Marry Me Chicken Soup
A creamy chicken soup with pasta, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes, seasoned with Italian spices.
Marry Me Chicken Soup is the creamy, cozy, restaurant-quality soup version of the viral 'Marry Me Chicken' that took over the internet a few years ago. Tender rotisserie chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, baby spinach, and shell pasta, all swimming in a luxurious creamy broth made with cream cheese, heavy cream, and parmesan. Garnish with fresh basil and a dusting of red pepper flakes, and you have a soup so good that yes, you might actually propose marriage.
I love this recipe because it captures everything magical about Marry Me Chicken (creamy, garlicky, sun-dried tomato flavor) and turns it into a one-pot dinner that feeds 8 generously. The cream cheese cubed in at the end is the secret weapon. It melts into the broth and creates that silky luxurious texture you cannot get any other way. It also adds tang that balances all the richness.
The technique is layered to build deep flavor in just 45 minutes. Sauteed onions and garlic. Tomato paste cooked for a couple of minutes (this caramelizes the sugars and adds incredible depth). Sun-dried tomatoes added to the pot to release their oil. Then the broth, cream, and seasonings simmer together while you cook the pasta right in the soup. Last step is stirring in the chicken, spinach, cream cheese, and parmesan for that creamy finish.
Serve in deep bowls with a sprinkle of fresh basil, extra parmesan, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. This is the kind of soup that makes everyone slow down and savor every bite. Perfect for date nights, dinner parties, or any cozy night where you want a soup that feels like an event. Let's make it.
📝 Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil from sun-dried tomato jar
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (or 4 tsp garlic)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 8 oz jar julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes in oil w/ herbs - drained
- 2 (32 oz) containers chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 6 leaves fresh basil, chopped (~4 tsp), plus extra for garnish
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
- 8 oz uncooked shell pasta
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 2 ½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 8 oz cream cheese, cubed
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
👩🍳 Directions
- 1
Heat oil from the sun-dried tomato jar in a large pot over medium heat.
- 2
Add onion + garlic; cook 3-4 minutes until softened.
- 3
Stir in tomato paste + sun-dried tomatoes; cook 2 minutes.
- 4
Add broth, cream, basil, salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder + crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes).
- 5
Add pasta; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook about 8 minutes, until al dente.
- 6
Lower heat; add spinach, chicken, cream cheese + Parmesan. Stir until cheese melts and chicken is heated through (about 5 minutes).
- 7
Garnish with extra Parmesan, basil + crushed red pepper.
- 8
Serve hot + enjoy!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Sun-dried tomatoes in oil: One 8-ounce jar of julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes in oil with herbs, drained (reserve the oil). Mezzetta or Trader Joe's are great.
Oil from sun-dried tomato jar: 1 tablespoon for sauteing. Full of garlic and herb flavor.
Yellow onion: One yellow onion, chopped.
Garlic: 4 cloves minced, or 4 teaspoons jarred minced garlic.
Tomato paste: 3 tablespoons. Adds umami depth and rich color.
Chicken broth: Two 32-ounce containers (8 cups total). Low-sodium for control.
Heavy whipping cream: 1 cup. This is what makes the soup creamy and rich.
Fresh basil: 6 leaves chopped (about 4 teaspoons), plus more for garnish. Fresh is essential.
Seasonings: 2 teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional).
Shell pasta: 8 ounces of small shells. The shape traps the creamy sauce. Ditalini also works.
Fresh baby spinach: 3 cups roughly chopped. Wilts beautifully at the end.
Rotisserie chicken: 2.5 cups shredded. Use a mix of white and dark meat.
Cream cheese: 8 ounces cubed. The secret ingredient that creates that silky luxurious finish.
Parmesan cheese: A quarter cup shredded, plus more for garnish. Fresh-grated melts smoother.
How to Store, Reheat & Freeze
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The pasta absorbs more broth as it sits and the soup thickens into more of a stew over time. Add a splash of chicken broth or cream when reheating to bring it back to soup consistency. Reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
Cream-based soups can separate slightly when frozen and thawed. If freezing, do so without the cream and cream cheese, and stir those in fresh when reheating. The flavor stays great either way.
What to Serve With Marry Me Chicken Soup
Warm crusty bread or garlic bread is essential for sopping up the creamy broth. A simple side salad with a tangy vinaigrette balances the richness. For wine, a crisp white like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio pairs beautifully. For a complete meal, add a small Caesar salad and a glass of red wine like Chianti. Perfect for date nights, dinner parties, or cozy weeknight dinners that feel like a special occasion.
💡 Tips for Success
- Use the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar to saute the onions and garlic. That oil is full of garlic and herb flavor and is doing real work in the soup. Do not drain and discard it.
- Cook the tomato paste for 2 minutes after adding to the pan with the onions and garlic. Browning the tomato paste caramelizes the sugars and adds incredible umami depth.
- Bring the broth, cream, and seasonings to a boil before adding the pasta. The pasta cooks IN the soup, which means it absorbs the flavor as it cooks.
- Cook the pasta until just al dente, not soft. The pasta continues to absorb broth and softens after you stop cooking it. Al dente in the pot becomes perfect when served.
- Lower the heat before adding the cream cheese, chicken, spinach, and parmesan. High heat can cause dairy to break or curdle. Gentle heat keeps everything silky.
- Cube the cream cheese into small pieces before adding to the soup. Small cubes melt evenly. Big chunks take forever and leave you with cream cheese pockets.
- Stir constantly as the cream cheese melts. You will see it disappear into the broth, turning everything into that signature silky cream sauce.
- Garnish at the table with fresh basil, extra parmesan, and red pepper flakes. The fresh basil especially makes a huge difference in the final flavor.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is Marry Me Chicken?
A viral pan-seared chicken dish in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce. The name comes from the joke that it is so good, anyone who eats it will propose marriage. This soup version captures all those flavors in soup form.
Can I use raw chicken instead of rotisserie?
Yes. Cube 1 to 1.5 pounds of chicken breasts and cook in the pan with the onions and garlic for 5 to 6 minutes before adding the tomato paste. Reduce the rotisserie chicken to zero or just supplement with the freshly cooked.
What kind of pasta works best?
Small shells are traditional for this soup because they trap the creamy sauce. Ditalini, small pasta tubes, or orecchiette all work great. Avoid long pasta like spaghetti.
Can I make this lighter?
Substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream and Greek yogurt for the cream cheese. The result is less luxurious but still delicious. Use whole wheat or chickpea pasta for more fiber and protein.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes. Skip the chicken and use vegetable broth. Add a can of drained white beans for protein. The flavor is still incredible.
How long does it keep?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The pasta absorbs more broth as it sits, so leftovers thicken into more of a stew. Add a splash of broth or cream when reheating to thin it out.
Can I freeze it?
Cream-based soups can separate slightly when thawed. If freezing, do so without the cream and cream cheese, and add those when reheating. Or just enjoy fresh within 4 days, it does not last that long anyway.
Made this recipe?
Tag me on Instagram @holleyinthekitchen — I'd love to see it!