Nothing soothes quite like a warm, homemade soup—and this Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe is dinner-time comfort food at its best. With tender shredded chicken, tiny star-shaped pastina, and a rich, savory broth, this Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe feels like a warm hug straight from Nonna’s kitchen. Whether you’re nursing a cold, feeding selective little eaters, or simply craving something cozy, this Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe has you covered in just 30 minutes. Perfect as a quick weeknight dinner, it’s made with pantry staples and rotisserie chicken to deliver big flavor without the long simmer. It’s the kind of one-pot meal you’ll turn to again and again when only true comfort will do.
Why You Will Love This Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe
This Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe is rooted in Italian tradition and has been cherished for generations as the ultimate healing comfort food—often referred to as “Italian penicillin.” What makes this Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe truly stand out is its gentle texture and incredible versatility. The tiny pastina pasta soaks up the flavorful broth, creating a soft, porridge-like consistency that feels soothing and satisfying. Whether you’re making this Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe for toddlers, for a cozy night in, or to ease into a nourishing meal, it always delivers. Unlike traditional chicken noodle soup, this Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe offers a delicate bite and can easily be customized with added veggies, different pasta types, or simply served with crusty bread for a classic, comforting finish.
Jump to:
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- Expert Cooking Tips for Perfect Chicken Pastina
- Recipe Variations and Dietary Modifications
- Essential Equipment for Making Chicken Pastina Soup
- Storage and Meal Prep Tips
- The Secret Behind Nonna’s Healing Bowl
- FAQ
- Cozy, Quick, and Truly Comforting
- Related
- Pairing
- Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie chicken works perfectly)
- Pastina pasta (or other tiny pasta like stelline or ditalini)
- Chicken broth (homemade or store-bought)
- Olive oil
- Onion, finely diced
- Celery stalks, diced
- Carrots, diced
- Garlic, minced
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley, chopped
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Build the Flavor Base
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots, cooking for 5-6 minutes until vegetables soften. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. This creates the aromatic foundation that makes homemade chicken pastina so flavorful.
Pro Tip: Don't rush this step – properly sautéed vegetables create the depth of flavor that distinguishes great Italian chicken pastina soup from ordinary versions.
Add Broth and Simmer
- Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil. Add bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and let simmer for 8-10 minutes, allowing the vegetables to become tender and the flavors to meld together.
Cook Pastina and Add Chicken
- Add pastina pasta to the simmering broth and cook according to package directions (usually 6-8 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. In the last 2 minutes, add shredded chicken to heat through.
Important Note: Pastina absorbs liquid quickly, so add more broth if the soup becomes too thick during cooking.
Finish and Serve
- Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. The cheese will melt from the residual heat, creating a creamy, comforting texture perfect for this traditional Italian recipe.
- Step 1: Build the Flavor Base
Sauté the vegetables to create a rich, aromatic base.
- Step 2: Add Broth and Simmer
Pour in broth and simmer to meld all the flavors together.
- Step 3: Cook Pastina and Add Chicken
Stir in pastina and chicken to finish the body of the soup.
- Step 4: Finish and Serve
Stir in parsley and cheese, then serve warm and enjoy.
Expert Cooking Tips for Perfect Chicken Pastina
- Timing is Everything: Cook the pastina just until tender. Overcooked pasta becomes mushy and can make your soup gluey rather than comforting.
- Control the Thickness: This soup thickens as it sits because the tiny pasta continues absorbing liquid. If reheating leftovers, add extra broth to restore the perfect consistency.
- Layered Seasoning: Season at each step – the vegetables, the broth, and again at the end. This creates depth rather than just salty soup.
- Fresh vs. Dried Herbs: Fresh parsley brightens the entire dish, while dried thyme during cooking adds earthy depth. Use both for the most complex flavor.
Recipe Variations and Dietary Modifications
Crockpot Chicken Pastina Soup
- For a hands-off version, combine chicken broth, vegetables, and seasonings in your slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Add pastina and shredded chicken in the last 30 minutes to prevent overcooking.
Vegetarian Pastina Version
- Replace chicken with white beans or chickpeas and use vegetable broth. Add extra vegetables like zucchini or spinach for nutrition and color.
Protein-Packed Version
- Add a beaten egg during the last minute of cooking, stirring constantly to create silky egg ribbons throughout the soup – similar to Italian stracciatella.
Kid-Friendly Modifications
- Make it extra mild by reducing garlic and using boneless chicken breast. Puree some vegetables into the broth for hidden nutrition that kids won't detect.
Sicilian-Style Addition
- Stir in a handful of fresh spinach or escarole during the last few minutes for authentic Italian greens that add nutrition and color.
Essential Equipment for Making Chicken Pastina Soup
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven: A 4-6 quart capacity works perfectly for this recipe and allows room for stirring without splashing.
- Sharp Chef's Knife: Essential for efficiently dicing vegetables into uniform pieces that cook evenly.
- Wooden Spoon: Won't scratch your pot and is perfect for stirring delicate pasta without breaking it.
- Fine-Mesh Strainer: Helpful if you want to strain your homemade chicken broth for the clearest soup.
- Budget-Friendly Alternative: A large saucepan works if you don't have a Dutch oven, though you may need to work in smaller batches.
Storage and Meal Prep Tips
Refrigerator Storage
- Store leftover chicken pastina soup in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days in airtight containers. The pasta will continue absorbing liquid, so expect to add extra broth when reheating.
Freezing Instructions
- This soup can be frozen for up to 3 months, but the texture of the pastina changes slightly upon thawing. For best results, freeze the soup base without the pasta, then add fresh pastina when reheating.
Meal Prep Strategy
- Cook a large batch on Sunday and portion into individual containers for quick weekday lunches. Freeze half for busy weeks when you need comfort food fast.
Reheating Tips
- Add ¼ to ½ cup of chicken broth when reheating to restore the proper consistency. Heat gently to avoid overcooking the pasta further.eezing for X days/weeks/months.
The Secret Behind Nonna’s Healing Bowl
When I was a child, whenever I caught a cold or felt the world was a little too much, my grandmother would bring out her pot and whisper, “It’s time for the magic soup.” That magic was always her Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe—a simple dish, but one that felt like a warm hug with every spoonful. She never rushed it, and she always claimed the secret wasn’t in the ingredients, but in the love stirred into the pot.
Years later, I’ve kept her tradition alive, and every time I make this Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe, I remember that same cozy kitchen and the soothing aroma that filled the air. The real secret? It's the way this humble soup turns the ordinary into something unforgettable—and how it somehow makes everything feel just a little bit better.
FAQ
Is pastina good in chicken soup?
Yes, pastina is perfect in chicken soup. Its tiny size gives the broth a silky, comforting texture that’s especially soothing and kid-friendly.
Is pastina soup healthy?
Absolutely. Pastina soup made with chicken, vegetables, and broth is nourishing, hydrating, and easy to digest—ideal for recovery or a light, wholesome meal.
What is the secret ingredient in soup?
A splash of lemon juice or a Parmesan rind often adds that rich, comforting depth that elevates the flavor of homemade soup.
Does Italian penicillin soup really work?
While not a cure, this classic soup—known as Italian penicillin—offers warmth, hydration, and nutrients that can genuinely help you feel better when you're under the weather.
Cozy, Quick, and Truly Comforting
This Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe is the kind of warm, healing meal that brings people together—just like it has in Italian kitchens for generations. This Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe is ready in just 30 minutes and is packed with tender shredded chicken, delicate pastina pasta, and a rich, comforting broth that soothes from the inside out. Whether you're feeling under the weather or need something fast and nourishing, this Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe fits the moment perfectly. One of the best things about this Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe is how simple and versatile it is. You can use rotisserie chicken for extra ease, and this Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe welcomes your favorite vegetables or herbs without skipping a beat. Whether it's for a busy weeknight, a cozy evening, or a sick day, this Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe is the one-pot wonder you’ll reach for again and again.
And if you love this kind of cozy, crowd-pleasing food, don’t miss our Mac and Cheese Recipe for a creamy classic or the Tuscan Pasta Recipe for something rich, rustic, and loaded with flavor. Try this Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe this week—you’ll see why it’s a timeless favorite. Let me know how yours turns out—I’d love to hear your twist on it!
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe
Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large pot or Dutch oven Ideal for cooking and simmering the soup evenly
- 1 Wooden spoon Gentle on cookware and perfect for stirring delicate pastina
- 1 Sharp Chef’s Knife For chopping vegetables into uniform pieces
- 1 Measuring cups To measure broth, pasta, and cheese accurately
- 1 Grater for Parmesan For freshly grating Parmesan cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded, rotisserie recommended
- 1 cup pastina pasta or stelline, ditalini, or small pasta
- 6 cups chicken broth low-sodium or bone broth
- 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf optional, adds depth
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme optional
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste optional, for richer flavor
Instructions
- Cook onion, celery, and carrots for 5-6 min, then add garlic.
- Add broth, bay leaf, salt, pepper; simmer for 10 min.
- Add pastina, cook 6-8 min, stir in chicken at the end.
- Stir in Parmesan and parsley, serve hot.
Notes
- Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Lily says
This turned out really good! I added half of a lemon’s juice and grated the whole lemon . I also only added half the cheese just out of preference and it was delicious! Thank you
Elizabeth says
That sounds amazing, Lily! Love the lemon addition and adjusting the cheese for your taste; those little tweaks really make a recipe your own. So glad it turned out delicious! 🍲✨