Chicken Pot Pie Soup is thick, creamy, and loaded with vegetables and tender pieces of chicken! It’s made in one pot and topped with biscuits or pastry, making it the perfect cold weather comfort food.

Cozy up with more comforting chicken soup recipes like Chicken Dumpling Soup, Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup and Chicken Rice Soup.

This Chicken Pot Pie Soup recipe was an instant family favorite the first time I whipped it up, and for a few reasons!

The kids really love how thick and creamy it is. I love how easy it is to make and that it’s loaded with vegetables.

The best part? There’s only one pot to wash!

It stores perfectly in the fridge for a few days, so it’s perfect for making a big batch on the weekend to enjoy through the week — or make a double batch right away and pack up the rest for school lunches!

Essentially, it’s a deconstructed chicken pot pie that’s served in a soup form. It’s one of my favorite winter recipes. See how it’s made down below!

Why we love this Chicken Pot Pie Soup:

• One Pot: One pot soup recipes really help me get through the cold months. They’re so easy to make, even easier to clean, and comforting as can be.
• Kid Friendly: My kids gobble this soup up! I love serving it to them because it’s loaded with protein and veggies that even the pickiest of eaters don’t mind.
• Make Ahead: This is a wonderful make ahead soup recipe. Scroll down a little bit to see more detailed info on how to store this chicken pot pie soup for later.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup Ingredients Needed:

• Chicken Breast – Any boneless, skinless chicken will work great! Cooking them whole in the soup keeps them moist.
• Veggies – This recipe features the classic blend of vegetables you’d traditionally find in a pot pie – peas, carrots, celery and corn. Feel free to add to this list as you like.
• Onion – Use a white or yellow onion.
• Potatoes – Yukon gold potatoes work best as they are deliciously tender and buttery.
• Milk – Feel free to use any kind of milk you like best.
• Flour – All-purpose flour is used to create the roux that thickens the soup to the very best rich consistency.
• Butter – Unsalted butter is preferred.
• Chicken Broth – Just like with the butter, it’s best to use unsalted (or low-sodium) chicken broth. If you want more salt, you can always sprinkle some more in later.
• Garlic – Feel free to add a little extra if you’re a garlic lover!
• Seasonings – Create the very best flavor with parsley, thyme, and just a little salt and black pepper.

How to make Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Here’s a quick look at how to make the BEST chicken pot pie soup recipe! Scroll to the bottom of this page to see more detailed steps and ingredients.

• Sauté the carrots, celery and onions in a little bit of oil until softened.
• Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, thyme and parsley.

• Add the broth. Scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure all of the brown bits are mixed in.
• Add the potatoes and chicken. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender.

• Whisk together flour and melted butter. Then, whisk in the milk and thicken in the microwave.
• Stir the veggies and roux into the pot. Shred the chicken and stir it all together.

Variations and Substitutions

• Use chicken thighs: You can use thighs instead of breasts, and there’s no need to change any other part of the recipe.
• Use leftover chicken or turkey: Simply skip the sautéing of the chicken and go right to the vegetables. Add your leftover cooked chicken or turkey in. This is perfect if you have leftovers from this Perfect Roast Chicken or you made a big batch of this Crockpot Shredded Chicken or Instant Pot Shredded Chicken that you have stashed in the fridge.
• Add other vegetables: Feel free to add other vegetables you need to get out of the fridge, or substitute the ones I use for other favorites. Keep in mind that some quick cooking vegetables should be added at the end (spinach, broccoli, green beans, etc), and others (peppers, cauliflower, mushrooms, root vegetables) take longer, so plan accordingly.
• Make it dairy free: Feel free to swap the milk with dairy free milk or cream for a creamy soup, or additional chicken broth.

How to Store Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Chicken pot pie soup will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, just pop it in the microwave and zap it for 30 seconds at a time. Stir every time it stops to evenly distribute the heat.

Can I freeze chicken pot pie soup?

Yes, sort of! Just allow it to fully cool to room temperature prior to storing.

The texture of low fat dairy as well as potatoes does change when they are frozen, and it may not be appetizing to some people. For that reason, this is not my favorite soup to freeze.

If you’re not picky about food textures, then you can absolutely freeze this soup!

Once cooled, pour the soup into a large zip-top bag. Lay it flat on a baking sheet and let freeze for at least 1 hour – this will make it flat and easy to store in the freezer.

Chicken pot pie soup will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it defrost in the fridge for a few hours prior to reheating.

Can I make it in the Crockpot?

Absolutely!

Most likely, I would add the carrots through to the chicken breast into the Crockpot and skip the sautéeing. You could also follow the original instructions to saute the vegetables before adding to the slow cooker.

Let cook on low for 4-6 hours, until the vegetables are tender, then shred the chicken, add in the frozen vegetables and the thickened milk.

Serving Suggestions:

You can always enjoy this soup just the way it is… Or, you could go the extra mile and serve it with some amazing toppings!

Here are just a few delicious options:

• Homemade biscuits (like my favorite Cheddar Bay Biscuits).
• These homemade Drop Dumplings for Soup.
• Crackers
• Pie Pastry (homemade or store bought) rolled out into rounds and baked flat on a baking sheet.
• Puff pastry rounds: cut refrigerated puff pastry into rounds or other shapes, and bake them off on a baking sheet until golden. If you have any leftover puff pastry, use it to make an actual Chicken Pot Pie!

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin this recipe to your favorite board

Print

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Chicken Pot Pie Soup is thick, creamy, and loaded with vegetables and tender pieces of chicken! It's made in one pot and topped with biscuits or pastry, making it the perfect cold weather comfort food.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 423cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 large carrots (peeled and diced)
• 1 rib celery (finely chopped)
• ½ medium onion (finely diced)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• ¾ lb yukon gold potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes — cut into ½ inch pieces)
• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
• ½ cup frozen corn
• ½ cup frozen peas

Roux:

• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups milk (any kind)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Add oil to a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery and onion and cook on medium heat, stirring often, until onions are translucent and vegetables are slightly softened.
• Stir in garlic, salt, parsley, thyme and pepper and cook 1 minute.
• Add broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to ensure any browned bits are removed.
• Stir in potatoes and nestle chicken breast down in the liquid. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender.
• Meanwhile, make your roux and thicken your milk. In a large glass bowl or measuring cup, melt the butter in the microwave on high, 30-45 seconds at a time.
• Stir in the flour until completely absorbed.
• Whisk in the milk until smooth, using a scraper to get into the edges of the cup and ensure all of the flour has been whisked into the milk.
• Microwave on high in 45 second intervals, whisking each time, until thickened. 4 times at 45 seconds was perfect for me. Be sure to keep an eye on it in the microwave as it will bubble up — you need to use a bowl or cup with lots of room left at the top.
• When potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through (about 10-15 minutes), remove chicken breast and shred. Stir in the frozen peans, frozen corn and the thickened milk along with the shredded chicken.
• Let soup simmer on medium-low heat until heated through, then serve with biscuits or any of the options listed in the post above.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 457grams | Calories: 423cal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 745mg | Potassium: 984mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5782IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Chicken Pot Pie Soup appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

This Garlic Parmesan Orzo Pasta recipe is a one-pot recipe for tender orzo tossed in a light and cheesy cream sauce. It’s simple to make and comes together in a total of 20 minutes!

Love orzo? Try this Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, this Sun Dried Tomato and Spinach Orzo recipe or one of The 10 Best Orzo Recipes!

This Garlic Parmesan Orzo Pasta recipe is a recipe you don’t want to miss!

Anything that has garlic and parmesan in it is bound to be good, right? Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Chicken Stew, Garlic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes, Pesto Parmesan Instant Pot Chicken Breast and Potatoes…Yeah. It’s a pretty killer combo.

Add pasta to the mix, especially orzo pasta, and you’ve pretty much reached the epitome of good food.

It’s a decadent side dish or vegetarian entree that’s fancy enough to be served for a dinner party but also quick and easy enough that you can whip it up for a simple weeknight dinner.

Just one pot, a few simple ingredients, 20 minutes, and it’s ready to go!

If you love simple pasta recipes, check out this Sun Dried Tomato Pasta and this Creamy Tomato Rigatoni Pasta, too! If you’re an orzo lover, or try this One Pan Tuscan Orzo with Chicken next.

What is orzo pasta?

Orzo is a small, oval-shaped pasta that resembles grains of rice. It can be cooked either like a pasta (boiled and then drained) or it can be cooked in the same way rice would be cooked (simmered in liquid until it’s fully absorbed.)

This creamy orzo pasta recipe utilizes the second cooking method. The orzo is simmered in broth until the liquid is absorbed, then cream and cheese are incorporated to create a light cream sauce. This method results in a creamy consistency very similar to risotto as the starch from the pasta mixes with the liquid to create a thicker, creamier base for the sauce.

Garlic Parmesan Orzo Recipe Ingredients

• Chicken Broth: I usually use low sodium chicken broth. If you use regular chicken broth, you may want to adjust the amount of salt you add so it’s not too salty.
• Dry Orzo Pasta: you can find orzo pasta at most grocery stores!
• Garlic: use fresh garlic for the best flavor. Garlic powder just isn’t the same!
• Salt and Black Pepper: thanks to the broth, garlic, and cheese, you don’t need much when it comes to seasonings. A simple duo of salt and black pepper is all you need!
• Cream: any kind will work! Use heavy cream for a richer flavor. Light cream will be a bit thinner but will still be delicious.
• Parmesan Cheese: freshly grated parmesan is the way to go. Pre-shredded cheeses contain an anti-caking agent which can cause a grainy texture.
• Parsley: I love to use a sprinkle of fresh parsley to add freshness and add a pop of color.

How to make this easy Orzo Pasta recipe

This orzo recipe is a quick and easy recipe that’s made in just one pot for super easy cleanup! Scroll down to the recipe card for more detailed instructions.

1. Cook the pasta: In a skillet, combine broth, pasta, garlic, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Make sure to stir often!
2. Finish and serve: Mix in cream, parmesan, and parsley then serve and enjoy!

Orzo Pasta FAQs

Is orzo pasta or rice?

While orzo is often mistaken for rice because of its small rice-like shape, it is in fact a pasta!

How is orzo different than pasta?

Orzo is simply a specific shape of pasta, although it differs from other cuts of pasta in the way that it is prepared.

Orzo can be cooked like pasta or it can be toasted in a dry pan before adding liquid to cook it. It can also be cooked using a similar method to risotto.

Can you use another pasta?

Yes! You can use any smaller pasta shape in this recipe and it should yield similar results. You can also substitute the orzo out for Arborio rice to get a similar consistency. Keep in mind the cook time will change, so make sure you cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, adding more liquid if necessary to cook the pasta.

Is orzo pasta healthier than rice?

The term “healthy” is relative these days, and what’s healthy for one person may not work for another. Orzo is a pasta and rice is a grain, so they bring different things to the table.

In a 140 gram serving, orzo has 316 calories and roughly 11 grams of protein.

In a 158 gram serving, long grain white rice has 205 calories but only 4 grams of protein.

How long will cooked orzo keep?

Cooked garlic parmesan orzo pasta will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. To reheat, add a splash of broth or cream to thin and moisten and warm on the stove or in the microwave until fully warmed.

Can orzo recipes be frozen?

Yes! You can freeze this orzo pasta by packing it in an airtight container then storing it in the freezer for 2-3 months.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen then warm on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of liquid to moisten.

Variations on this orzo recipe:

• Add veggies. You can mix in any cooked veggies you like to give this pasta dinner a boost of nutrition. Try it with peas, tomatoes, asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, you name it.
• Make it meaty. Fill out the meal by mixing in cooked chicken, sausage, or bacon.
• Spice it up. If you like your pasta with a kick of heat, try adding in red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
• Brighten it up. Add another layer of flavor with a splash of lemon juice.

Orzo Pasta Serving suggestions

This garlic parmesan orzo pasta makes a delicious vegetarian entree with a side of roasted vegetables or garlic bread.

It also makes the perfect side dish next to your favorite protein. Serve it with Slow Cooker Chicken Breast, baked tuscan chicken, or Instant Pot Whole Chicken!

More pasta recipes you’ll love

For more pasta inspiration, check out more of my easy pasta recipes. Here are a few of my favorites!

• Crockpot Lasagna
• Pesto Spinach Alfredo
• Gnocchi with Sausage, Spinach, and Tomatoes

Dinner

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Dinner

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Dinner

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Casseroles

Rigatoni Pasta Bake

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin this recipe to your favorite board

Print

Garlic Parmesan Orzo Pasta Recipe

This Garlic Parmesan Orzo Pasta is a one-pot recipe for tender orzo tossed in a light and cheesy cream sauce. It's simple to make and comes together in a total of 20 minutes!

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, canadian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 279cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 2½ cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1½ cups dry orzo pasta (about 278 grams)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅓ cup cream (any kind — heavy cream will give richer flavor, light cream will be a bit thinner)
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Combine broth, pasta, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium skillet.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer, stirring often (you can cover or leave uncovered). Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is cooked to your preference. (If you want to cook the pasta further but the liquid is gone, just add a splash more broth).
• Stir in cream, Parmesan and parsley. Serve.

Video

Notes

Storage:

Cooked garlic parmesan orzo pasta will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. To reheat, add a splash of broth or cream to thin and moisten and warm on the stove or in the microwave until fully warmed.

You can also freeze this orzo pasta by packing it in an airtight container then storing it in the freezer for 2-3 months.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen then warm on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of liquid to moisten.

Nutrition

Serving: 205grams | Calories: 279cal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 445mg | Potassium: 279mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 243IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Garlic Parmesan Orzo Pasta recipe appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

This homemade Hamburger Helper recipe is a savory one-pot meal that’s better than the original boxed version! Made with tender elbow pasta, savory ground beef, cheese, tomato sauce, and veggies, it’s ready in 30 minutes or less and impossible to resist!

Cozy up with more comfort food recipes like Three Cheese Gnocchi Bake, One Pot BBQ Chicken and Bacon Pasta and Sausage Tortellini Soup.

Confession time: I can’t honestly remember the last time I purchased or prepared a box of Hamburger Helper.

It’s not that I never have—like most moms, I’m familiar with the beloved boxed pasta (it’s one of my childhood favorites!). But somewhere along the way, I discovered that it’s actually quite easy to make homemade hamburger helper.

My recipe for homemade Hamburger Helper is the only one you need for a number of reasons: it comes together in one pot, with real ingredients, in roughly the same amount of time. Since then, I haven’t looked back!

Why we love it:

• Healthier than store-bought: This homemade version is a one-pot meal made with healthy whole wheat pasta for added fiber, and wholesome veggies like red pepper and spinach.
• Kid-friendly: Everything all cooks down together in the cheesy sauce (hello, comfort food!), so picky eaters won’t even notice (it’s a family favorite here!).
• One pot: Those two magic words means that dinner will be easy to make and easy to clean up!
• Simple ingredients: This is a great clean-out-your-fridge recipe! It uses simple ingredients that you probably already have laying around.

Homemade Hamburger Helper ingredients:

• Lean Ground Beef: Since this is a one pot meal, I usually use lean ground beef. That helps keep the pasta from being greasy.
• Onion: Almost any beef dish is better with onion! You can dice up fresh onion, or if you’re short on time, sprinkle in about a tablespoon of onion powder.
• Red Pepper: Dice up a medium bell pepper. We use red, but any color is fine!
• Red Pepper Flakes: To add a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes. You can put more in, if you want it to be spicier.
• Garlic or Garlic Powder: Again, you can use fresh minced garlic, or go with garlic powder if you prefer. Use about ⅓ teaspoon for each clove of garlic.
• Salt and Pepper: I prefer to use red pepper flakes as opposed to black pepper, but you can use both if you prefer.
• Italian Seasoning: Store-bought Italian seasoning blend adds lots of flavor to the dish!
• Spinach: For frozen spinach, thaw it and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. For fresh spinach, just chop it finely. You can omit if you want but I promise no one will know it’s there!
• Beef Broth: The dish will be cooked in a mixture of broth and milk; I use beef broth, but vegetable broth and chicken broth would both work, as well.
• Milk: any kind of dairy or non-dairy milk will work. Higher fat dairy will yield a richer flavor.
• Pasta: Our favorite pasta for this recipe is elbow pasta, but basically any small shape would be good. Penne, farfalle (bowties), and fusilli are all good hamburger-helper-style shapes — just keep in mind the cook time may vary.
• Tomato Sauce: You can use plain tomato sauce, strained tomatoes, or pasta sauce, whatever you have.
• Cheese: To make this a cheesy, comforting meal, you’ll need plenty of shredded cheese! Try mozzarella, colby, cheddar, or any other melting cheese that you like. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired

How to make Hamburger Helper

Let’s take a quick look at how to make homemade hamburger helper! Find the detailed recipe down in the recipe card.

• Cook the ground beef, red bell peppers and onions.
• Mix in the seasonings, garlic and spinach.

• Pour in the milk, broth, noodles and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook for 12-15 minutes.
• Stir in the cheese.

Variations and Substitutions

• Change the veggies. Feel free to swap out the veggies for others your family enjoys, like mushrooms, shredded carrots, zucchini, or anything else you have taking up space in the fridge. Also, shredded vegetables cooked down in the ground beef are a great way to get more vegetables into your diet.
• Use your preferred pasta. I use high fiber whole wheat pasta, but really any variety of wheat pasta works fine. If you are using gluten-free or alternative pastas, you may want to reduce the amount of liquid, or add more, depending on the type of pasta.
• Make it dairy-free. Swap dairy-free milk and dairy-free cheese for the whole milk and shredded cheese. Or simply make the recipe with no milk, substituting additional broth, and leave out the cheese altogether!
• Make it vegetarian. Swap out the beef broth for vegetable broth, and vegetarian crumbles, chickpeas, or simply extra veggies instead of the meat.
• Use another meat. Ground turkey, ground chicken, or even ground sausage all work well.
• Make it creamy. Stir in some sour cream or plain yogurt for an extra creamy pasta.
• Spice it up! Splash in some hot sauce or sriracha.

How to Store Homemade Hamburger Helper

Leftover Hamburger Helper will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. Make sure to store it in an airtight container.

Add a splash of milk, water or broth and reheat for 30 seconds at a time in the microwave, stirring each time it stops, until warmed all the way through.

Can I freeze hamburger helper?

Yes! To freeze homemade hamburger helper, spread the cooked pasta into a foil or freezer-safe baking dish, and cover with a layer of plastic wrap and then a lid or a layer of tin foil. The plastic wrap helps prevent freezer burn (thanks Grandma, for that trick!).

To reheat frozen hamburger helper, uncover the dish, remove the layer of plastic wrap, and then replace the layer of foil. Bake the dish at 350°F for about one hour, removing the foil at about the 40 minute mark, to allow the cheese to brown somewhat.

Freezing Note: If you’re planning to freeze and reheat pasta, you can slightly undercook the pasta before freezing. That way, when you reheat it, it won’t turn out mushy.

Reheating Note: if you’re moving a glass dish from the freezer to the oven, it’s a good idea to let the dish sit out at room temperature for a couple hours beforehand to warm slightly. You may not have to cook it as long.

Serving suggestions:

You can serve this pasta all on its own! It truly is a meal all in one pot! However, if you’d like to add a few side dishes, these are some great, easy options:

• Broccoli Salad: If you don’t think you like broccoli, try this recipe—I promise it will change your mind! Classic Broccoli Salad is sweet, tangy, crunchy, and fresh, with bacon and cheddar for extra yumminess.
• Creamed Corn: Sweet, Homemade Creamed Corn is a side dish that my kids devour! It’s a fresh, crisp-tender veggie option that’s always a welcome addition to the meal.
• Glazed Carrots: My simple Honey Orange Glazed Carrots are another kid-friendly side dish, made from scratch and lightly sweet.

More one pot pasta recipes!

• Sun Dried Tomato and Spinach Orzo recipe — a fabulous side or meatless main dish.
• Three Cheese Gnocchi Bake — the cheesier, the better!
• Creamy Gemelli Pasta recipe — simple and satisfying.
• Orecchiette Pasta with Sausage — sausage adds so much flavor!
• Cajun Chicken Pasta — just the right amount of kick!

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin this recipe to your favorite board

Print

Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe – easy one pot pasta!

This Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper is a savory, one-pot meal that's better than the original! Made with tender elbow pasta, savory ground beef, cheese, tomato sauce, and veggies, it's ready in 30 minutes or less!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 474cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• ½ medium onion diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground mustard
• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more, if you like it spicy!)
• ¼ cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (or 1 cup fresh, chopped fine) optional
• 1 ¾ cup milk
• 1 ½ cup beef broth (low sodium)
• 2 ¾ cups dry uncooked macaroni (1 375g box)
• 1 ½ cups tomato or pasta sauce
• 1 ½ cups shredded cheese (mozzarella or cheddar)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• To a large pot add beef, onion, and peppers and cook until vegetables are softened. pepper flakes, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning and spinach. Cook over medium high heat until beef is browned.
• Add garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, paprika, mustard red pepper flakes, and spinach. Cook 1-2 minutes to wake up the flavors.
• Add in milk, broth, macaroni and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook 12-15 minutes, stirring often.
• Stir in 1 cup of cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, cover and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

**NOTE: Nutrition information is estimated and will vary depending on exact serving size, types and brands of products used.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• Ground Beef: feel free to swap the beef for ground chicken, pork or turkey. I use lean ground beef so there is not much fat to drain, but if you are using regular ground beef you may want to drain the fat after browning.
• Vegetables: you can swap the peppers and spinach for other vegetables you have hanging around: finely chopped mushrooms, shredded carrots or zucchini, finely chopped kale — once it all cooks down the flavor melds together and you won’t really notice!
• Broth: I use low sodium beef broth so I can control the salt. If you have regular broth you may want to reduce the added salt and adjust as needed. Vegetable and chicken broth may also be substituted.
• Milk: I use low fat milk, but any will do here! Non-dairy milk works just as well.
• Macaroni: any short pasta will work here, but they may require different cook times or amounts of liquid. If you notice the liquid is mostly absorbed but the pasta is not cooked, just add a splash here and there and continue cooking until the pasta is al dente.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 347grams | Calories: 474cal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1166mg | Potassium: 836mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2073IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 293mg | Iron: 5mg

More one pot pastas you’ll love!

• Healthy One Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
• One Pot Baked Ziti
• One Pot Chicken Chow Mein

The post BEST Hamburger Helper Recipe appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

Marry Me Chicken features golden chicken breasts simmered in a medley of bold ingredients like bacon, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and more! This one pan chicken recipe is served smothered in a creamy sauce that’s so good, you may just hear wedding bells.

Enjoy more easy chicken breast recipes like Crockpot Tuscan Chicken, Baked Monterey Chicken and Chicken Caprese Skillet.

Marry me chicken is so worth the hype! This is one of those tried and true chicken recipes that everyone swears by, and there are so many reasons why it’s beloved.

And yes… Just as the name suggests, it’s been said that it’s so good that your meal might just end with a proposal.

It’s easy, creamy, filling, flavorful, and made all in one pan. This marry me chicken recipe checks all of the right boxes!

Why we love it:

• One pan dinner: Easy to make and even easier to clean up. That’s two big wins in my kitchen!
• So creamy: Thanks to the heavy cream that gets stirred in at the end, this chicken recipe is delightfully creamy.
• Flavorful: Oh yes. There are a lot of ingredients that’ll make your mouth water! Garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, bacon and more create a medley of seriously satisfying flavors.
• Versatile: There are quite a few ways to customize this recipe to best fit your tastes. Scroll down to check out some of my recommended variations to try.

Marry Me Chicken Ingredients:

• Chicken Breasts: You can swap these with thighs if you’d like.
• Chicken Broth: I recommend using low-sodium broth and sprinkling in more salt as needed.
• Cream: Heavy cream is recommended for the thickest, creamiest results! A lighter cream may be used but the final results won’t be as creamy.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Make sure to drain them well prior to chopping and using.
• Tomato Paste: This enhances the tomato flavor in a wonderful way!
• Cornstarch: This is used to thicken the sauce.
• Bacon: This adds a great savory and salty flavor to the dish. Feel free to omit or swap with pancetta or turkey bacon if preferred.
• Onion: A white or yellow onion both work very well.
• Garlic: Feel free to measure with your heart!
• Seasonings: Add the best flavor to your marry me chicken with red pepper flakes, salt, parsley, oregano and thyme. Adjust as needed.

How to make Marry Me Chicken:

Here’s a quick look at how to make this marry me chicken recipe! Scroll to the bottom of this page for detailed ingredients and step-by-step instructions.

• Flatten the chicken just enough so that each breast has an even thickness.
• Season and sear the chicken until golden on each side.

• Sauté the bacon and onions.
• Stir in the garlic, herbs and seasonings.

• Stir in the tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes.
• Stir in the flour (or cornstarch slurry). Whisk in the broth and heavy cream, reduce the heat, and add the chicken back in.
• Cover and cook for about 10-12 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.

Variations and Substitutions

• Swap the flour. This can easily be swapped with corn starch if that’s what you have on hand. Just whisk it into an equal portion of liquid before stirring it in.
• Use chicken thighs. If you choose to use thighs instead of breasts, just make sure they’re boneless and skinless.
• No bacon? No problem. You can omit this ingredient entirely if you’d like. It adds an amazing flavor, but you don’t need to use it if you don’t want to. Or, swap it with turkey bacon!
• Turn up the heat. I add just enough red pepper flakes to create flavor without making it spicy. Feel free to kick things up a notch by adding more red pepper flakes.

How to Store Marry Me Chicken

If you have any leftovers, you’re in luck! Marry me chicken keeps very well in the fridge for about 3-4 days. Just make sure it’s in an airtight container.

You can reheat your chicken with a splash of broth or water in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until warmed through. Try to be careful so you don’t scald the creamy sauce.

Can I freeze Marry Me Chicken?

Sure thing! Let the sauce and chicken all fully cool to room temperature prior to storing in an airtight, freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to date and label! Let the chicken slowly thaw in the fridge prior to reheating.

How can I thicken the sauce?

If you notice that your sauce is on the thinner side, have no fear! You can always create a slurry (cornstarch and broth) and stir in a little bit at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

What to serve with Marry Me Chicken:

Serve marry me chicken over something hearty that’ll help you soak up every last drop of that delicious sun-dried tomato cream sauce! Buttered Noodles, Baked Rice, or mashed potatoes are all popular choices. I also like to lighten up my plate with a veggie side dish like air fryer broccoli.

More chicken dinner recipes!

• Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken Breasts — perfect over pasta!
• Baked Tuscan Chicken Breasts — no standing over the oven.
• JUICY Air Fryer Chicken Breast — SO easy and flavorful!
• Creamy Garlic Chicken — totally decadent and garlicky!

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin this recipe to your favorite board

Print

Marry Me Chicken recipe

Marry Me Chicken features golden chicken breasts simmered in a medley of bold ingredients like bacon, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and more! This one pan chicken recipe is served smothered in a creamy sauce that's so good, you may just hear wedding bells.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 430cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 lb)
• salt and pepper
• 2 slices thick cut bacon (chopped)
• ½ medium onion (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• ¼ teaspoon thyme
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes (drained and chopped)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon flour
• ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• parmesan and fresh parsley for serving (optional)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil.
• Place chicken breasts on a large cutting board, cover with plastic wrap and flatten the thicker end slightly so they are an even width).
• Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper and sear on both sides until light golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and keep warm.
• Add bacon to the pan and cook until starting to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Add the onion and cook until translucent and starting to brown.
• Stir in garlic, oregano, parsley, thyme, red pepper flakes and salt and cook 1 minute. Add sun dried tomatoes and tomato paste and cook 1 more minute.
• Stir in the flour until absorbed. Whisk in broth and cream and reduce heat to medium.
• Add the chicken back in, cover and cook until an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, about 10-12 minutes.
• Serve over pasta, rice or mashed potatoes.

Video

Notes

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Chicken: feel free to swap the chicken breasts for boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer. 

Bacon and onion: you can omit one or both of these, but they add significant flavor to the base of our sauce. 

Herbs and seasonings: feel free to experiment with the herbs you have around the house, and swap in fresh herbs if they’re in season. Kick things up a notch by increasing the red chili flakes if that’s your style.

Flour: flour thickens our sauce. If you need a gluten-free alternative, you can whisk together one tablespoon of corn starch and one tablespoon of broth and stir that into the sauce.

Broth: I always choose low sodium broth. If you are using salted broth, you may want to reduce the added salt and season at the end before serving.

Heavy cream: heavy cream thickens and reduces nicely, adding richness to the sauce. If you use a lighter cream, you can expect a thinner sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 191grams | Calories: 430cal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 461mg | Potassium: 844mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 836IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Marry Me Chicken appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

This Chicken Gnocchi Soup is better than Olive Garden! Loaded with tender chicken, chunks of vegetables, and spinach in a creamy, flavorful broth, it’s made in 30 minutes!

See the step by step recipe video down in the recipe card.

Looking for more chicken soup recipes? Try this Ramen Noodle Soup, this Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup or this Chicken Dumpling Soup!

Everyone loves Olive Garden, right?

There is just something so comforting about rich, creamy pastas, fresh-from-the-oven breadsticks (although I think my Homemade Breadsticks are better!) and a cozy bowl of soup!

Now, I love them all: the Zuppa Toscana (see my Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana here), the Minestrone (see my Minestrone soup here), the Pasta e Fagioli — but a good chunky, creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup will always have my heart.

The thing is, the last couple times I’ve been there I’ve just been so disappointed in what Olive Garden is calling “Chicken Gnocchi Soup” these days — I feel like a more accurate name would be “Thin Creamy Broth with One Carrot, One Piece of Spinach and Two Gnocchi’.

It doesn’t have the same ring, does it?

Love gnocchi? You might also like this Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup, this Three Cheese Gnocchi Bake and this Baked Gnocchi with Sausage!

What is Gnocchi?

Gnocchi is a small, oval-shaped potato dumpling that is similar in texture to pasta (maybe a little softer).

Gnocchi is used in many pasta-type recipes, and pairs well in soups and with lots of different sauces due to its neutral flavor. It is comfort food to the max!

Why my Chicken Gnocchi Soup recipe is better than Olive Garden:

Instead of the thin, disappointing Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup, in this soup you’ll get plenty of:

• flavor! All those veggies add a ton of it
• tender shredded chicken — that cooks right in the soup, making it tender and lending more flavor to the broth! (If you’ve got some of this Crockpot Shredded Chicken or Instant Pot Shredded Chicken kicking around, feel free to use that instead!)
• pillowy soft gnocchi
• and enough creamy broth to soak up with some crusty No Knead Artisan Bread

Chicken Gnocchi Soup Ingredients:

This easy chicken soup requires just a few ingredients and most you probably already have on hand! See my full list below.

• Oil: ay neutral flavored oil with a high smoke point will work.
• Onion, celery and carrot: this trio forms a classic mirepoix which is the base for many soup recipes, adding lots of flavor and nutrients!
• Parsley, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper: simple seasonings that go a long way! For best flavor, mince your own garlic cloves before adding to the soup.
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: I use chicken breasts because that’s what we prefer, however boneless skinless chicken thighs also work perfectly! Instead of 2 breasts, use 4 thighs. If you have leftover Perfect Roast Chicken or Baked Chicken Breasts, this is a great time to use them!
• Low sodium chicken broth: I prefer to add salt to our tastes rather than start with a salted broth. For that reason, I recommend tasting the soup before serving and adjusting the seasonings as you desire.
• Heavy cream and corn starch: will give this Chicken Gnocchi Soup a rich and creamy texture without being overly thick.
• Potato gnocchi: I use shelf-stable potato gnocchi found in the pasta aisle — feel free to experiment with different types of gnocchi!
• Fresh spinach: fresh spinach adds color and nutrients! You can omit if needed, or swap in frozen spinach or kale instead.
• Parmesan cheese: adds a bunch of salty, cheesy flavor!

How to make Chicken Gnocchi Soup:

This soup is so simple to make, and I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve to make it even easier. Find the complete recipe in the recipe card below!

1. Saute your onion, celery and carrots in a great big dutch oven or soup pot
2. Add your spices and seasonings — cooking them first in the dry pot wakes up their flavor!
3. Add your broth, raw chicken breasts or thighs (you read that right!), and other vegetables — I use a bag of matchstick carrots to make this even easier.
4. Cook it until the chicken and vegetables are tender, then remove the chicken to shread and stir in some cream, gnocchi, spinach and a big sprinkling of Parmesan — let it cook just until the gnocchi is tender. Taste and serve!

How to make Crockpot Chicken and Gnocchi Soup:

This Chicken Gnocchi Soup is also easy to make in the slow cooker if you need to plan ahead!

See my Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup recipe here for all the tips and tricks you need.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup storage:

One of the great things about this soup is it makes great leftovers! The flavor continues to develop as it sits so it’s perfect for making ahead.

In the refrigerator:

You can store this soup in the refrigerator up to 4 days in an airtight container.

In the freezer:

You can freeze this soup in freezer safe containers (I prefer to freeze mine in large freezer bags, frozen flat, so that it thaws quickly!), leaving an inch or two of space in the container at the top.

Freeze up to 3 months.

To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight or in a pot on the stovetop on low.

Serving Suggestions:

While I don’t actually need to serve anything alongside this Chicken Gnocchi Soup, I sure do love to have some Homemade Dinner Rolls or a piece of Garlic Bread for dunking (bonus points if it’s Cheesy Garlic Bread!).

More hearty soup recipes you’ll love!

• Cheeseburger Soup
• Crockpot Potato Soup
• Beef and Barley Soup
• Chicken Rice Soup: Stove Top or Slow Cooker

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin this recipe to your favorite board

Print

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

This Chicken Gnocchi Soup is better than Olive Garden! Loaded with tender chicken, chunks of vegetables, spinach in a creamy, flavorful broth – don't forget the crusty bread!

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 444.68cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• ½ medium onion finely chopped
• 2 ribs celery finely chopped
• 1 cup carrot matchsticks (or finely chopped carrots)
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 3 cups small gnocchi (500g)
• 1 ½ cups fresh spinach roughly chopped
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• In a large dutch oven or soup pot, add oil and cook onion, celery and carrots over medium-high heat until slightly softened.
• Add parsley, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and stir.
• Add broth and chicken breasts and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 12-15 minutes.
• Remove chicken breasts to a cutting board to shred. Whisk together cream and corn starch and stir into the soup with the gnocchi. Let simmer for 4-5 minutes until gnocchi is tender and soup is slightly thickened.
• Stir in shredded chicken, spinach and Parmesan. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve.

Video

Notes

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Chicken Breasts: I use chicken breasts because that’s what we prefer, however boneless skinless chicken thighs also work perfectly! Instead of 2 breasts, use 4 thighs. If you have leftover Roast Chicken, Baked Chicken Breasts, or Shredded Chicken, this is a great time to use them!

Low sodium chicken broth: I prefer to add salt to our tastes rather than start with a salted broth. For that reason, I recommend tasting the soup before serving and adjusting the seasonings as you desire.

Vegetables: I start most soups with a classic mirepoix (carrots, celery and onion) and I would try not to stray from that, but feel free to add in additional vegetables that you need to get out of the fridge!

Nutrition

Serving: 310grams | Calories: 444.68cal | Carbohydrates: 50.02g | Protein: 18.69g | Fat: 19.83g | Saturated Fat: 8.9g | Cholesterol: 68.53mg | Sodium: 792.79mg | Potassium: 455.15mg | Fiber: 3.86g | Sugar: 1.96g | Vitamin A: 4811.76IU | Vitamin C: 5.35mg | Calcium: 119.29mg | Iron: 5.14mg

The post Chicken Gnocchi Soup appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

This Easy Lasagna recipe is made with oven ready lasagna noodles, jarred tomato sauce and a couple special ingredients that bring LOADS of flavor! Includes step by step recipe video so you can make this simple lasagna at home.

Do you love lasagna as much as we do? Try these Lasagna Roll Ups, this Crockpot Lasagna Soup or this Chocolate Lasagna for dessert!

Sharing this Easy Lasagna recipe here on The Recipe Rebel, I’ll admit, is mostly for me.

That’s right.

I occasionally have purely selfish motives here (and my motives are almost entirely selfish when cheesy pasta is involved ).

The thing is, I realized one day that lasagna is one of those easy dinner ideas I hadn’t yet mastered, because I never use a recipe.

So I have made some amazing lasagna, and I have made some dry lasagnas, and I have made some soupy lasagnas, and I struggled to get consistent results.

I figured the only thing to do was to come up with The Perfect Easy Lasagna Recipe to share here, and that would force me to actually get in my kitchen and figure out the best ratios of sauce to pasta to cheese and then we would all be making amazing lasagnas forevermore.

Just don’t forget the Cheesy Garlic Bread!

What is authentic lasagna?

All I have to say to this is: who’s to say?

Even in Italy, there are so many variations of a classic lasagna recipe depending on where you live, that I don’t know if we can really claim there’s one right way.

Some Lasagnas have a layer of ricotta, cheese and egg mixture layered with meat sauce.

Some Lasagna recipes have cottage cheese (I feel like this is a Canadian prairies thing, but I could be wrong).

Some Lasagna recipes have a layer of bechamel sauce rather than ricotta or cottage cheese.

So this is my interpretation of the best lasagna recipe, and I think it’s pretty delicious! I’d love to hear which way you prefer it in the comments.

Easy Lasagna Ingredients:

• Ground Beef: I choose to use lean ground beef so there is little fat to drain. If you are using regular ground beef, you may want to drain the fat before continuing. Feel free to swap this out with ground turkey, chicken or pork.
• Italian Sausage: Italian sausage is a must here (in my opinion!) because it adds so much flavor without having to add a bunch of different spices. If you swap it out, you’ll want to make sure to compensate by adding additional seasonings.
• Onion: adds depth of flavor that can’t be missed!
• Garlic: opt for freshly minced garlic for the best flavor, but pre-minced works in a pinch.
• Salt and Italian Seasoning: because the sausage adds so much flavor, I keep the rest of our seasonings pretty basic. If you like extra kick, you can add a ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes as well.
• Tomato Pasta Sauce: a simple marinara sauce or similar tomato sauce works great here! Keep in mind the more flavor your sauce has, the more it will add to the lasagna.
• Water: a little bit of water added to our sauce ensures that our lasagna doesn’t get dry as our noodles cook.
• Ricotta cheese: I use Ricotta cheese in this lasagna — you don’t notice the texture and it adds a deliciously mild, creamy flavor.
• Frozen Spinach: I prefer to use frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, because it is already shrunk down considerably and it’s easy to mix into the filling. You can substitute with fresh, finely chopped spinach if you prefer.
• Cream: keeps our Ricotta filling from becoming dry.
• Egg: binds our Ricotta filling to keep it in place.
• Parmesan cheese: adds the best salty, cheesy flavor.
• Mozzarella cheese: a must have! In our cheese filling and a solid layer on top.
• Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles: I love using oven ready lasagna noodles because it takes out one step in an admittedly long process. They make this Easy Lasagna recipe much more convenient! You can use regular lasagna noodles, pre-cooked to al dente, and omit the water in the sauce.

How to make Lasagna:

Here is a quick overview of the recipe! Scroll down to the recipe card for all the details you need.

1. Brown your meat and onion: in this recipe I like to use a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage because it adds a ton of flavor without us really having to put in any extra work!
2. Add your spices: adding your spices and garlic before your liquid really brings the flavor to life.

3. Add the tomato sauce and simmer your sauce until the flavors meld together.
4. Make the ricotta cheese mixture: Stir together the ricotta, seasonings, cheese and egg to hold it all together.

5. Layer it up: Start with a little meat sauce in the bottom of the baking dish to ensure your noodles don’t stick to the bottom, then top with noodles, ricotta, and meat sauce and then repeat. Dump allllll of that extra mozzarella on the top for good measure!
6. Cover and bake: Covering the lasagna with aluminum foil to bake ensures that the moisture stays inside and cooks the noodles. We will uncover once we add the cheese and let it sit at room temperature for some time before slicing to help it set well.

Variations on this Easy Lasagna Recipe:

And because there are about 1 million different ways to make lasagna, here are a few tips to get it just the way you like:

• You can swap the ricotta for cottage cheese and change nothing else at all. See how easy that was! Simply mix it up with the cheese just like you would ricotta.
• Can you make lasagna without ricotta or cottage cheese? Absolutely! You can actually skip it altogether or use a Bechamel Sauce instead! (Just don’t tell anyone)
• Want to add extra veggies? Go for it! I often do, but I wanted to keep this lasagna recipe as simple as possible to start. Finely chopped carrots, celery, mushrooms, kale or spinach would be great, and you can add them when you’re cooking the meat.
• Don’t have an Italian sausage? You can use all ground beef or sub for ground turkey or pork, but you will want to increase the seasonings somewhat.

What’s the correct layering for lasagna?

To prepare your pan for your lasagna layers, it’s always a good idea to spray with non stick spray and then spread a bit of the red sauce in the bottom to keep the oven ready noodles moist and prevent them from sticking. From there, this is the best way to layer your lasagna:

1. Noodles
2. Ricotta cheese mixture
3. Red sauce
4. Repeat until all layers are done, then add your mozzarella on top!

Make ahead Lasagna method:

Lasagna is the perfect meal prep or make ahead meal! Just follow these steps:

1. Prepare your lasagna up to the point of baking, leaving the mozzarella cheese off for now.
2. Cool for 30-60 minutes at room temperature, then cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate up to 2 days.
3. Continue with the baking instructions, adding a splash of water around the edges if the noodles appear to have soaked up a lot of the sauce.

How to freeze lasagna:

One of the best things about a good homemade lasagna is how easy it is to make ahead, and it still tastes just as amazing when you bake it later!

You can wrap and refrigerate the lasagna for 3-4 days before baking, or you can freeze it to enjoy it even later.

To freeze lasagna before baking, you can add the cheese before freezing or just before baking — I prefer to add it during the last ten minutes so it doesn’t get stuck to my foil!

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, or use an airtight, freezer safe lid. Freeze up to 3 months before baking.

To bake, let thaw at room temperature throughout the day – 8 hours – or overnight in the refrigerator. Bake for 1-1.5 hours until heated through. Top with cheese and bake until melted.

What to serve with this Easy Lasagna Recipe:

Lasagna is a favorite here, and we love to serve it with a side of Garlic Bread, a basket of Homemade Breadsticks or some Homemade Dinner Rolls Recipe and Garlic Butter.

Want something green to serve with it? Try these Roasted Green Beans, Broccoli Casserole or Easy Broccoli Salad!

More baked pasta recipes you’ll love!

• Try this Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake if you love a creamy white sauce.
• Try this Rigatoni Pasta Bake if you love lasagna flavors but don’t feel like layering!
• Go for this Baked Mostaccioli Pasta if you love tomato-based pastas.
• Choose this Cheese Cannelloni Recipe if you want to impress your family!

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin this recipe to your favorite board

Print

Easy Lasagna

This Easy Lasagna recipe is made with oven ready lasagna noodles, jarred tomato sauce and a couple special ingredients that bring LOADS of flavor! Includes step by step recipe video so you can make this simple lasagna at home.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 493cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 lb Italian sausage loose packed or casings removed (5 sausages)
• 1 onion finely diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 3.5 cups jarred tomato pasta sauce about 1.5 jars
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups Ricotta cheese 450g
• 1/2 cup frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry (100g)
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 3 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese divided
• 12 oven ready lasagna noodles

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large pan, cook ground beef, Italian sausage and onion until browned, stirring often. If there is a lot of liquid in the pan, drain it before continuing.
• Stir in garlic, salt and Italian seasoning and cook 1 minute.
• Stir in pasta sauce and water. Remove from heat to cool slightly. (This can also be made in advance and refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen up to 3 months)
• In a medium bowl, stir together Ricotta, spinach, cream, egg and Parmesan and 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (if baking right away) and lightly grease a deep 9×13" pan.
• Spread just enough meat sauce in the bottom of the pan to create a thin layer.
• Top with 3 lasagna noodles. Spread the noodles with ⅓ of the Ricotta mixture, and top that with ¼ of the meat sauce.
• Repeat layers 3 times, and on the last layer of noodles spread only the remaining meat sauce.
• Lightly grease a piece of tin foil or oven safe lid and place over top of the lasagna. Bake for 40-45 minutes until noodles are tender (this can take up to 60 minutes, depending on your brand of pasta) — it will still be juicy at this point and that's okay.
• Remove the foil and sprinkle with remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes until melted and broil for 2 minutes if desired to brown the cheese.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes — there should not be any liquid remaining on the edges after this rest. Slice and serve.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 493cal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1252mg | Potassium: 636mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1489IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 313mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Easy Lasagna Recipe appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

Pasta Fagioli is an Italian soup that always satisfies! It’s a pasta and bean soup that’s bursting with savory flavor from pancetta, garlic, tomato paste, parmesan and more. You can call it pasta fazool if you want – I just call it delicious!

Stir up more of the best soup recipes like White Bean Soup with Bacon, Italian Meatball Soup and Sausage Orzo Soup.

I’m such a sucker for a good bowl of Pasta e Fagioli. It’s smoky, cheesy, hearty… It’s really got so much to offer in every spoonful!

While there is a pretty lengthy list of ingredients that go into this classic Italian soup, have no fear. It’s still incredibly easy to make and everything listed is inexpensive.

Plus, you can change things up in this soup as you see fit! This versatile soup varies all over Italy as well as New York depending on where you buy it, so you can easily add or take away ingredients as needed.

Why we love it:

• One pot: This pasta fagioli recipe is made in just one pot! That means it’s easy to make and clean up is a breeze.
• Hearty: With bacon (or pancetta), white beans and pasta, this soup is sure to fill you up.
• Veggies: Pasta fazool might just be the recipe you need to sneak some veggies into your little one’s tummy! Carrots, celery, tomatoes and spinach create a great medley of fresh flavors and offer some nutrients to the soup.

Pasta Fagioli Ingredients:

• Vegetables – You’ll need fresh spinach, sliced carrots, sliced celery and a can of diced tomatoes for this pasta e fagioli recipe. Feel free to change these up a little as needed!
• Beans – White kidney beans are my bean of choice. Be sure to thoroughly drain and rinse them before adding them to the soup.
• Pancetta – is traditionally used but bacon is a great swap too! We often use bacon because it’s less expensive and easily available.
• Chicken Broth – Use low-sodium broth if possible! There’s already salty meat in the mix, and you can always sprinkle in as much salt at the end if you’d like.
• Garlic – Measure with your heart, garlic lovers!
• Parmesan – You’ll want to use a block of parmesan for this recipe. Freshly grated parm is always preferred, plus you get to use that rind for even more flavor.
• Tomato Paste – This does a fantastic job at creating the best rich tomato flavor.
• Pasta – Use a small pasta like ditalini.
• Salt and Pepper – Adjust to taste!
• Italian Seasoning – This really solidifies that classic herbaceous Italian flavor we all know and love.

How to make Pasta Fagioli

Check out how quick and easy it is to make pasta fazool! Scroll to the bottom of this page for more detail information.

• Cook the pancetta or bacon (keep the fat! We’ll use that to cook our vegetables).
• Stir in the onions, carrots and celery.

• Stir in the seasonings, garlic and tomato paste.
• Pour in the broth. Then, add the diced tomatoes, beans, bay leaf and parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer before reducing the heat, covering, and cooking for 10 minutes.

• Stir in the pasta and cook until al dente.
• Finish it off with spinach and freshly grated parmesan.

Variations and Substitutions

• Use your favorite pasta. Ditalini is the most common pasta to use in pasta fazool. However, you can really use any small pasta you prefer. Orzo would work perfectly as well!
• Swap the greens. Not a spinach fan? Replace it with chopped kale.
• Use the white beans of your choice. Cannellini beans or great northern beans both work well. Just make sure that no matter what, they’re drained and rinsed well.
• Add some spice. If you’d like to heat things up a bit, add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes along with the other seasonings.

How to Store Pasta Fagioli

Pasta e fagioli will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat for 30 seconds at a time in the microwave, stirring each time it stops, until warmed all the way through.

If you prefer your pasta perfectly al dente, you may want to cook it separately in a pot of boiling, salted water and just add some to every bowl when serving. This way it does not become bloated when it is stored.

Can I freeze pasta fagioli?

Yes! Let the soup fully cool to room temperature, then transfer it to a zip-top storage bag. Lay it flat on a baking sheet and freeze for about an hour so it’s nice and flat. This makes it easier to store in your freezer! Date, label, and keep frozen for up to 3 months. Allow it to slowly thaw in the fridge prior to reheating.

Again, for perfectly al dente pasta, cook it separately and do not freeze it with the soup.

What to serve with Pasta e Fagioli:

Bread with soup is a must have over here! We love to serve this Pasta Fagioli with Homemade Breadsticks, No Knead Artisan Bread, or Mom’s Homemade Buns slathered in Garlic Butter (speaking of Garlic Butter, this Garlic Bread is another solid option!).

More Soup Recipes To Try…

Cozy up with more of my favorite filling soups that require no side dishes! Here are just a few recipes that my family can’t get enough of:

• Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana — with the perfect amount of spice!
• Sausage Tortellini Soup — soup that eats like a meal.
• Italian Wedding Soup — those homemade meatballs are everything!
• Chicken Wild Rice Soup — creamy and satisfying.

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin this recipe to your favorite board

Print

EASY Pasta Fagioli recipe (Pasta Fazool)

Pasta Fagioli is an Italian soup that always satisfies! It's a pasta and bean soup that's bursting with savory flavor from pancetta, garlic, tomato paste, parmesan and more. You can call it pasta fazool if you want – I just call it delicious!

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American, Italian

Diet Low Calorie

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 470cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oilive oil
• 100 grams pancetta, chopped (or about 4 slices thick cut bacon)
• 3 large carrots (peeled and chopped)
• 2 ribs celery (finely diced)
• 1 medium onion (finely diced)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 5 cups low sodium chicken broth (vegetable for vegetarian)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz or 398 ml) or crushed
• 2 cans white kidney beans (19 oz or 540 ml) drained and rinsed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 parm rind
• 1 cup ditalini or other small pasta (uncooked) about 130 grams
• 2 cups freshly chopped spinach or kale
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat oil over medium-high heat and add chopped bacon or pancetta. Cook until lightly browned.
• Add carrots, celery and onion and cook until translucent.
• Stir in garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook 1-2 minutes.
• Add broth, diced tomatoes, beans, bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are nearly tender.
• Stir in uncooked pasta, cover and cook until al dente.
• Just before serving, stir in spinach and Parmesan. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

Video

Notes

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• Pancetta or Bacon: either works well, and you can omit for a meatless version of this soup.
• Vegetables: There are lots and lots of variations of Pasta e Fagioli, which means that you can make your own rules and no one can tell you it’s wrong! Feel free to add in extra vegetables that you need to get out of the fridge, or ones your guests enjoy. 
• Broth: I always start with low sodium or no salt added broth so that I can control how salty the soup is in the end.
• Pasta: we love ditalini in soup, but any small pasta shape will do. If you are going to be serving it later, you may want to cook the pasta to al dente in a pot of boiling water and just add when serving. This way it won’t get mushy if it sits in the fridge too long.
• Tomatoes: use diced or crushed, or you can swap this for tomato sauce for a thicker soup.
• Beans: I prefer white beans but any kind of beans, even black or red kidney beans will work just as well in here.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 457grams | Calories: 470cal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 556mg | Potassium: 1233mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 6275IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 5mg

The post Pasta Fagioli (Pasta Fazool) appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

This Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake is cheesy, creamy, and so flavorful! Penne pasta is baked in the best homemade sauce and made hearty with bites of chicken spread throughout. Perfect for those crazy weeknights when you need something comforting and easy!

Enjoy more of my favorite pasta recipes like Three Cheese Gnocchi Bake, Creamy Gemelli Pasta and Orecchiette Pasta with Sausage.

As the weather drops, it’s time to whip out all of our favorite comfort food recipes! This creamy chicken pasta bake is stick-to-your-ribs comforting in the very best way.

It checks all the right boxes – creamy, cheesy, chicken-y, and SO easy. There’s a whole lot to love about this Tuscan chicken pasta!

Why we love it:

• Easy-Peasy – Yes! This recipe really simplifies the process of making homemade pasta sauce. Once you’ve got your sauce, noodles and chicken ready, you just toss it all together and let the oven do the rest of the work for you.
• Cheesy and Creamy – Ingredients like parmesan, mozzarella and heavy cream come together to create the best cheesy flavor and creamy consistency.
• Sneaky Spinach – If you have a picky eater seated at the table, have no fear. The spinach in this pasta bake recipe is so sneaky, they might not even notice it in there!
• It’s make-ahead-able! This recipe can be prepped right up to the point of baking, then refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready to bake it. More on this below 😉

Ingredients Needed for Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake

• Pasta: It’s best to use a short pasta like penne, fusili or something similar so it really grips the sauce.
• Oil: Use a neutral oil like canola, olive or avocado.
• Chicken: As long as it’s boneless and skinless, it’ll work! Feel free to use either breast or thigh meat.
• Salt and Pepper: Just a few shakes of each, to taste.
• Butter: You can use salted or unsalted depending on what you prefer.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes: This is what really creates that Tuscan flair! Be sure to thoroughly drain them before chopping.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is preferred over pre-minced.
• Seasonings: You’ll need a simple medley of Italian seasoning, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes.
• Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth creates great flavor without adding any more salt.
• Heavy Cream: To maintain that thick and creamy consistency, I don’t recommend swapping this ingredient with any other dairy product. If you must, a lighter cream can work (but the sauce will be thinner) or a lactose-free heavy cream will also work.
• Parmesan Cheese: If possible, try to freshly shred your own parmesan right off the block for the best flavor and texture.
• Mozzarella Cheese: This really seals the deal on that cheesy goodness!
• Fresh Spinach: for color and added nutrition!

How to make Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake

This pasta bake recipe comes together in no time! Here’s a little sneak peek at the process. Scroll down to the recipe card for more info!

Before you get started, make sure you have all of your ingredients prepared and ready. It’s a fast moving recipe.

• Cook pasta to al dente and add to the baking dish.
• Season your chicken with a little salt and pepper, then toss it into a pan over medium heat and cook until lightly browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

• In the same pan, melt some butter and add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and seasonings. Cook for just a minute or two before stirring in the flour and cooking until absorbed.
• Slowly whisk in the broth and heavy cream. Cook until thickened.

• Stir in the parmesan and spinach
• Combine sauce with pasta and chicken in the baking dish. Top with more cheese and bake!

Variations and Substitutions

• Add more veggies: This recipe is pretty versatile. Dress it up even more with some mushrooms, tomatoes, broccoli, kale, or whatever else your heart desires!
• Change up the chicken: If you have any leftover Instant Pot Chicken Breast or Shredded Chicken, this is a great recipe to use it with.
• Broth: You can use vegetable broth instead if preferred. In fact, you can make the whole recipe vegetarian-friendly by omitting the chicken and swapping the broth.

How to store Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake

Once it’s totally cooled to room temperature, you can store this chicken pasta bake in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2-3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until warmed all the way through.

Can I make this ahead?

You can easily prep it and freeze it to finish making later!

Prep the recipe up to the point of baking, then cover with plastic wrap or tin foil. Refrigerate up to 4 days before baking!

Can I freeze Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake?

Yes, definitely! High fat dairy always freezes best, so I would avoid freezing this if you swap out the heavy cream.

Assemble the casserole as instructed, but without the cheese topping. Do not bake. Once it’s cooled to room temp, wrap it in plastic wrap and foil. Store in the freezer for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to serve it, add the cheese and let it thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.

Serving suggestions:

Tuscan chicken pasta is pretty heavy, so lighten up your plate with a veggie side dish like Cheesy Baked Asparagus or Air Fryer Green Beans!

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin this recipe to your favorite board

Print

Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake

This Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake is cheesy, creamy, and so flavorful! Penne pasta is baked in the best homemade sauce and made hearty with bites of chicken spread throughout. Perfect for those crazy weeknights when you need something comforting and easy!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 637cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 5 cups short pasta (340-390 grams) penne, fusili or similar
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken (about 2-3 breasts or 6 thighs)
• salt and pepper

Pasta Sauce:

• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes drained and chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach

Pasta Bake

• 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Lightly grease one 9×13″ baking dish or two 8×8″ baking dishes. Turn the oven to 375 degrees F if cooking right away (instructions for making ahead or freezing below).
• Cook the pasta according to package directions (just to al dente), drain and place in the baking dish.

Make the pasta sauce

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Cut chicken into ½ – ¾" pieces.
• Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper and cook until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through (about 5-6 minutes). Place in the baking dish with the pasta.
• In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
• Add the sun dried tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, oregano, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and cook 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in the flour until absorbed, and cook 1-2 minutes.
• Gradually whisk in the broth and cream until combined and smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until slightly thickened.
• Stir in the ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and spinach, then pour over the pasta and chicken in the baking dish. Stir to combine.
• Top with mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.
• Follow directions below to store for later, or cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly, then broil to brown the cheese if desired.
• Serve.

Video

Notes

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• Pasta: any variety of pasta will work here, but I find short (but not too small) types work the best. Feel free to swap with gluten-free or whole grain pasta if desired.
• Chicken: we usually use chicken breasts in this recipe, but it’s also a great recipe if you have leftover Baked Chicken Breast or Crockpot Shredded Chicken. Feel free to leave it out for a meatless version or use Italian sausage, cooked bacon, or canned white beans instead.
• Broth: I always choose low sodium broth and adjust the salt as needed. If using salted broth, you may need to adjust the salt content. Feel free to swap for vegetable broth if needed. 
• Cream: heavy cream creates a rich sauce and doesn’t break when cooking. If you want to swap for a lighter sauce, choose evaporated milk instead of regular milk. Regular milk can curdle when cooked. 
• Spinach: fresh spinach adds a great pop of color and nutrition but there are lots of vegetables that work great in here! Tomatoes, mushrooms, kale, broccoli, peppers, and more. Be sure to cook the vegetables first unless they cook in just a couple minutes. 

To make ahead:

1. Refrigerator. Assemble the casserole, but don’t bake. Wrap tightly and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to serve, just follow the baking instructions. You may need to add a splash of water or broth to thin the sauce.
2. Freezer. Assemble the casserole without the cheese topping, and don’t bake. Cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap and foil and store in the freezer for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to serve, add the cheese. To reheat, thaw it completely in the fridge overnight for best results, then remove the plastic wrap and follow the baking instructions (recommended for the best texture.) 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 236grams | Calories: 637cal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 430mg | Potassium: 633mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1778IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 217mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

This easy Crockpot Zuppa Toscana is a creamy Tuscan soup full of Italian sausage, kale, potatoes, and Parmesan. It’s hearty, creamy, and perfect for the colder months! There’s a step-by-step recipe video down in the recipe card, too!

For more delicious soup recipes, check out my Sausage Tortellini Soup, Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup, Ham and Potato Soup, and my Chicken Wild Rice Soup. 

I faintly remember those days when I used to go to Olive Garden for the Zuppa Toscana (all you can eat soup and breadsticks? Sign me up!).

But life gets busier and we need all the easy meals around here!

Since having kids, I’ve learned to make and enjoy more of our favorite restaurant meals at home, including this creamy soup. 

This easy Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup is as delicious as the original recipe, if not better!

It’s made with simple ingredients and minimal effort, so it’s perfect for a lazy weekend or prepping for the end of a busy day. 

This delicious copycat soup is one of our favorite things to dip large chunks of bread into in the fall!

Why we love this Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana Soup:

• The Italian sausage is loaded with herbs and spices, which cuts down on the extra ingredients required!
• It’s got just the right amount of spice and sweetness (again, thanks Italian sausage!)
• Aside from browning the meat, I can just dump it and go, which is perfect for busy weeknights.

Zuppa Toscana Ingredients:

• Sausage: use mild or spicy Italian sausage meat without the casings.
• Onion & Garlic: use freshly chopped onion and freshly minced garlic.
• Broth: I always use a low-sodium chicken broth, as it adds a depth of flavor and allows me to control the salt content of the dish better.  
• Potatoes: Russet or gold potatoes will work well here, but you can try other kinds of potatoes if you like. If you use smooth-skinned potatoes you can skip the peeling!
• Salt & Pepper: simple seasonings of salt and black pepper will give this dish a great flavor. 
• Red Pepper Flakes: a simple way to add some extra spice to this dish. 
• Cream: Use heavy cream or 10-30% cream for the best creamy flavor and texture. 
• Kale: chop the kale before you add it to the soup so you don’t end up with big clumps at the end.
• Cheese: Freshly grated parmesan cheese is perfect for this soup. 

How to Make Crockpot Zuppa Toscana Soup

1. Saute: Brown the sausage and onion in a pan.
2. Add garlic: Add garlic to the pan and stir.

3. Put in pot and cook: Add the sausage mixture, broth, potatoes, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes to the Slow Cooker and cook.
4. Mix in everything else: Stir in the kale, cream, and Parmesan and serve!

Zuppa Toscana Soup FAQs

Tips and Notes

• Dutch Oven. You can make this Zuppa Toscana Soup in a Dutch oven or soup pot if you prefer. Take a look at my Zuppa Toscana Soup recipe for more information. 
• Kale texture. We prefer the texture of kale with more bite, so we stir it in near the end of the cook time. If you want, you can always add it to the slow cooker at the beginning but it will be softer.

Crock pot Zuppa Toscana Soup Variations

• Bacon. Lots of recipes for Zuppa Toscana include bacon, but I find it an unnecessary addition. If that’s your thing, feel free to cook some up in the same pan you fry your sausage and add it to the slow cooker (or save your crispy bacon to sprinkle on top to garnish).
• Swap the kale. You can swap the kale for spinach if that’s what you have on hand, but spinach isn’t as tough as kale, so I would add it right before serving it. 
• Cream. If you want to use a lighter dairy option, you can swap the heavy cream for evaporated milk. I don’t recommend low-fat milk, as it can curdle when added alone to hot liquid.
• Change the meat. Swap the Italian sausage for ground beef or even ground turkey sausage, if preferred. Bear in mind that Italian sausage is heavily seasoned, so if you use another meat, you will want to add more seasonings yourself!
• Add more veggies. Add more veggies to the soup for more nutrients and color. Sauté some peppers, mushrooms, or any other veggies with the onion and Italian sausage. Or you can add veggies with more structure, such as broccoli, cauliflower, or carrots, when you add the potatoes.
• Low-carb. To make this soup a low-carb option, use cauliflower instead of potatoes.

Serving Suggestions

​Zuppa Toscana soup is comforting and filling all on it’s own, but we love dipping some bread in there to soak up all the juices!

Try these Homemade Breadsticks (Olive Garden Copycat), my No Knead Artisan Bread, or this classic Garlic Bread. 

You can also serve some yummy sides with the soup like these Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks, or veggies like my Air Fryer Green Beans, or Roasted Carrots. 

More Easy Soup Recipes To Try

Dinner

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Chicken

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Dinner

Pasta Fagioli (Pasta Fazool)

Dinner

Easy Taco Soup recipe

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin this recipe to your favorite board

Print

Crockpot Zuppa Toscana

This easy Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana is a creamy Tuscan soup full of Italian sausage, kale, potatoes, and Parmesan. It's hearty, creamy, and perfect for the colder months! There's a step-by-step recipe video down in the recipe card, too!

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 579cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 375 grams Italian sausage meat without casings, mild or spicy (¾ lb)
• 1 small onion finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1½ lbs Russet or gold potatoes about 4 medium, peeled and diced
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional, for extra spice
• ¾ cup cream (10-30% will work fine)
• 2 cups chopped kale
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large frying pan, brown the Italian sausage with the onion over medium-high heat (4-5 minutes). Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute.
• Add the sausage mixture, broth, potatoes, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes to the Slow Cooker (4-6 quarts).
• Cook on Low for 4-5 hours or High for about 2 hours (cooking times vary by slow cooker).
• Once potatoes are tender, stir in kale, cream, and Parmesan.
• Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

Video

Notes

Storage

Store: Store leftover Zuppa Toscana in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat it in the microwave stovetop until piping hot.

Freeze: Freeze this soup for up to 1 month. The texture of potatoes will change with freezing and defrosting, so if that is something that bothers you, I’d advise against it. To reheat it, simply thaw it in the fridge overnight and warm it on the stove or in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 422grams | Calories: 579cal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 1170mg | Potassium: 1303mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3445IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 172mg | Iron: 4mg

The post Crockpot Zuppa Toscana appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

Crockpot Creamy Garlic Chicken features golden pan seared chicken breasts that get slow cooked to perfection in a garlicky cream sauce. It’s an easy recipe that’s great for those busier weeknights at home!

Keep that Crockpot plugged in for more of my favorite crockpot chicken recipes like Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken, classic Slow Cooker Chicken Breast and Crockpot Tuscan Chicken.

I’m pretty obsessed with slow cooker recipes – especially when it comes to crockpot chicken breasts! There’s just really no better way to accomplish fork tender chicken breasts than cooking them low and slow.

Before the chicken is added to the slow cooker in this easy recipe, it gets seared to golden perfection in a pan for just a few minutes to make it just that much more delicious!

Once it’s seared, you pretty much just toss everything into your Crockpot and let it do all the work for you. That’s the beauty of this Crockpot creamy garlic chicken recipe – the results are stunning with such little effort!

Why we love this Crockpot Chicken Recipe:

• Easy: Thank you, slow cooker! This easy recipe comes together with minimal prep, simple ingredients, and just a little bit of your patience. It’s worth the wait!
• So Creamy: The heavy cream is thickened to the best creamy consistency with a little bit of cornstarch.
• Flavorful: Garlic is one of those ingredients that is often measured with the heart. Feel free to add even more garlic to this recipe to fit your needs!

Ingredients Needed for Crockpot Creamy Garlic Chicken

• Chicken Breasts – You can swap these with boneless skinless chicken thighs if preferred.
• Chicken Broth – Low-sodium broth is always my first choice. If you do use a regular broth, conduct a little taste test before sprinkling in any additional salt.
• Heavy Cream – You can swap this with half and half, but you may not achieve the same thick and creamy results. If you need to thicken your sauce even more, you may need to stir in a cornstarch slurry.
• Garlic – For the very best flavor, I recommend using fresh garlic cloves. The pre-minced alternative doesn’t lend the same bold fresh flavor.
• Seasonings – Just a little salt, pepper, and parsley is all you need. You can sprinkle in some garlic powder if you really want to double down on that garlicky flavor!

How to make Crockpot Creamy Garlic Chicken

Take a quick look at how to make creamy garlic chicken in the Crockpot! For more detailed measurements and instructions, scroll to the very bottom of the page.

• Season the chicken breasts with a little salt and pepper.
• Mix together all of the sauce ingredients until combined.

• Sear the chicken breasts on both sides until golden.
• Add the chicken and sauce to a Crockpot. Cook on low for about 3 hours.

Variations and Substitutions

• Make it tangy. Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice just before serving to brighten this dish up a bit!
• You can use chicken thighs. Just make sure to check the internal temperature of the meat if you’re not sure! Both breasts and thighs should measure 165°F when fully cooked.
• Thicken with cornstarch. If you want your cream sauce to be even thicker, you can stir together cornstarch and broth (or water) to make a slurry. Stir this into your sauce at the end to thicken it even more before serving.
• A tomato-y twist. Add in some sun dried tomatoes, diced tomatoes, or a spoonful of tomato sauce or tomato paste.

How to store Crockpot Creamy Garlic Chicken

Store any leftovers you may have in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Add a splash of broth, cream or water and reheat for 30 seconds at a time in the microwave until warmed all the way through. You can also reheat on the stove top on low heat, covered.

Can I freeze Crockpot garlic chicken?

Sure thing! Let the chicken and sauce fully cool to room temperature, then transfer everything to a freezer-safe storage container. Store for up to 3 months and let it slowly thaw in the fridge prior to reheating.

Serving suggestions:

Plate your creamy garlic chicken with some Buttered Noodles, Baked Rice or Garlic Mashed Potatoes to help soak up all of that delicious sauce!

You can also lighten up your plate with a veggie side dish like Cheesy Baked Asparagus, Roasted Green Beans or Air Fryer Broccoli.

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin this recipe to your favorite board

Print

Crockpot Creamy Garlic Chicken

Crockpot Creamy Garlic Chicken features golden pan seared chicken breasts that get slow cooked to perfection in a garlicky cream sauce. It's an easy recipe that's great for those busier weeknights at home!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 366cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)
• salt and pepper
• ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 2 tablespoons freshly minced garlic 4-6 cloves
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper and fry on each side until golden (you might need to do two batches if your pan is small), about 3-4 minutes per side.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the cream, broth. corn starch, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Place the chicken breasts into a 2.5-4 quart slow cooker and cook on low for about 3 hours (the cook time could be a little shorter or longer depending on how hot your slow cooker is) until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached.
• Serve with sauce.

Video

Notes

*NOTE: some sauce has been removed from the photos in the slow cooker to show the chicken. There should be sufficient sauce to serve the chicken over pasta.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• Chicken: this recipe will easily work with twice the amount of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or the same weight) without any recipe modifications. 
• Cream: the sauce thickens nicely because heavy cream is used. If you choose to use a lighter cream, you may need to thicken it further. Light cream and milk is also more prone to curdling when cooked. 
• Broth: I always choose low sodium or no salt added broth and then adjust the seasoning to our taste. If you are using salted broth, you may want to omit the salt and season to taste after cooking. 
• Herbs: this recipe is simple but still full of flavor! Feel free to add in some chopped fresh herbs or even a squeeze of lemon to brighten the flavor after cooking.

Nutrition

Serving: 186grams | Calories: 366cal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 299mg | Potassium: 517mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 691IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Crockpot Creamy Garlic Chicken appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.