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Italian Penicillin Soup

A cozy Italian-style chicken soup with carrots, tiny pasta, herbs, and golden broth.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Dinner, Soup
Cuisine Italian-American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 265 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large soup pot
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 Cutting board
  • 1 Chef's knife
  • 2 Forks for shredding chicken

Ingredients
  

For the Soup Base

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 3 medium carrots sliced into rounds
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper plus more for serving

For the Chicken and Pasta

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup tiny pasta such as ditalini, stelline, or pastina

For Finishing

  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • toasted bread for serving

Instructions
 

Make the Soup

  • Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
  • Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the chicken broth, bay leaf, oregano, parsley, thyme, salt, and black pepper.
  • Nestle the chicken breasts into the pot. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the carrots are tender.
  • Transfer the chicken to a plate or cutting board. Shred it with two forks into bite-size pieces.
  • Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer and add the pasta. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until tender.
  • Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir well. Remove the bay leaf, then add the chopped parsley and lemon juice.
  • Taste and adjust the seasoning with extra salt or pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot with toasted bread on the side.

Notes

For the best leftover texture, cook the pasta separately and add it to individual bowls. Rotisserie chicken can be used in place of raw chicken; add it near the end just to warm through. Add a splash of broth when reheating if the pasta has absorbed liquid.