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This Chicken Pastina Soup, often known as Italian penicillin, is a simple bowl of comfort food, perfect for a cold day or if you’re feeling under the weather! Using rotisserie chicken makes prep a breeze and the tiny star-shaped pasta cooks up quickly, meaning you can get dinner on the table in just 30 minutes.
A flavorful base of onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper is simmered in chicken broth with a touch of dried thyme, creating a light base for our soup. With some shredded chicken and a speckle of pasta, this is a cozy meal you and your kids will love.
Want more warming recipes this soup season? Try my Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup, or Avgolemono Soup recipes.
Recipe Overview
Ingredients Needed
Below are the ingredients you’ll need to make Chicken Pastina Soup. The full quantities are listed on the recipe card further down the post.
- Olive oil: I use a little oil to sauté the vegetables so they soften nicely. Avocado oil also works well here.
- Sweet onion: The mild flavor of a sweet onion is delicious in this soup. You can use a yellow onion or a couple of shallots instead for a more pronounced onion flavor.
- Carrot, celery, and bell pepper: This trio of veggies forms a flavorful base for our soup. The carrot and bell pepper add sweetness, while the celery rounds out the broth’s flavor.
- Garlic: I prefer fresh garlic here, as it has the best flavor that shines through in this soup.
- Cooked chicken: You can use rotisserie chicken or some leftover cooked chicken breasts, whichever is easiest.
- Dried thyme: This dried version is convenient to use and easy to find in the grocery store. You can use fresh thyme leaves instead if you have them.
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Chicken stock or broth: I like to use low-sodium broth, as it makes it easier to adjust the soup’s saltiness to taste. Look for high-quality broth from the store or make your own!
- Stelline pastina: This tiny, star-shaped pasta is an excellent shape for soups. It cooks quickly and means you get some pasta in each bite. If you can’t find it, orzo pasta works well (adjust the cooking time as needed).
- Balsamic vinegar: Adding a splash to the soup brings sweetness and acidity that rounds out the flavors nicely. You can use a squeeze of fresh lemon juice instead if you like.
- Fresh parsley: This cozy soup is elevated with a sprinkle of chopped parsley, for some freshness and color.
How to Make Chicken Pastina Soup
Step 1: Heat the oil in a soup pot and saute the onion, celery, carrots, pepper and
garlic for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add in the chicken, thyme, a pinch of salt and pepper, and the pasta.
Step 3: Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the balsamic vinegar.
Step 4: Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the pasta
is done to al dente.
Step 5: Serve warm with chopped parsley.
Variations & Tips
- Egg-drop soup: Beat a couple of eggs in a small bowl, then drizzle them into the simmering broth and stir to cook the eggs into thin ribbons.
- Add some greens: Stir in some chopped kale or baby spinach a few minutes before serving.
- Boost the fiber: Add a drained 14-oz can of chickpeas or white beans to the soup for some more fiber and protein.
- A sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese is a delicious addition to this bowlful of soup.
- For the best flavor, homemade chicken broth is the way to go! Or find the best quality chicken stock you can get.
- Serve the soup soon after it’s done cooking. If you leave it to sit, the pasta will keep absorbing the broth, becoming overcooked.
Common Questions
Let the leftover soup cool completely, place it in airtight containers, and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, add the soup to a pot with a splash of water and stir over a medium-low heat until it comes to a simmer. Or you can microwave in a covered microwave-safe bowl until piping hot.
It’s not recommended to freeze this soup with pasta, as the pasta will become mushy once defrosted. If you want to make it ahead of time, you can just follow the recipe as usual, but omit the pasta, let the soup cool, then freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, defrost the soup base, then add the pasta and simmer until it’s cooked through.
If you leave the cooked soup sitting, you’ll notice the pasta continues to absorb the broth, becoming mushy. If you want to make the soup ahead of time, you can always cook the pasta separately and store it in its own airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, heat the soup base and stir in the cooked pasta.
More Chicken Soup Recipes
- Mexican Chicken Soup
- Chicken Cabbage Soup
- Chicken Vegetable Soup
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Chicken Orzo Soup
- Marry Me Chicken Soup
- Chicken Broccoli Soup
- Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
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Chicken Pastina Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, avocado oil
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 4 celery sticks, diced
- 4 carrots, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (leftover or rotisserie)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 ⅓ cup stelline pastina, star pasta
- 7 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- Freshly chopped parsley, optional
Instructions
- Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oilin a soup pot and saute the 1 sweet onion (diced), 4 celery sticks (diced), 4 carrots (diced), 1 red bell pepper(diced), and 4 garlic cloves (minced) for 5 minutes.
- Add in the 2 cups cooked chicken (shredded), 1 teaspoon dried thyme, a pinch of Kosher salt and black pepper and the 1 ⅓ cup stelline pastina.
- Pour in the 7 cups low-sodium chicken stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the pasta is done to al dente.
- Serve warm with Freshly chopped parsley.
Notes
Storage:
- Fridge: Let the leftover soup cool completely, then strain out the pasta and veggies, storing the solids and broth in separate, airtight containers. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Follow the recipe as usual, but omit the pasta, let the soup cool, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, defrost the soup base, then add the pasta and simmer until it’s cooked through.
- Reheat: Add the soup, pasta, and veggies to a pot with a splash of water and stir over a medium-low heat until it comes to a simmer. Alternatively, microwave in a covered, microwave-safe bowl until piping hot.
Variations & Tips:
- Egg-drop soup: Beat a couple of eggs in a small bowl, drizzle them into the simmering broth, and stir to let the eggs cook into thin ribbons.
- Add some greens: Stir in some chopped kale or baby spinach a few minutes before serving.
- Boost the fiber: Add a drained 14-oz can of chickpeas or white beans to the soup for some more fiber and protein.
- A sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese is a delicious addition to this bowlful of soup.
- For the best flavor, homemade chicken broth is the way to go! Or find the best quality chicken stock you can get.
- Serve the soup soon after it’s done cooking. If you leave it to sit, the pasta will keep absorbing the broth, becoming overcooked.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
