This easy and delicious Chicken Pastina Soup is the perfect dish for whenever you feel under the weather or just need a bowl of warm comfort. Also known as Brodo di Pollo con Pastina, this simple Italian soup uses small pasta shapes and just a handful of other ingredients.
9cups(approx. 2 liters) chicken broth / stock, see notes
1 ½cupspastina, I used stelline
2cups(300g) shredded cooked chicken, see notes
To serve
grated Parmesan cheese
Flat leaf parsley, finely diced
Salt and pepper, to season
Instructions
Heat the butter in a large pot. Once it is foaming add the onions, celery and carrots and cook, stirring, over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
Season with salt and pepper and add the bay leaf and chicken stock. Bring to a rolling boil then lower the heat to a simmer.
Stir in the pastine and shredded chicken and cook for however long the pasta cooking time recommendation is (usually 8-10 minutes).
Discard the bay leaf. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve with grated Parmesan and fresh parsley plus a slice of homemade bread. Absolutely delicious!!
Video
Notes
If you are serving babies then leave out the salt and make sure to use a low sodium broth.
The soup can be stored for up to three days in the fridge. If possible strain the soup and store the pasta separately from the broth otherwise it will absorb a lot of the broth. If that happens simply stir some hot water when you reheat the soup.
Freezing the soup is not recommended but as it is so quick and easy to make I don’t feel too bad about that!
If you don’t have any leftover roast chicken (shredded Rotisserie Chicken will work also) to hand then add 6 chicken tenders to the soup at the same time as the broth and simmer for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Slice or shred and add back to the soup.
Making your own Chicken StockIf you have a chicken carcass put it to use and make chicken stock instead of wasting it. Just put in a large pot or the slow cooker together with water to cover, bay leaves, onion, celery and carrots plus a teaspoon of black peppercorns, and two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.Simmer for two hours (8 hours on low in a slow cooker) then strain. Reserve any chicken meat to use in the soup and use the stock immediately or store in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze the stock for up to three months.