Chicken Tortellini Soup

Everyone always likes their mother's recipes,* and I'm no exception.  Now, that's not to say that you shouldn't try new things or that there's never room for improvement; I love trying new foods!  But, chicken noodle soup is one food I've yet to find a replacement I prefer to my mom's.  Maybe it's because hers was so simple that, to me, all these chicken soups with lots of vegetables just don't seem right. Carrots don't belong in chicken noodle soup.  Is it called Chicken Carrot Noodle Soup? No. Not a carrot in the title - for a reason, I say! 

Originally my mom made this soup with Klusky extra-wide egg noodles.  Why she specified Klusky, I don't know.  I guess I could ask, but it never occurred to me; it's just how Mom did it.  One day she substituted cheese tortellini and we've rarely gone back to the egg noodles.  The tortellini are a wonderful twist on the classic (see, we do change things up around here!).  They add some extra flavor and I just love the chewy pasta aspect.  What's better on a cold fall day than a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup?

Chicken Tortellini Soup
2 T olive oil or butter
1 cup chicken breast, diced
1 c. sliced celery
1/4 - 1/2 c. onion, diced
1 can cream of chicken soup (low sodium ok)
32 oz. chicken broth (low sodium ok)
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. sage or poultry seasoning
1 - 8oz package cheese tortellini

1.  Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a soup pot on medium. Cook chicken in olive oil with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. When chicken is cooked through, add celery, onion and sage and saute for about two minutes, until onion is translucent and soft.

2.  Add chicken broth and cream of chicken soup.  If cream of chicken soup is condensed, add water as instructed on can. Add tortellini at this time as well. If using egg noodles, use 2 cups of noodles.

3.  Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on low until pasta is cooked. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.  If soup is thick, add water or chicken broth to thin to desired thickness.  Leftovers will thicken; add water or chicken broth to thin.

Enjoy!

* I fully understand that not everyone grew up with a mother who was a good cook, in which case you may not prefer any of your mother's recipes. If that's your case, may you find this blog helpful!