Creamy Chicken bacon Tortellini Soup
One thing to know about me - I take the definition of soup very loosely, and if you like soups with a lot of liquid, this probably isn’t going to be for you. That being said, it’s got chicken, bacon, cheese and stuffed pasta (tortellini) - what’s not to like? I’ve also been known to substitute the tortellini for mini perogies to switch things up with this soup.
This recipe is made for use in an Instant Pot or similar appliance with both slow cooking & boiling functions.
Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 4 thighs
3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped
3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
1 onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced (measure with your heart)
Salt & pepper
1 carton of concentrated chicken broth + 3 cups water OR 1 full carton of regular chicken broth (approximately 4 cups)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp red pepper flakes
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (I’m using the PC Ghost Pepper Bacon)
1/2 package of tortellini (I use three cheese flavour, use whatever stands out to you)
1 cup Half-and-Half
2 cups Heavy Cream**
1-2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (Shred your own at home, the pre-shredded stuff from the grocery store doesn’t melt as well)
Steps
Into your Instant Pot, add the chicken, carrots, celery, onions and garlic.
Add in your chicken broth (and water if you’re using concentrate). Season with salt & pepper.
Add the paprika, sage and red pepper flakes. Stir thoroughly.
Set your Instant Pot to slow cook, medium and set for desired number of hours. I recommend a minimum of 6, but I’ve left it for up to 10 hours without issue.
When you’re close to ready to serve, cook and chop your bacon and set the Instant Pot to the sauté function on high to bring your soup to a boil.
Once the soup is boiling, add the tortellini and cook to package instructions.
Add in your half-and-half, heavy cream and cheese. Stir and cook until cheese is thoroughly melted.
Enjoy!
** If you are keeping this as leftovers to serve the following day, adding more liquid is recommended as the tortellini will absorb a lot of your remaining liquid.