Italian-Style Chicken Soup

Italian chicken soup with grated cheese.

5 from 4 votes

This Italian chicken soup is pure comfort that'll have you craving seconds before you've even finished your first spoonful!

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Total Time1

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: cups

Calories: 185kcal

Author: Marie

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking chicken
2 or 3 large chicken breasts boneless, skinless
2 medium carrots diced small
1 medium onion diced small
2 stalks celery diced small
4 small garlic cloves minced
4 tablespoons tomato paste
8 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt plus more to season chicken
1/2 teaspoon black pepper plus more to season chicken
1 teaspoon dried herbs (parsley suggested) may use half the amount of oregano or basil
1 cup small pasta like ditalini or orzo (uncooked)
2 cups fresh spinach leaves or escarole Chopped well (I sometimes triple this!)
Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until browned on all sides. Remove chicken and set aside.
In the same pot, add chopped carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant – do not burn!
Add a small amount of chicken broth to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits. Add the tomato paste and cook until the color deepens a little.
Return the chicken to the pot. Add the remaining chicken broth, salt, pepper, and dried herbs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
Take the chicken out of the pot and shred it. Set aside.
Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes (a minute or two less than the directions on the box calls for). Add the fresh spinach a few minutes before the pasta is done, and return the shredded chicken to the pot.
Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot, garnished with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese and garnished with parsley.

Notes

🥗 Need side salad ideas? Try the Salad Generator!

Be careful not to overcook the pasta, as it may get mushy.

The nutrition estimate is for 1 cup of soup (starter or appetizer portion) and roughly should be doubled for 2 cups (an entree- or bowl-sized portion). The nutrition estimate does not include parmesan cheese topping.

Nutrition