Pasta Soup with Chicken Vegetables (Printer-friendly)

A comforting bowl of tender chicken, pasta, and fresh vegetables in savory broth.

# What You Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
08 - 1 cup frozen peas
09 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Pasta

11 - 1 cup small pasta shapes such as ditalini or elbow macaroni

→ Liquids

12 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
13 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Seasonings

14 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Steps:

01 - In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in chicken cubes and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly browned but not fully cooked through.
04 - Add zucchini, green beans, diced tomatoes with juices, dried thyme, dried basil, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.
05 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
06 - Add pasta and peas. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, or until pasta is al dente and chicken is cooked through.
07 - Remove and discard bay leaf. Stir in fresh parsley and adjust seasoning if needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot, optionally garnished with extra parsley or grated Parmesan cheese.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The soup develops this incredible depth of flavor despite how quickly it comes together - its my secret weapon for impressing guests while barely breaking a sweat in the kitchen.
  • You can easily customize it based on whatever vegetables are looking sad in your produce drawer, making it both economical and satisfying.
02 -
  • Adding the pasta too early in the cooking process can turn it mushy and cause it to absorb too much broth, leaving you with more of a stew than a soup.
  • I once forgot to remove the bay leaf and accidentally served it to my father-in-law, who bit right into it and didnt say a word until I noticed his subtle attempts to discreetly remove it from his mouth.
03 -
  • When reheating leftovers, add a splash of fresh broth to restore the soup-like consistency that gets lost as the pasta absorbs liquid overnight.
  • For deeper chicken flavor without added work, substitute one of the chicken breasts with boneless, skinless chicken thighs - the difference is subtle but noticeable.
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