This creamy chicken parmesan soup takes everything you love about classic chicken parm and turns it into a cozy, ladle-it-up dinner. Tender shredded chicken, gemelli pasta, and a rich tomato broth come together with milk and parmesan for a soup that's every bit as comforting as the original dish, just easier to make on a weeknight. It all cooks in one pot, so cleanup is minimal too.
If you love turning classic chicken parm into new formats, you'll also want to check out my one pot chicken parmesan pasta or my baked chicken parmesan meatballs for more ways to enjoy those same flavors.
One thing before you get started: this one has a bit of a wait built in, mostly because the chicken needs to poach in the soup before you shred it, and the noodles need their own 15-20 minutes at the end. It's mostly hands-off time though, so you can prep your toppings or set the table while it simmers.
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Not Your Average Soup
Most chicken parm recipes mean breading and frying chicken, which is a lot of standing at the stove. This one skips all of that. The chicken poaches right in the tomato broth, then gets shredded and added back in, so you get all that classic chicken parm flavor without the mess of a breading station. It also means it's easy to double for a crowd, similar to how I build my homemade chicken noodle soup for big-batch dinners.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It's a full meal in one pot, protein, pasta, and veggies are all built right in.
- The tomato broth gets richer the longer it sits, so leftovers taste even better the next day.
- Shredding the chicken with a stand mixer or hand mixer saves a ton of time over doing it by hand.
- It's easily customizable with whatever pasta shape you have on hand.
- The parmesan and milk give it a creamy finish without needing heavy cream.
Ingredient Notes
Most of what's in here is straightforward, but a couple of things are worth flagging before you shop.
- Gemelli pasta: This short, twisted shape holds up well in soup without getting mushy. If you don't have it, penne, rotini, or medium shells will all work fine as a swap.
- Chicken breast: It cooks directly in the soup, so there's no need to pre-cook it. Just make sure it's fully cooked through (14 minutes at a boil should do it) before you shred it and add it back in.
- Parmesan: Use freshly grated if you can. The pre-shredded bagged kind has anti-caking additives that can make the soup slightly grainy instead of smooth.
Erin's Expert Tips
Shred the chicken while it's still warm, it comes apart much easier than once it's cooled all the way down.
If the soup gets too thick after sitting, thin it out with a splash of extra chicken stock when reheating since the noodles will keep absorbing liquid.
Stir in the milk and parmesan off the direct heat if you can, it helps keep the dairy from separating or curdling.
Want to bulk this up with extra protein? A can of white beans stirred in at the end works well if you want to stretch it further without changing the flavor.
How to Make Chicken Parmesan Soup
Start by heating olive oil in a large skillet and charring your corn until it’s golden and slightly smoky. This step adds so much flavor! While that cooks, whisk together your dressing until smooth and creamy, then toss a portion with the chicken to let it marinate briefly.
As everything comes together, prep your salad base with chopped avocado, cucumber, and arugula. Slice the corn off the cob and layer it in with crumbled feta, pickled onions, and fresh herbs. Cook the chicken in the same skillet until golden and cooked through, then let it rest before slicing. Toss the salad with the dressing, top with the chicken and extra feta, and serve while everything is fresh and vibrant.
- Step 1: Heat a large dutch oven to medium-high and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until beginning to soften, then add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, stock, and seasonings (salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and red pepper flake).
- Step 2: Bring to a boil, then add the chicken breasts and cook for 14 minutes. Remove the chicken from the soup and reduce the heat to a simmer. Shred the chicken using a stand mixer, hand mixer, or two forks, then add it back to the soup.
- Step 3: Once the chicken is added back in, bring the soup back to a boil, then stir in the noodles, milk, and parmesan cheese, stirring every few minutes.
- Step 4: Let the soup slowly boil over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, until the noodles are cooked. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded mozzarella cheese and fresh chopped parsley or basil.
Chicken Parmesan Soup FAQ
Don’t see the answer you’re looking for? Leave a comment at the bottom of this post!
Yes, though the noodles will keep soaking up liquid as it sits. If you're making it more than a day ahead, consider cooking the pasta separately and adding it to individual bowls instead of the whole pot.
You can. Skip the poaching step and add about 3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken in at the same point you'd add the pasta, milk, and parmesan.
Gemelli holds its shape nicely, but penne, rotini, or medium shells are all good substitutes if that's what you have. Avoid very thin noodles like angel hair since they tend to turn mushy in soup.
It freezes best without the noodles, since pasta gets soft and mushy after thawing. Freeze the soup base and chicken, then cook fresh noodles when you're ready to reheat and serve.
Storing leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The noodles will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so add a splash of chicken stock or water when reheating on the stove or in the microwave to loosen it back up!
If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!
Ingredients
Method
- In a large dutch oven, heat to medium-high. Add olive oil.
- Once hot, add onions and cook for 4-5 minutes or until beginning to soften, then add in minced garlic and cook for another minute.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, stock, and seasonings (salt, pepper, basil, oregano, red pepper flake).
- Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add in chicken breasts and cook for 14 minutes.
- Remove chicken from soup and reduce heat to a simmer.
- Shred chicken using a stand mixer, hand mixer, or with two forks, then add it back to the soup.
- Once chicken is added back in, bring back to a boil and then add in noodles, milk and parmesan cheese. Stir every few minutes.
- Let soup slowly boil over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until noodles are cooked.
- Ladle into bowls and top with shredded mozzarella cheese and fresh chopped parsley or basil.
Nutrition
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Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
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