This Marry Me Chicken Soup is a creamy, comforting dinner that’s perfect for busy families on a budget. Made with simple pantry staples like chicken, pasta, and broth which makes it perfect to feed a crowd.
If you love the rich flavors of the viral Marry Me Chicken but a need a budget-friendly family meal, this is the soup to make. It delivers big flavor with minimal effort and the best part is, it is ready in under 40 minutes.
Why You’ll Love Marry Me Chicken Soup!
As someone who cooks for a big family, I’m always looking for meals that feel special without requiring complicated steps or expensive ingredients.
This Marry Me Chicken Soup checks every box — it’s comforting, filling, and made with simple pantry staples. Even with picky eaters at the table, this soup always gets rave reviews, and it’s one of those recipes that tastes even better the next day.
This Easy Marry Me Chicken Soup delivers everything you want in a comfort meal, creamy texture, bold flavor, and simple preparation! Whether you’re cooking for your family or serving guests, this is the kind of recipe people ask for again and again.
If you love the flavors of this soup, then you must try our Marry Me Chicken or Crockpot Marry Me Chicken Recipe. For more comfort food recipes, you must check out Budget-Friendly Comfort Food Dinners Series, easy soup recipes for families, Slow Cooker Dinners on a budget, and these Easy Chicken Dinners.
Why This is a Budget-Friendly Family Dinner
- Uses affordable pantry staples
- Feeds 6 people (or more with sides)
- Easy to stretch with extra pasta or broth
- Great way to use leftover or rotisserie chicken
- Tastes even better the next day
Ingredients
While this soup tastes rich and indulgent, it’s made with everyday ingredients and small amounts of cream and cheese, making it an affordable option for feeding a family.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts – Cut into bite size pieces
- Butter – We used unsalted butter
- Yellow Onion – Chopped into small pieces.
- Cloves Garlic, minced – Learn How to Mince Garlic Cloves
- Sun Dried Tomatoes – Make sure to drain
- Tomato Paste – Adds to the tomato flavor
- Chicken Broth – See Chicken Broth Substitutes
- Italian Seasoning – Make Homemade Italian Seasoning with simple spices
- Red Pepper Flakes – Adds a hint of spice
- Medium Pasta Shells – Use any medium pasta shells. You can easily omit if you prefer
- Fresh Spinach – Packed and chopped
- Heavy Cream – Creates a rich liquid
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – Delicious topping when serving in bowls
Scroll to the recipe card for the full recipe details.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Soup
Step 1 – Heat a large stock pot or large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the butter and melt.
Step 2 – Add in the diced chicken and onions. Season it with salt and pepper. Saute for about 5-7 minutes until the chicken is browned on both sides.
Step 3 – Add in the garlic and cook for about 30-60 seconds until you can smell the garlic.
Step 4 – Add in the sun dried tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook, stirring often, until the tomato paste is slightly darkened in color (approximately 2-3 minutes).
Step 5 – Stir in the chicken broth, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 6 – Stir in the pasta shells. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked to al dente (about 10-12 minutes). Cooking time will vary.
Step 7 – Add in the chopped baby spinach, heavy cream and the grated parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring often, until the spinach is wilted and cream is heated through.
Step 8 – Serve warm topped with additional parmesan cheese (if desired), with a side of crusty bread and enjoy!
Marry Me Chicken Soup (Easy, Creamy, & Budget-Friendly)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (cut into bite size pieces)
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 Yellow Onion chopped
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 3 cloves Garlic minced (or 1 Tablespoon minced garlic)
- ½ cup Sun Dried Tomatoes drained
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 6 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 8 ounces Medium Pasta Shells
- 2 cups Spinach packed and chopped
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- ½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Heat a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and let it melt.
- Add 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces, and 1 chopped yellow onion. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes until the chicken is browned on both sides.
- Add 3 cloves garlic, minced, or 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in ½ cup sun dried tomatoes, drained, and 2 tablespoons tomato paste. Cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes until the tomato paste darkens slightly in color.
- Pour in 6 cups chicken broth, then stir in 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Stir in 8 ounces medium pasta shells. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes until the pasta is cooked al dente.
- Add 2 cups packed and chopped spinach, 1 cup heavy cream, and ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring often, until the spinach is wilted and the cream is heated through.
- Serve warm topped with more parmesan cheese (if desired) and enjoy!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
Recipe Tips
- Use chicken thighs for extra tenderness. You can even use rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken to save a few steps.
- Add cream slowly to prevent curdling
- Parmesan thickens the soup naturally
- Let the soup rest 5–10 minutes before serving
Variations (Spicy, Slow Cooker, Low Carb)
- Low-Carb Version – Skip pasta and add more spinach or other veggies such as chopped bell peppers and shredded carrots
- Spicy – Add in more red pepper flakes to taste
- Dairy-Free – Use coconut cream or other dairy free options
- Slow Cooker – Add the Chicken Breasts, onions, pepper, salt, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes to the a 6 quart crock pot.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 3 hours until the chicken is cooked through.
- Stir in the uncooked pasta, cover and cook on high for 20-30 minutes until the pasta is tender.
- Stir in the heavy cream, chopped spinach and parmesan cheese. Cook until the spinach is wilted.
Storing and Freezing Marry Me Chicken Soup
- Fridge – Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. We love that the flavors improve overnight.
- Freezer – For the best texture, freeze before adding cream, cheese and pasta, then add them when reheating.
What goes well with Marry Me Chicken Soup?
Because Marry Me Chicken Soup is so rich and flavorful, we like to pair it with a light, simple side dish to keep the meal perfectly balanced.
FAQ for Marry Me Chicken Soup
Yes! This soup uses simple pantry staples and feeds a family, making it a cost-effective comfort food option.
Use leftover or rotisserie chicken, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream, or add extra pasta or broth to stretch the recipe.
Absolutely. This recipe feeds 6 and can easily be doubled or stretched with sides like bread or salad.
Yes, it tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for leftovers and meal prep.
More Easy Creamy Soup Recipes
If you make Marry Me Chicken Soup, please leave us a comment or star review. We love hearing from you!
This looks very yummy!
yum
Look really good, will try the recipe 100%
Wow! This looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it!
Phenomenal! I made this for lunch today, and it was amazing. It also holds up great as leftovers. I love it, and my husband complimented the smell as soon as he walked in.
Marry Me Chicken takes me a long time to make, but this soup version looks like it’s much less hands-on time, and I’m excited to try it!
I hope you love it, Beth! This soup version has all that delicious flavor with less hands-on work. Please let me know how it turns out!
My family and I love this recipe!
Thank you! I’m so glad your family loves this recipe.
I love the marry me chicken so I can’t wait to try this!
If you love Marry Me Chicken, I think you’ll really enjoy this soup version!
Yummy, creamy deliciousness!
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed the creamy flavor!
This soup is so yummy! My four kids and husband love it, me included. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I love hearing that the entire family enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing.
Such a delicious soup!
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the soup.
Will be trying this.
I hope you enjoy it! Let me know how it turns out.
This is a delicious meal in a bowl and one of my favorites soups
Thank you! It really is the perfect comforting meal in a bowl.
I have made this soup and it absolutely delicious , a wonderful meal in a bowl .
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing.
I made this thinking it might be OK. It was more than OK. Delicious!
I love hearing that it exceeded your expectations! Thank you so much.
I make Marry Me Chicken all the time…..I love it!! Can’t wait to try this soup!!! Perfect for winter dinners!
If you love Marry Me Chicken, I think you’ll love this soup too! It’s perfect for a cozy winter dinner.
I am a crock pot user. Your recipe for Marry Me Chicken for the crock pot really hit the spot with my family. The extra added spinach instead of the pasta was a good choice. And I don’t usually use pepper flakes, but they really added an extra tasty punch to the meal. Thank you!
Your changes sound delicious! I’m so glad the crock pot version was a hit with your family.
I can’t wait to try this recipe! I want to do a soup swap and this would be a good one to add to the line up!
This would be perfect for a soup swap! I hope everyone enjoys it.
I don’t add the Pasta to the soup. I place the pasta in a bowl and add the soup to it. This way I can freeze some. I hate defrosted pasta & potatoes.
That’s a great way to make it more freezer-friendly. Thank you for sharing what works for you!
Chicken in soup sound interesting.
It’s such a delicious and comforting combination. I hope you give it a try!
Sounds delicious. Can’t wait to try it when the temperature drops below 90 degrees – which by the way it is going will probably be in November.
I made this for our family supper and it was a great hit! My daughter wanted the recipe and has made it, too.
I love hearing that it was a hit and that your daughter made it too! Thank you for sharing.
This soup sounds amazing I am going to add it to my crock pot recipes and make it soon.
I hope you enjoy it! It’s a great recipe to add to your crock pot rotation.
Already married, but this sounds delicious! I love soup season! So many soups, so little time!
Omg, one of my families favorite pasta dinners made into a soup!! Love, love, love this!!!
Yes! Turning a favorite pasta dinner into a cozy soup makes it even better. I’m so glad you love it!
My family will love this
I hope your family enjoys it!
I think my family will love this! Can’t wait to make it! Gave it four stars on a prediction; I’ll change it five once my family enjoys the taste test! Thank you for the recipe.
Kimberly – I hope everyone loves it!
Y u m looks so good!
Thank you so much!
Made it for potluck. Not a bite left!
Oh wow! Thanks for sharing!
I love this recipe! So rich and creamy.
Once soup season is here, this will be the first new recipe I try. Looks delicious!
KJ – We love soup season too!
My family loves when I cook your recipes ! There easy to follow and so yummy ! Made this soup was gone in one setting!
I made your Marry me chicken soup and let me just say it was The Best I e ever had! Thank you so much for sharing. My family also loved it so this be made often during our winter months…simply perfect!
Pat – Thank you so much! I appreciate you leaving a comment.
Having this for dinner tonight! Can’t wait to try it!!
Yum! Hope it turns out great!
Can’t wait to try this recipe as it looks delicious
Karen – Thank you! I hope you love it!
This soup is so delicious, even my picky eater loved it! We will be making it often during the cold months.
Beverly – I’m so glad even your picky eaters enjoyed!
Now this sounds delicious! Just the ingredients alone!!! First cold evening…this is my choice on the menu!
Looks yummy! going to try this!
Dwalla – Thank you so much!
I made this soup after last winter snow fall and we had been out shoveling. Sure did warm us up nicely. The flavors are amazing. Will be making again this winter.
This looks REALLY yummy! Can’t wait to try it.
Erin – Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy.
I have made this soup before and it was very good. I loved the creaminess of the soup.
Chari – Thank you so much! I appreciate you leaving a comment.
I am definitely going to try this soup on football Saturday. Thanks!
That sounds perfect for game day!
Love how it isn’t a crockpot meal but still done in under an hour! I would not put in the sun dried tomatoes just because my kids won’t eat it if they see it.
Yes! It’s so easy to modify for your family. Glad you love it!
Looking forward to making this version of marry me chicken!
I can’t wait for you to try it!
so good!!!
Thank you so much!
This looks amazing! I cannot wait to try it. I am always on the hunt for good soup recipes!
Mary – Thank you so much. Hope you enjoy!
Yum this is an incredible soup best I’ve made so far.
That’s wonderful to hear! I’m so glad this is one of the best soups you’ve made.
In this economy this is a very satisfying, warming and filling soup that my family adores! thank you for this recipe…especially in time for autumn weather!!
I’m so glad your family loved it! It really is perfect for cozy fall weather.
Interesting, I’ll have to try this one.
I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think.
Can’t wait to try this one!
Loved it. Will make it again and again
Thanks for sharing. This made our day!
Loved this recipe. Will definitely make it again!
Patricia – I’m so glad. Thanks for leaving a comment.
Loved this recipe. Will definitely make it again!
Patricia – I’m so glad! Thanks for sharing.
Delicious!
Thank you so much!
I will definitely be trying this recipe
Donna – I’m so glad. Hope you enjoy it!
I can’t wait for cooler weather so I can make and enjoy Marry Me Chicken Soup!
It will be perfect for a cool-weather meal! I hope you enjoy it.
A bit tedious but very good. I used sundried tomatoes in a paste to combine two ingredients.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Using sun-dried tomato paste sounds like a convenient substitution.
This sounds great. Will try
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it.
Simple and delicious!
Thank you, Barb!
I plan on using chicken I have in freezer to make this, I really like different kinds of soup
I love that you already have what you need! Let me know how it turns out.
This is my favorite soup from this collection. I love Italian creamy soups. I used lactose free half and half, and it was still good ?.
I’m so glad you could modify it to make it work for your needs! Thanks for sharing.
Can’t wait to try this! Making it this week! Looks delicious! Thank you for this recipe!
Connie – I’m so glad. Thanks for letting me know.
I’m so grateful for this recipe ?? it will be a new favorite. Thank you for sharing
You’re welcome. I’m so glad you are going to try it.
I love Marry Me Chicken Recipe and now to make the Soup! Thanks for sharing!
If you love Marry Me Chicken, you’ll definitely want to try the soup version! I hope you enjoy it.
This will definitely go in my rotation. I will be adding in my own dehydrated tomatoes, and use half & half or evap milk.
Karen – I’m so happy to hear you plan to add this to your menu plan rotation! Thanks for leaving a comment.
Oh my heavens! This is amazingly good. Try it and see!!!
Thank you so much! You are too kind.
I love this one cuz it has spinach and ? noodles and the all of it marries just perfectly ? a beautiful dish. Yummy.
I’m so glad. Thanks so much!
Looking forward to trying this one!
So glad. Let me know how it turns out.
I love marry me chicken, I can’t wait to try marry me chicken soup.
Let me know how it turns out! Have a great day.
Might have to give this one a try.
This recipe looks really good and I can’t wait to try it once roasting Texas cools down! I have made several of your recipes over the past several months and we have enjoyed them all!!! Thank you!
Dianne – I’m so glad you have been enjoying the recipes. This means a lot!
This was phenomenal! I used two cups of shredded chicken instead of the cut up breast and it was still stupendous. Two meals for wife & I and froze enough for one more meal. Will refit make this again!
I’m so glad to hear this! Thanks for your positive feedback.
I love soup season and this recipe is one reason why. Great recipe and it is so easy to make. One we make often.
This looks delicious! Should the chicken be whole or cut up before adding to the crockpot?
Thank you! You can add the chicken breasts whole to the crockpot and shred or cut them up once they’re cooked. Hope you enjoy the soup!
None of your links work on this recipe
Delicious soup!
Ingrid – Thank you SO much! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it.
Amazing flavor!
Tamra – Wahoo! I’m so glad you enjoyed. Thanks for commenting!