Chicken Pastina Soup

Chicken Pastina Soup, commonly referred to as Italian penicillin soup, is a classic Italian chicken soup recipe that's full of comfort and so easy to make!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Chicken Pastina Soup

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings servings

Calories 219kcal

Author Angela Allison

Equipment

large pot or dutch oven
immersion blender

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
¾ pound carrots, peeled and diced (about 3-4 large carrots)
4 cloves garlic, minced (about two teaspoons)
8 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¾ cup uncooked pastina (or any very small pasta)
2 cups cooked chicken, diced (use leftover rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken breasts)
grated parmesan for serving

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Then, add in the onion, celery, and carrots and stir to combine. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables have started to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
Pour in the broth and add the salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer on medium-low heat. Cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Use a slotted spoon to remove about 1 ½ cups of the cooked vegetables; set aside. Then, turn off the heat and carefully blend the remaining soup mixture with an immersion blender until smooth.
Bring the soup back to a low boil and add in the uncooked pasta. Cook until just al dente, according to package instructions; about 9 minutes.
Once the pasta is cooked, add in the diced cooked chicken and reserved veggies. Stir to combine and warm through.
Taste for seasonings and add more if needed. Serve with a grated parmesan cheese.

Notes

If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender instead. Just be sure to let the mixture cool down a bit before adding to your blender. Also, be sure to not overfill the blender and remove the center cap on the blender and cover it with a clean towel to allow the heat to vent.

If you are making this with raw chicken breast, add the chicken while the vegetable and broth are boiling. Let cook for 20 minutes, then remove before pureeing the vegetables. Add the cooked chicken back in while the pasta cooks and then remove and dice before serving. Be sure the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

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