Description
This Italian Penicillin Soup is a comforting and rich chicken noodle soup variant featuring tender chicken, savory vegetables, pastina pasta, and savory Parmesan cheese for a deeply flavorful and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Broth and Vegetables
- 8 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups chopped sweet onion
- 1 1/2 cups peeled and coarsely chopped carrots
- 2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Herbs and Cheese
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 1 (2 ounce) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind, plus grated cheese for garnish
Other Ingredients
- 4 ounces uncooked pastina pasta
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients: Assemble all ingredients to ensure everything is prepared and ready before beginning the cooking process.
- Simmer Vegetables: In a large saucepan or small Dutch oven, bring the chicken broth, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and kosher salt to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
- Blend Vegetable Mixture: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened vegetables and 1 cup of broth into a blender. Secure the blender lid, removing the center piece to allow steam to escape, then cover with a clean towel. Blend until smooth, approximately 30 seconds. Stir the blended mixture back into the pot of soup.
- Add Herbs and Cheese Rind: Add the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind to the pot. Bring the soup back to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Cook Pasta and Chicken: Add the uncooked pastina pasta to the boiling soup. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 18 to 20 minutes until the pasta is tender. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the shredded rotisserie chicken to warm through.
- Remove Herbs and Cheese Rind: Remove and discard the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and Parmigiano-Reggiano rind from the soup before serving.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh flat-leaf parsley and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Serve immediately for best flavor.
Notes
- Using lower-sodium chicken broth helps to control the salt content in the soup, but you can adjust salt to taste at the end.
- The Parmigiano-Reggiano rind adds rich, savory depth to the soup; do not omit it if possible.
- Pastina pasta cooks quickly and thickens the soup nicely; if unavailable, small pasta shapes like orzo or ditalini can be used instead.
- For a smoother texture, blend the vegetables thoroughly but avoid over-blending to preserve some texture.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
