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Italian Penicillin Soup

A cozy Italian-style chicken soup with carrots, small pasta, herbs, and a bright finish of lemon and parsley.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: Italian, Italian-American
Calories: 280
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the soup base
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 2 medium carrots sliced into thin rounds
  • 2 stalks celery finely sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
For the chicken and pasta
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup dry ditalini pasta or other small soup pasta
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
For serving
  • extra black pepper for serving
  • extra parsley chopped, for serving
  • toasted bread optional, for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Large soup pot or Dutch oven
  • 1 Cutting board
  • 1 Chef's knife
  • 1 Wooden spoon
  • 1 Ladle

Method
 

Make the soup
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and the onion is translucent.
  2. Stir in the garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, oregano, and thyme. Cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf. Add the chicken breasts to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
  4. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Bring the soup back to a simmer and add the ditalini. Cook according to package directions until tender.
  5. Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces with two forks.
  6. Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice, then taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed. Remove the bay leaf.
  7. Ladle into bowls and serve hot with extra black pepper, more parsley, and toasted bread if desired.

Notes

For the best leftover texture, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl before serving. Rotisserie chicken can be used instead of raw chicken breasts; add about 3 cups shredded cooked chicken after the pasta is tender. Add extra broth when reheating if the soup thickens.