Marry Me Chicken Soup – A Hug in a Bowl

Steam curls up from the valve and your stomach starts talking back. That cozy, warm feeling wraps around your kitchen and it just feels right. You spot the little float valve doing its job, letting you know your pressure cooker is locking in all those tasty vibes real good.

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You recall that great broth depth you get with this soup. It’s not just any chicken soup, nah, it’s gotta creamy twist that makes you wanna dive right in. You feel the heaviness of the cream mixing with all those herbs and spices, simmerin’ inside your cooker while you wait with barely any patience.

The aroma kinda sneaks out, teasing every corner of your place. You smell the onions, the garlic powder, the thyme, and that tang from the sundried tomatoes. They’re all about to come together in one pot for a dinner that hits the spot fast. That 30-minute timer feels like it’s gonna be your new best friend.

Why This Recipe Works Every Single Time

• Pressure build in your cooker traps flavors better than the stove, making the broth deep and rich real quick.
• Using sundried tomatoes in oil adds a tangy sweetness that makes this soup stand out from the usual cream chicken deals.
• The quick release method gets your soup out fast without messin’ with texture or creaminess.
• Small-shape pasta like ditalini or orecchiette cooks even inside the pressure cooker without turning mushy.
• Heavy cream and parmesan cheese blend smooth for that velvet finish you’re craving.

What Goes Into the Pot Today

• 1 tablespoon olive oil for that nice sauté start.
• 1 medium yellow onion, small diced to melt into the soup.
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper to tickle the taste buds.
• 2 ½ teaspoons salt, split between early and late seasoning.
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder for extra punch.
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, because herbs gotta have their moment.
• 1 6-oz can tomato paste for that concentrated tang and color.
• 1 quart chicken stock mixed with 2 cups filtered water to build the broth base.
• ⅓ cup sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped for that little zing and richness.
• 3 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken, the hero protein.
• 2 cups small-shape pasta like orecchiette, ditalini, or farfalle for chew and texture.
• ½ cup heavy cream and ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese to swirl in creaminess and depth.
• 2 cups baby spinach to add green freshness at the end.
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar to brighten up the whole pot.

The Exact Process From Start to Finish

Step 1. Heat the olive oil in your pressure cooker on the sauté setting. Toss in that diced onion and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until it’s all soft and smelling good.

Step 2. Sprinkle in the garlic powder, dried thyme, about half the salt, and pepper. Stir it around for a minute till you can really smell all those spices popping.

Step 3. Add the tomato paste and keep stirrin’ for 2 to 3 minutes so it caramelizes just a bit, making the flavor richer.

Step 4. Pour in the chicken stock and filtered water. Give it a good stir, then close the lid and wait for the pressure build. Set the timer to 10 minutes on high pressure.

Step 5. When the timer’s done, do a quick release on the valve so no overcooking happens. Open it up and stir in the remaining salt, sugar, chopped sundried tomatoes, cooked chicken, and pasta.

Step 6. Close up the lid again and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Then go ahead with a slow release to keep everything perfect. Open, stir in the heavy cream, parmesan, baby spinach, and red wine vinegar. Give it a final stir and you’re ready to serve.

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Quick Tricks That Save Your Time

• Use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken you can shred or dice quickly to skip cooking chicken from scratch.
• Keep diced onions prepped in the fridge so you can just toss ’em in and get going on busy nights.
• Grab sundried tomatoes that are already chopped in oil to save chopping time and add extra flavor without effort.

When You Finally Get to Eat

You scoop up that warm, creamy soup into your bowl. The first taste hits you with that creamy tang from the tomato paste and wine vinegar mix. You feel the little chewy pasta pieces and tender chicken all dancing in your mouth with the fresh baby spinach.

That savory broth depth you worked for fills your senses fully. It’s cozy without bein’ overpowering, just smooth and comforting like the hug you didn’t realize you needed. The parmesan cheese melts slightly on top, tempting you to dive back in for another spoon.

You sit back and realize this soup isn’t just food, it’s kinda an experience. A quick, creamy dinner that wraps you up in flavor and warmth, perfect when you want something fast that still feels like you put real love into it.

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Making It Last All Week Long

• Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers. It’ll be good for 3 to 4 days and the flavors often get better overnight.
• Freeze individual portions in freezer-safe containers or bags. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• When reheating, use low heat and stir frequently to keep the cream from separating.
• For a quick weeknight fix, freeze cooked pasta separately and add it fresh when warming up the soup to keep texture intact.

The FAQ Section You Actually Need

• Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of tomato paste? You can, but tomato paste packs in way more concentrated flavor and that caramelized depth you want. Fresh tomatoes might make soup thinner and less creamy.
• What’s the best way to cook pasta in the pressure cooker without it getting mushy? Add pasta after first cooking the broth and chicken, then pressure cook for just 5 minutes. Quick release right after to keep pasta from turning mushy.
• Can I swap heavy cream with something else? Sure, half and half works okay but won’t be quite as rich. Coconut milk is an option but will change the flavor profile quite a bit.
• How do I know when the float valve is ready? When it pops up and stays, that means your cooker reached full pressure and it’s started cooking.
• Is quick release always the best way to open the cooker? For this soup, quick release helps keep pasta texture right. Some recipes might need a slow release, but here quick release prevents overcooking.
• Can I add more veggies? Absolutely, spinach is great but you can toss in carrots or celery at the beginning if you like. Just keep an eye on cooking times so veggies don’t turn to mush.

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Marry Me Chicken Soup (Creamy 30-Minute Dinner!)

This creamy Marry Me Chicken Soup blends sun-dried tomatoes, juicy chicken, parmesan, garlic, and fresh baby spinach into a silky one-pot comfort meal in only 30 minutes. Velvety yet light, each spoonful brings homey flavor and feel-good satisfaction.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 6 servings

Calories 387 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Pressure cooker with sauté setting

Ingredients

  

Main ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 Medium yellow onion small diced
• 0.25 teaspoon Freshly ground pepper
• 2.5 teaspoons Salt divided
• 1 teaspoon Granulated garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Dried thyme
• 1 6-oz can Tomato paste
• 1 quart Chicken stock
• 2 cups Filtered water
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 0.33 cup Sundried tomatoes in oil chopped
• 3 cups Cooked chicken diced or shredded
• 2 cups Small-shape pasta uncooked
• 0.5 cup Heavy cream
• 0.33 cup Grated parmesan cheese
• 2 cups Baby spinach
• 1 teaspoon Red wine vinegar

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in the pressure cooker. Add diced onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
• Add garlic powder, dried thyme, half of the salt, and pepper. Stir and sauté 1 minute until fragrant.
• Add tomato paste and cook 2 to 3 minutes until slightly caramelized.
• Pour in chicken stock and filtered water. Stir, close the lid, and set to high pressure for 10 minutes.
• Do a quick release. Add remaining salt, sugar, chopped sundried tomatoes, chicken, and pasta.
• Close the lid again and cook on high pressure for 5 more minutes. Use slow release afterward.
• Open lid, stir in heavy cream, parmesan, baby spinach, and red wine vinegar. Serve warm.

Notes

Swap thyme for Italian seasoning if you'd like. Use pre-cooked chicken or pre-diced onions to speed it up. Don’t use large pasta shapes—they’ll soak up too much broth.