rita'skitchen

Chicken and Pastina Soup

  • Main Course
  • Soups
Number of servings: 8
Prep time: 30 min
Cooking time: 45 min

Chicken and Pastina Soup

One of our all-time favorites. According to the picky husband, it’s best to add the spinach fresh with each bowl.

ingredients

  • 2Pounds

    Boneless skinless chicken breasts

  • 32Ounces

    Chicken Broth

  • 1Tablespoon

    Olive oil

  • 1/2Cup

    Chopped onion

  • 1/2Cup

    Diced carrots

  • 1/2Cup

    Diced celery

  • 1Cup

    Crushed tomatoes

  • 1/2Teaspoon

    Sea salt

  • 1/4Teaspoon

    Ground pepper

  • 1Each

    Dried bay leaf

  • 1Cup

    Uncooked Acini di Pepe (Pastina)

  • 2Cup

    Chopped, lightly packed spinach or other greens

  • 1/3Cup

    Shredded Parmesan cheese

instructions

  1. Place chicken in 12 inch skillet. Add 1 carton of chicken broth. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken’s juice is clear when the center of the thickest part is cut.

  2. Meanwhile, in 5 quart stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.

  3. Drain the chicken, reserving the broth; set the chicken aside. Strain broth; add to vegetables. Stir the remaining carton of broth, the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and bay leaf into the stockpot. Heat to boiling. Stir in pasta. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes.

  4. Shred or cut chicken into bite-size pieces; add to soup. Stir in greens just until wilted. Remove bay leaf. Serve with a sprinkle of additional freshly ground pepper and the cheese.