Homemade Chicken Soup
Homemade Chicken Soup
Ingredients
Method
- Use your favorite soup pot, approximately 6 quart size.
- Heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of your pan over medium high heat.
- Once barely smoking, add your onions, carrots and celery, cook till soft approximately 8-10 minutes.
- Once veggies are soft, add the minced garlic and bay leaves, cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Then add chicken stock and bouillon, bring to a boil.
- Add pastina and cook for 5 minutes, remove from heat add in your cooked chicken and parsley.
- Now, you're ready to eat, I like to squeeze a little lemon and add some pecorino romano or parmesan on the soup.
Video
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Let us know how it was!Why this soup uses precooked chicken
Precooked boneless chicken shortens hands-on time and helps keep the meat tender. Because the chicken is already cooked, adding it after the pasta finishes and after the pot is removed from the heat warms the meat through without overcooking or drying it out.
What is pastina — and why it’s used here
Pastina refers to very small Italian pasta shapes (tiny stars, dots, or similar). Its small size and quick cooking time make it a good match for a light chicken soup: it adds body to the broth and a comforting texture without overwhelming the vegetables or chicken. For that reason, pastina is cooked late in the process so it reaches the right tenderness without becoming mushy.
Why you sauté the vegetables first (and what it does for flavor)
Sautéing the onion, carrots, and celery until soft builds sweetness and depth in the broth and ensures the vegetables finish tender. Garlic and bay leaves are added after the vegetables have softened so the garlic contributes aroma without burning during the longer vegetable cooking time.
About the stock and bouillon in this recipe
Using low-sodium chicken stock provides a less salty base, while a small amount of concentrated chicken bouillon paste adds a rounded, savory boost. That combination gives finer control over the final seasoning; finish with salt and pepper to taste so the soup’s saltiness matches your preference.
Watch Dr. J Make Homemade Chicken Soup
Watch Dr. J make Homemade Chicken Soup and see how it comes together.
