Italian Chicken Pastina Soup (Italian Penicillin / Minestrina)

A spoon scooping some chicken pastina soup out of a blue and white shallow bowl.

No ratings yet

Italian Chicken Pastina Soup (Italian Penicillin / Minestrina)

Italian Chicken Pastina Soup goes by many names including minestrina meaning “little soup,” or Italian penicillin, an ode to its nourishing qualities. This is an easy one pot dish which is perfect for enjoying on chilly nights or for soothing sniffles.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 142kcal

Author: Victoria

Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth or stock
2 carrots finely chopped
2 stalks celery finely chopped
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced or crushed
1 bay leaf
1 parmesan rind (optional)
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup (90 grams) pastina such as stelline (little stars) or acini di pepe
1 ½ cups (150 grams) shredded rotisserie or leftover chicken
Chopped parsley for garnish
Grated parmesan for serving

Instructions

In a large pot combine the broth, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaf, parmesan rind (if using), thyme (crush it between your palms while rubbing them together as you add it to the pot), and some salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over high heat. When boiling, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Remove the soup from the heat and discard the bay leaf and parmesan rind, if using. Here you have two options on how to proceed.
Option 1 - For a smooth soup broth: Puree all of the vegetables. Option A) use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth directly in the pot. Option B) use a slotted spoon or small wire mesh strainer to transfer all of the vegetables to the jar of a blender or bowl of a food processor along with some of the broth and puree until smooth. Then return it to the pot with the rest of the broth.
Option 2 - For a soup broth that still has some texture: Option A) use an immersion blender to puree some but not all of the vegetables directly in the pot. Option B) use a slotted spoon or small wire mesh strainer to transfer about 1 ½ to 2 cups of the vegetables to the jar of a blender or bowl of a food processor along with some of the broth and puree until smooth. Then return it to the pot with the rest of the broth and vegetables.
Taste and adjust the seasoning, then bring the soup back up to a boil. Add the pastina and cook until tender. This could range from 5 to 10 minutes, give or take, depending on the shape and brand. In the last couple of minutes of cooking, stir in the shredded chicken to heat it back through. Taste and adjust seasoning again, if needed.
Ladle the chicken pastina soup into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve grated parmesan cheese on the side for topping as desired.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the soup for 2 to 3 months, though I would recommend only freezing the soup portion before adding the pastina and chicken. Then thaw the soup and bring to a boil. Then cook the pastina and add the chicken as directed in the recipe.
Pastina will also continue to soak up liquid after you finish boiling. For that reason, if you don’t plan to serve this soup right away or finish it in one sitting, don’t cook the pastina directly in the soup. Instead, cook it separately in boiling water. Then drain and toss with a little olive oil to keep it from sticking together. Then, just stir in a portion of cooked pastina into each bowl of hot soup when you’re ready to eat.
Make pastina soup vegan or vegetarian by replacing the chicken broth with vegetable broth, omit the shredded chicken and increase the pastina to ¾ cup (135 grams).

Nutrition