Home > Soups & Stews > Chicken Parmesan Soup (In 20 Minutes!) Chicken Parmesan Soup (In 20 Minutes!) November 15, 2020 | 42 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. This quick and easy Chicken Parmesan Soup can be on the table in about 20 minutes! It’s packed with flavor, good-for-you ingredients, and all the best flavors from chicken Parm! Check out our other 20-minute soup recipes next: Easy Zuppa Toscana or this Chicken Tortilla Soup. Chicken Parmesan Soup My toddler never touched our Christmas tree. And to be honest I never understood when people would talk about their Christmas tree being ruined by a baby because my baby never got within two feet of it. Flash forward to my second little boy and on the first day it was decorated, I fully commiserated with those whose babies destroyed their trees. The entire bottom two feet of the tree is bare, three new ornaments were shattered, at least six ornaments have been pulled apart, the cute fabric “Santa ornaments” now have stains from being kissed with a not-quite-clean mouth, and the berry sprigs do not look anything like sprigs anymore. I couldn’t keep him away from it! There is always so much to do around the holidays (including redecorating the tree multiple times) which makes for busy and fun-filled days–and great memories to share years from now. These are also the days when I don’t have all that much time to cook… which is where this easy twenty-minute soup comes in. And I’m not even kidding — 20 minutes is all it takes to make this delicious Chicken Parmesan Soup! Time-Saving Tips To truly have a 20-minute soup, we rely on a few short-cuts, and here’s the breakdown: Rotisserie chicken. For the fastest possible prep time, I recommend getting rotisserie chicken meat that has already been pulled from the bones and shredded. Or if you’re a seasoned meal prepper, shred an extra chicken ahead of time, so when it comes to making this soup, you already have shredded meat ready in the fridge or freezer. Buy pre-chopped produce. In order to have such a quick prep time, we rely on produce short-cuts. Get pre-diced onion from the produce section of your store or frozen diced onions. Next, we’ll use jarred minced garlic. With these shortcuts, there is no chopping required! Two pots. To make sure we aren’t waiting for a soup to boil and then to cook the pasta in it, we use 2 pots. One will prepare the soup base while the other will cook the pasta. Slightly more clean up, but a quicker start to finish time. Chicken Parmesan Soup Tips Don’t use all the pasta. It’s easy to go on autopilot and prepare an entire box of pasta. However, this recipe calls for only 2 cups, so make sure to measure that out before boiling the pasta. Salt the pasta water. Make sure the pasta is well-salted as it cooks since this is the only chance you have to season the actual pasta. The soup can taste very underwhelming without seasoned pasta. Read about how to properly salt your pasta water here. As a general rule of thumb, I add 1 teaspoon salt to 4 cups of water. Good-quality chicken stock makes a big difference. I’m a huge fan of Swanson’s® chicken stock in this Chicken Parmesan Soup (not sponsored). It has a rich flavor foundation that really enhances this soup without any extra work on your part. I’ve tried other stocks/broths and been a bit unimpressed by the end result. Use good-quality canned tomatoes. For the tomato paste and sauce, I recommend the best-quality tomatoes you can find, since these really form the flavor base of the soup. I recommend Italian-style tomatoes which are typically canned Roma tomatoes with herbs added in. This variety of tomato adds flavor without requiring too many additional seasonings. Dice the onion very finely. The finer the dice, the better the onion integrates into the soup. Since we aren’t spending a whole lot of time sautéing the onion, we want small pieces so there aren’t large chunks of crunchy onion throughout the soup. If you’re buying pre-chopped onions, take a look at the size of the pieces and if necessary, give them a quick extra chop. QUICK TIP If you aren’t a huge fan of canned tomato chunks, try crushed tomatoes instead of diced. (Or use 1 can diced and 1 can crushed tomatoes.) Variation Ideas For a smokier flavor use fire-roasted tomatoes. Additionally, use smoked paprika instead of regular. Add some heat by sprinkling in some crushed red pepper flakes to the soup or to individual bowls. Chicken Parmesan Soup Toppings The toppings for this Chicken Parmesan Soup make the soup, so don’t forget them! Parmesan cheese. Using a microplane (like this one), you’ll get finely shredded Parmesan cheese that melts and integrates beautifully into the soup. Fresh basil. Basil adds life and flavor to the soup. Fresh basil is easy to find in the produce section of grocery stores and IMO is essential. Mozzarella. While we typically stick to Parmesan cheese, if you want more of a true chicken Parm flavor, add in some freshly grated mozzarella. Cracked pepper. A sprinkle of pepper and/or some red pepper flakes add some nice heat. If that’s not your thing, feel free to skip the pepper. Garlic bread. A must-have soup dipper! More Soup Recipes Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup with sweet potato Italian Sausage Orzo Soup with lots of veggies Lentil Soup with fresh lemon and herbs Vegetable Soup with fresh basil pesto Potato Soup with bacon and cheese FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. 20-Minute Chicken Parmesan Soup 4.91 from 11 votes - Review this recipe This quick and easy Chicken Parmesan Soup can be on the table in about 20 minutes! It's packed with flavor, good-for-you ingredients, and all the best flavors from chicken Parm! SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe 20-Minute Chicken Parmesan Soup 4.91 from 11 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe This quick and easy Chicken Parmesan Soup can be on the table in about 20 minutes! It's packed with flavor, good-for-you ingredients, and all the best flavors from chicken Parm! Course Dinner, Main Course, Soup Cuisine American, Healthy, Italian Keyword Chicken Parmesan Soup Prep Time 20 minutes Total Time 20 minutes Servings 6 servings Calories 543kcal Cost $5.20 Ingredients2 cups (190g) uncooked rotini pasta3/4 cup (108g) sweet (or yellow) onion diced (~1/2 of 1 onion)2 teaspoons minced garlic (~3-4 cloves)2 tablespoons olive oil3 tablespoons tomato paste2 cans (14.5 ounces EACH) diced tomatoes Italian-style (See Note 1)3 cups (705g) chicken stock (I recommend Swanson Chicken Stock)1 teaspoon EACH: dried parsley, dried oregano1 and 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning1/2 teaspoon ground paprikaFine sea salt and pepper2 cups (230g) shredded or chopped rotisserie chicken (See Note 2)Toppings: red pepper flakes, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and/or mozzarella cheese, 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, garlic bread InstructionsPASTA: Follow package directions to cook the rotini pasta to al dente. Don't forget to salt the pasta water generously or the soup will taste underseasoned. I add 1 teaspoon salt to every 4 cups of water. Drain pasta, rinse in cold water, and set aside.PREP: Meanwhile, finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. To save time, you can use pre-chopped onion and garlic.ONION AND GARLIC: Place a large pot on the stovetop and turn to medium-high heat. Add in the oil and onion. Sauté for a few minutes until tender. Add in the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Add in the tomato paste and sauté for 1-2 minutes. TOMATOES AND SEASONINGS: Add in the undrained diced tomatoes, chicken stock, and seasonings (parsley, Italian seasoning, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper to taste (I use about 1/2 tsp. pepper and 1/4 tsp. salt). Stir to combine and increase heat to high and bring soup to a simmer.CHICKEN: Stir in the prepared rotisserie chicken and heat through, about 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings to preference (salt and pepper here again if needed; remember Parmesan cheese will add saltiness). See Note 3.SERVE: Ladle soup into bowls. Serve soup bowls with a generous spoonful of the pasta mixed in. Garnish bowls with lots of cheese, fresh basil, additional pepper or red pepper flakes if desired. Enjoy hot with garlic bread to dip in it! Video Recipe NotesNote 1: I get Italian-style tomatoes which have seasonings added in. If you aren't a huge fan of chunks of tomatoes use crushed instead of diced tomatoes. Note 2: Use part of a leftover rotisserie chicken or buy pre-shredded rotisserie chicken (This is what I do for this soup which makes it even quicker.) Note 3: I like to keep the pasta separate as opposed to mixing it all in the soup in case I have leftovers (the pasta bloats and becomes soft/soggy when stored). If you plan on eating all the soup in one day, mix all the pasta in when you add in the chicken. Nutrition FactsCalories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 512mg | Potassium: 431mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 213IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
This looks so good Chelsea! My family loves chicken parmesan! This would be a great change up 🙂 Thank you for sharing it! Reply
Sometimes Teddy is obsessed with the tree, and wants to pull everything off, and then sometimes it seems like he doesn’t even realize it’s there. Kids are so funny! This soup looks SO delicious, and love how easy it is! Reply
I have always used only Swanson stock. But, free range sounds very interesting! Gonna pick up one next time Reply
This would be perfect for a holiday girls’ night in! I have a few friends who would go NUTS for the parmesan! Toddlers and trees are a whole thing. Although, to be fair, this year, it was the 7-year-old and I who broke the most ornaments. 🙂 Reply
Just made this as directed, except swapped out some dried basil for fresh, because that’s all I had. Delicious, as easy as advertised, and very filling. Thanks! Reply
Chelsea this was fantastic!! I added zucchini and used gluten free pasta!! Thanks for sharing!! Have a great day…. Reply
You can do that and even with raw chicken. Just add about 3/4ths a pound raw chicken with all the other ingredients (minus cheese and pasta) and slow cook on high for 3-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Shred the chicken, add in cooked pasta, and garnish with cheeses 🙂 Enjoy! Reply
Ah- you haven’t had a challenge until you have a toddler that chews on glass ornaments as if they were tortilla chips!! Yes, twice I had to retrieve glass shards from the kid’s mouth! The three year old had to show me how the little guy was smacking the tree to get the ornaments to fall. Luckily no cuts?!, Oh- and the soup recipe looks like a winner! Reply
This was a big hit from kid to adult at movie night at our place. Loved how easy it was to make and how easy it would be to add to for other tastes. Reply
I am a few years behind and just found Pinterest. I just stopped working and became a stay at home mom. This is the first thing that I have made and it was so easy. Thank you so much for sharing! I couldn’t find diced tomatoes but used sliced. It was chunky so my husband loved it!!! Reply
Cari, i’m soo glad you enjoyed this! I think sliced tomatoes would definitely be just as good! Hope you’re enjoying the stay at home life! Reply
I really liked this, but I adjusted a couple things. I pan seared chicken and then cooked the onion and garlic in it, I thought it added some good flavor to the soup. I also added a Parmesan rind and couple table spoons of tomato sauce to make it a little less watery. Some really good flavors! Reply
Excellent recipe! I have made it a couple of times including yesterday. I add diced carrots and some broccoli, too. Since I cook for an elderly relative who has chewing issues, I put the chicken in the food processor for her. Because a low sodium diet is essential, I use no salt tomatoes…the rotisserie chicken has enough salt, I think . I also use 4 cups of broth instead of 3 as I have to add the pasta before freezing so this helps a little with the broth. Sometimes, i add a little water before reheating. TY for a recipe that my 94 year old aunt an enjoy…as do I! Reply
I’m sooo glad you guys love this dish! And those subs sound awesome! I’m sure your relative greatly appreciates you! Thanks for sharing! 🙂 Reply
I only have chicken broth, can I substitute that for the stock? Also, I only have regular diced tomatoes, will that make a difference since there are already alot of italianish seasonings in the recipe? Reply
This was delicious – I added a few more veg, specifically red pepper, zucchini and spinach.. Will definitely be making this again and again. Reply
Superb! A distinctive hearty soup. I added zucchini, mushrooms and used a home made tomato sauce. Then cooked it all slow & low for 90 minutes overall to get those delicious flavours mixing! Cheers… Reply
Had some fresh homemade bread and needed something wonderful to accompany it. This soup was that wonderful. Even my picky eaters enjoyed it. Thank you for such an easy and amazing soup that will be added to our regular recipes. Reply
Superb! Added zucchini and home made tomato sauce, then cooked slow & low for 90 minutes to get all of the flavours! Delicious, cheers! Reply
Absolutely! I even have a post on how to make “Spaghetti Squash Pasta” :https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/spaghetti-squash-with-turkey-meatballs/. I’d just cook the spaghetti squash pasta separately and add in when you’re ready to serve! 🙂 Reply
Made this twice now. Super easy and nourishing. I used smoked paprika this time which transformed the flavour of the soup. Reply
