🍲 Chicken Pastina Soup — Cozy Italian Comfort Soup
Chicken Pastina Soup is a warm, comforting Italian‑style soup similar to chicken noodle soup, but made with tiny pastina pasta (like little stars or dots) that cooks right in the broth. It’s tender, flavorful, and perfect for chilly days or when you need something soothing and nourishing. (Barilla)
🥣 What You’ll Need (Serves ~4–6)
Main Ingredients
- Chicken — shredded or cubed (leftover, rotisserie, or cooked breasts) (Sophia Recipes)
- Pastina pasta (tiny pasta like stelline or acini di pepe) (delallo.com)
- Chicken broth/stock — the flavorful base (cooksavor.com)
- Onion, carrots, and celery — classic aromatic vegetables (Sophia Recipes)
- Garlic — adds depth of flavor (cooksavor.com)
- Olive oil or butter for sautéing (cooksavor.com)
Optional Add‑Ins
- Fresh herbs (thyme, sage, parsley) (Sophia Recipes)
- Lemon juice — brightens the flavors (Glenda Embree)
- Grated Parmesan cheese — great on top (delallo.com)
- Bay leaf or Parmesan rind to enrich broth (savorandnest.com)
👩🍳 Simple Method
1️⃣ Sauté aromatics:
Heat olive oil or butter in a pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots; cook ~5–7 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook another minute. (cooksavor.com)
2️⃣ Add broth & chicken:
Pour in chicken broth and add your cooked chicken pieces. Bring to a simmer. (cooksavor.com)
3️⃣ Cook pastina:
Add the pastina directly to the simmering soup. Cook 6–10 minutes until the tiny pasta is tender (check package directions). Stir so the pasta doesn’t stick. (Sophia Recipes)
4️⃣ Finish & serve:
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If using lemon, add a splash of juice. Serve bowls topped with grated Parmesan and fresh parsley or herbs. (Glenda Embree)
🍋 Variations & Tips
- Brothy & light: Use just broth and pastina with minimal veggies for a classic Italian version. (Pina Bresciani)
- Hearty version: Add more vegetables or even a splash of white wine. (Sophia Recipes)
- Kid‑friendly: Star‑shaped pastina is fun for kids and cooks quickly. (Barilla)
- Italian “penicillin”: Many Italians use pastina soup as a soothing remedy when someone is under the weather. (Pina Bresciani)
Would you like a printable recipe with exact measurements and cooking times? I can format it for you!
