Cheese Tortellini Soup with Chicken and Kale

In my apartment, Sunday means 1 thing…sports.  More specifically, Bears.  My boyfriend is a huge sports fan and Sunday is his day to watch men pummel and pound each other while enjoying the simple thrill of throwing a ball around 😉

I kid, but I know how important sports are to him…and to the general population of Chicago.  I grew up in a household where Sunday was football day and we’d all gather around the TV with a bowl of hot chili or soup.  I cherish those memories so much that I often crave chili or soup every Sunday afternoon.

This is my favorite go-to soup recipe.  It’s hearty, but light…filled with veggies and garlic.  Like many soups, you can add or omit to your taste, but I highly suggest you try this soup as is.  It’s delicious and nutritious, and perfect for an afternoon of football.

This recipe originally calls for spinach rather than kale, but I love kale so much in this soup!  It goes perfectly with all the other flavors.  If you’d rather add spinach, add it right before serving…as you don’t want it to wilt too much.  The kale has a similar taste, but holds up better to the heat (meaning temperature) of the soup.  And if you’d rather use meat tortellini, go right ahead!  Try adding Italian sausage instead of chicken and using meat tortellini rather than cheese.  This is a great soup for mixing and matching…so be creative and have fun!  Oh, and GO BEARS!

Cheese Tortellini Soup with Chicken and Kale

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breast fillets (or 2 full chicken breasts)
• Olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 14-oz cans of chicken broth
• 3 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 bunch kale
• Water
• 2 medium carrots, cut up into matchsticks
• 12-19 oz cheese filled tortellini

Directions:

1.  Season chicken with salt and pepper, if desired.  Cut into bite sized pieces.
2. Cook chicken in oil in soup pot.  When chicken has slightly browned, add garlic and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in broth and add equal parts water (if you add 2 cans broth, fill both cans with water and add that as well).  Bring to a simmer, then add mushrooms and carrots.
4. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.  Add tortellini and let simmer 5-6 minutes.  Reduce heat and add kale.  Let cook 2 minutes.  Serve.

Every Monday is a “Reci-bee” post, where I share my favorite recipes, recipe collections, and cooking and baking hints and tips.