What I love about Creamy Tuscan Chicken Meatball Soup
It’s officially soup season, and this Creamy Tuscan Chicken Meatball Soup is exactly what I’ve been craving. Imagine tender, Italian-style chicken meatballs simmered in a rich, creamy broth, topped with fresh basil and a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano. It’s pure comfort in a bowl—hearty and cozy, yet still packed with veggies. Even on the chilliest days, there’s something about a warm bowl of soup that feels like a hug from the inside out.
One of the best parts? It’s a one-pot meal, which we absolutely love. Not only does that mean minimal clean-up, but you can easily take care of the dishes while the soup simmers away. This recipe makes about six servings, making it perfect for a cozy family dinner—and if you’re hosting a larger group, it doubles beautifully.
For added convenience, you can prep the chicken meatballs ahead of time—either raw or fully cooked—and store them in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to use them. And if you happen to have leftovers (though that’s not guaranteed!), they reheat wonderfully and make an absolutely delicious lunch the next day.
Recipe Notes
A few things to keep in mind:
- Ground Chicken – Either ground chicken or ground turkey would work for this recipe.
- Garlic – I recommend using fresh garlic to enhance flavour, although you could use premade, minced, oil-packed garlic from the store in a pinch.
- Parmigiana cheese – Parmigiana is the best because it’s the real deal! Parmesan cheese, asiago or Romano cheese would also work.
- Basil – I highly recommend using fresh basil for this recipe. It adds desired, strong flavour and beautiful colour as opposed to dried basil which is more muted.
- Heavy cream – The cream is what makes this soup, well … creamy! I use heavy whipping cream. Table cream would work as well. If you are dairy free then you can use full-fat coconut milk.
FAQ:
Yes! Ground turkey and ground chicken can be used interchangeably.
Absolutely. You can prep them raw or fully cooked and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
Yes! Instead of butter in the meatballs and heavy cream in the soup, substitute with full-fat coconut milk. In addition, try vegan parmigiana cheese or just omit it completely.
You can, although it won’t have quite the same boldness of flavour. It will still be delicious though if that’s all you have!
It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days. When frozen, it will last for weeks!
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Meatball Soup
Equipment
- 1 Heavy-bottomed Pot
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 pound organic ground chicken
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs or panko crumbs
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/3 cup shredded parmigiana cheese
For the soup:
- avocado oil for cooking
- 1 white onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 ribs celery washed and chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 5 cups strong chicken broth
- 1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves finely sliced
- 4 cups baby spinach fresh, packed
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons red chilli pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup shredded parmigiana cheese plus more for topping
Instructions
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the ground chicken, butter, garlic, egg, gf bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, onion powder and parmesan cheese. Mix well with your hands until all of the ingredients are combined.
- Form meatballs using your hands or a small cookie scoop and set aside.
- Heat avocado oil in a heavy bottomed pot and add the chicken meatballs in a single layer without crowding them. You may have to do two batches. Sear them on all sides and then remove them to a plate. They don't have to be fully cooked.
- To the same pot, add the onion, celery and carrots and sauté them until they start to brown, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper and sauté another 2 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken stock and add the bay leaf. Bring the soup to a boil and then simmer uncovered on low-medium heat until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add the chicken meatballs back into the soup along with the sun-dried tomatoes, basil, spinach and red pepper flakes. Cook until the spinach has wilted.
- Add in the cream and parmigiana cheese and stir until combined.
- Ladle into deep bowls and top with additional basil and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
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