Chef notes

A mashup of creamy tomato soup and chicken Parmesan, this bowl has all the makings of a cozy season meal. It’s also super speedy, thanks to minimal prep work and a few convenient ingredients, which makes it ideal for busy weeknights.

The base of the dish starts much like a homemade tomato soup — onion, garlic, crushed tomatoes and broth are simmered together to build the classic flavor. The addition of pasta, shredded chicken, a generous amount of basil and both Parmesan and mozzarella support the chicken Parm angle.

A short noodle like cavatappi lends itself well to this soup, as it fits snugly on a spoon. If you can’t find this shape or have some open bags of pasta in your pantry, feel free to swap it with another short noodle such as elbows, farfalle or orecchiette. If the alternative pasta has a different cooking time, take that into consideration and add a bit more stock if the cooking time is longer.

Shredding a rotisserie chicken is an easy, flavorful shortcut — plus, you’ll likely have leftover chicken for sandwiches or salad later that week. However, any simply cooked chicken will do. If it’s already sliced or cubed, that’s fine so long as the pieces are cut small enough for scooping.

The garlic croutons add a little texture to the dish, standing in for chicken Parm’s crispy breading. Again, packaged is a great and easy-to-find shortcut, but you can also make your own. Before you start the soup, melt a couple tablespoons of butter and garlic powder in a skillet set over medium heat, then add two cups of cubed bread. Cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Serve soup immediately, otherwise the noodles will absorb too much liquid.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2½ cups chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup fresh packed basil leaves, chopped, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
kosher salt, to taste

ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup (4 ounces) dried cavatappi or elbow macaroni
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, plus more to taste
garlic croutons, for serving
crushed red pepper, to taste (optional)

Fulfilled by

Preparation

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the oil and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, broth, basil, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Stir in the cavatappi; return to a simmer, uncovered, and cook until noodles are al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken, cream and Parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and season to taste.

Serve immediately. Ladle into bowls. Top with mozzarella, a handful of croutons, basil and crushed red pepper, if using.