comforting in every spoonful.
And as always, I’ve included tips for variations, freezer options, and a few shortcuts to make this work no matter what your day looks like. I know life is full, and dinner doesn’t need to be complicated to be delicious.
Marry Me Chicken Soup Ingredients
- Olive Oil: To sear the chicken breasts!
- Chicken Breasts: Sliced into cubes, the chicken breasts will sear up nicely and quickly.
- Onion & Garlic: Both add a savory depth of flavor!
- Chicken Broth: I like to use chicken broth in this recipe. You can use vegetable broth if you prefer! If using low-sodium broth, you may need to add more salt at the end.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: For that tangy flavor essential to marry me chicken!
- Spices: You’ll need red pepper flakes, dried oregano, dried thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper to season up the soup to perfection!
- Ditalini Pasta: Ditalini pasta works great here, but you can also use any small pasta shape you have on hand.
- Spinach: For some added greens!
- Sour Cream: This makes that perfect creamy texture! You can opt for heavy cream for something richer, or use Greek yogurt for a lighter option.
- Lemon: To brighten up all the flavors at the end.
How To Make The BEST Marry Me Chicken Soup
✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and full recipe instructions!
Step 1 | Sear the Chicken
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until lightly golden brown on the outside, but not quite cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Step 2 | Sauté the Aromatics
To the same pot, add the onion and saute for 3 to 4 minutes or until softened and beginning to brown.
Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for an additional 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Then, pour in the chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, thyme, and paprika. Stir to combine.
Step 3 | Simmer
Add the chicken back to the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Bring the soup back to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the ditalini. Cook uncovered for 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.
Step 4 | Finish & Serve
Turn the heat to medium and stir in the spinach until wilted.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for 2-3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, then stir in the sour cream until thoroughly mixed in. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot with fresh basil for garnish if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Brown the chicken! Don’t skip this step; it adds a layer of flavor you just can’t get from boiling.
- Cook the pasta separately if you know you’ll have leftovers. Once you store the soup for later, the pasta will begin to absorb the broth. So I recommend cooking the pasta in a separate pot of water and storing the pasta and the broth separately.
- Taste before serving. The lemon juice and sour cream will add an additional layer of flavor, but always taste and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.
Variations and Substitutions
- Protein Options: Swap the cubed chicken breast with shredded rotisserie chicken to save time. Just stir it in during the simmer stage to warm through before adding the spinach and sour cream. You could also use chicken thighs.
- Pasta Choices: Ditalini is a great option, but any small pasta will work. Try orzo, acini di pepe, elbow macaroni, or small shells, whatever you have on hand.
- Creamy Base Alternatives: Sour cream adds that signature tang and creamy finish, but you can substitute with heavy cream for a richer feel or plain Greek yogurt for a lighter option. Just be sure to stir it in off the heat to avoid curdling.
- Dairy-Free: Use a plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt or canned coconut milk in place of the sour cream. The flavor will shift slightly, but still be delicious and comforting.
- Add More Veggies: Stir in chopped kale, zucchini, or even mushrooms along with the spinach if you want to sneak in a few extra veggies. This soup is very flexible.
- Make It Spicier: Add more red pepper flakes or even a dash of hot sauce if you like a bit more heat.
- Lemon-Free Option: If you’re not a fan of citrus in soups, feel free to leave out the lemon juice. It does brighten the flavors, but the soup will still be delicious without it.
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Recipe FAQs
The name comes from the original Marry Me Chicken recipe, a creamy, sun-dried tomato chicken dish so delicious that people joked it was “marriage proposal worthy.” This soup version takes the same rich flavors and cozy feel, but makes them into a soup! It’s hearty, flavorful, and just like the original, so it might just win someone’s heart after the first bite!
It can! Pasta continues to soak up liquid as it sits, which can make the soup thicker the next day. To avoid this, you can cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl when serving. If the pasta is already in the soup, just add a splash of broth or water when reheating to loosen it back up.
Yes. Skip the searing step, and just stir in about 3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken when the soup is simmering. Let it heat through before you add the greens and sour cream.
Use Gluten-Free Pasta: Simply swap the ditalini with your favorite small gluten-free pasta. Gluten-free elbow macaroni, shells, or a GF orzo substitute all work well. Just keep an eye on the cooking time—gluten-free pasta can cook a little faster and may break down if overcooked.
Check Your Broth: Make sure your chicken broth is labeled gluten-free. Some store-bought broths can contain hidden gluten in flavorings or thickeners.
Double-Check Labels: When using sour cream or any packaged ingredients (such as sun-dried tomatoes), check the labels to ensure they don’t contain any gluten-containing additives.
Storage
Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Add broth when reheating to loosen the soup.
Freeze: Freeze before adding pasta, spinach, and sour cream. Add those fresh once you reheat, if possible. Otherwise, you can freeze the cooled soup as is, but the texture might be slightly different after thawing!
What to Serve with Marry Me Chicken Soup
Marry me chicken soup can be served on its own as a complete meal! It has protein, carbs, and vegetables all in one. But if you want something on the side, especially if you are feeding a crowd, I recommend serving it with air fryer garlic bread or homemade breadsticks for dipping! It also goes great with a light salad like my Olive Garden copycat salad or a cucumber avocado tomato salad.
Other Recipes to Try
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
- White Chicken Chili
- Chicken Pot Pie Soup
- Zuppa Toscana
- New England Clam Chowder
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Marry Me Chicken Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ½ cup sour cream or use heavy cream
- juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until lightly golden brown on the outside, but not quite cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- To the same pot, add the onion and saute for 3 to 4 minutes or until softened and beginning to brown.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for an additional 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, thyme, and paprika. Stir to combine.
- Add the chicken back to the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Bring the soup back to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the ditalini. Cook uncovered for 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.
- Turn the heat to medium and stir in the spinach until wilted. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for 2-3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, then stir in the sour cream until thoroughly mixed in. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve hot with fresh basil for garnish if desired.
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Notes
- You can cook and keep the pasta separate and add it to each bowl, if prefered. This keeps it from bulking up and also allows each person to control if and how much pasta they want.
- To lighten it up, use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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