I have loved chicken pastina soup since I was a little kid and my nonna and zias would make it. The whole house would smell amazing while the soup cooked. It’s definitely one of my favourites when it comes to Italian comfort food. I love the tiny star shaped stellini pasta and all the other flavours in this amazing Italian chicken soup with pasta.
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Got some leftover or rotisserie chicken to use up? If so, I highly recommend making this mouth-watering Italian chicken soup with pasta. Find out how to make pastina and this could become your new favourite soup recipe.
Chicken Pastina Soup Ingredients
This Italian chicken noodle soup with pasta is very simple so you don’t have to go looking for any fancy or hard-to-get ingredients to make it.
Chicken broth is the basis of this soup and, as you’d expect, the soup only comes out as good as the broth you use. So use a good quality chicken stock or – better yet – homemade chicken broth! You could also use vegetable broth or bone broth if you prefer in this pasta soup. I always prefer homemade broth over store bought broth and keep some in the freezer for this purpose.
As for the chicken, you can use leftover shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken. You can also just cook up some chicken breasts to shred. Tender chicken in this soup is a key ingredient.
Onion, carrot and celery provide nutrition as well as flavour, and these veggies are really good in the soup. Lemon juice, olive oil, fresh herbs (parsley), garlic, pepper, and Italian seasoning boost the flavour even more.
Stellini pasta is the pasta of choice for chicken pastina soup – well, hence the name! This tiny star shaped pasta is perfect for soup because it’s easy to pick up on a spoon (unlike the kinds of pasta you need to twirl or need a knife for).
It’s worth keeping this type of tiny pasta in the pantry because you can throw it into all kinds of soups, not just chicken pastina stellini soup. Try it in Italian wedding soup perhaps if you want a smaller alternative to the acini de pepe (small round pasta) usually used.
How to Make Pastina
So how do you make this Italian comfort food exactly? You’re going to love how easy it is to prepare. First of all you can add the vegetables to a pot with some olive oil and sauté for a few minutes until fragrant. Next add the chicken and seasonings and then the chicken broth and lemon juice.
Simmer this chicken soup recipe for 5 or 10 minutes then add the pasta and cook until it’s al dente. Stir in the parsley and serve right away with parsley and red pepper flakes on top. Grated parmesan cheese is a great addition, too.
How to Serve Pastina
This traditionally flavoured soul warming soup would be tasty with crusty Italian bread, crackers or even a grilled cheese sandwich on the side. It is the perfect soup for a cold day!
If you’re looking for a light snack you can forgo the sides and just have a cup of this tasty Italian comforting soup. The star of the dish is definitely the tiny star shaped pasta which you can either order online or get from the grocery store.
Children in Italy grow up loving this tasty dish. It’s like their first introduction to the exciting world of pasta! The tiny star shaped pasta is fun to eat and works beautifully in simple rustic soups. It’s the ultimate comfort food if you crave the flavour of chicken, small pasta and vegetables.
If you’re feeling a bit under the weather or you have the sniffles or you’re just craving some comfort food, you can’t go wrong with this Italian chicken pastina soup recipe. It’s just so good! An Italian pastina soup recipe is proven to make you feel better according to my Zia’s. That is all the info I need and it has severed me well my whole life so far. Other recipes known for their ability to comfort during sickness are a chicken hot and sour soup or chicken and dumplings.
Italian Chicken Soup with Pasta FAQs
I recommend stellini which are little star pasta shapes and the traditional pastina pasta. Technically any small pasta shapes shorter than ¼-inch qualifies as pastini (or miniature pasta) so you could use any little pasta from stellini (little stars) or acini di pepe to pearl couscous or orzo, ring pasta or alphabet pasta.
Keep any leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator and use within a few days. You can reheat the soup on the stove.
Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe
Chicken Pastina Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Cups cooked chicken
- 6 Cups chicken broth
- 1 Cup onions chopped
- 1 Cup carrots chopped
- 1 Cup pasta dry Stellini
- ½ Cup celery chopped
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons parsley fresh
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Teaspoon italian seasoning
- ½ Teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ Teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Place the chopped onions, carrots, and celery in a large soup pot with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Saute the vegetables on medium high heat until the onions are translucent.
- Add the chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder, italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Mix to combine.
- Pour the chicken broth and lemon juice into the pot. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the soup simmer, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add in the dry Stellini pasta, and cook until the pasta is al dente.
- Remove the soup from heat, mix in the fresh parsley.
- Serve immediately, garnish with parsley and/or red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
This chicken pastina soup has to be the best ever Italian comfort food. Made with leftover rotisserie chicken, healthy vegetables and tiny star shaped pasta, it will either take you right back to your childhood or introduce a brand new comfort food delight. Pastina chicken stellini soup is just what the doctor ordered. It’s hearty, flavorful, and super easy to make.
Personally I was lucky enough to grow up with chicken pastina soup. That’s why I have fond memories of the dish but if you’ve never tried it, I promise you’re in for a real treat when you do! Find out how to make pastina and this will definitely become a new favourite in your regular meal rotation.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a storyteller, food lover, dog mom and adventure seeker living on the Pacific coast. She shares her passion for food, dogs, fitness, adventures, travel and philanthropy, in hopes of encouraging followers to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places and stand for a cause. Bella lives with Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease.
Yum! I love chicken soup. Can’t wait to try this one
You will love it!