Description

Italian Penicillin Soup is pure comfort in a bowl—tender chicken simmered with garlic, onions, and Italian herbs in a rich tomato broth, then finished with hearty pasta, creamy beans, and fresh greens. Every spoonful is cozy, flavorful, and soul-warming, like a big Italian hug on a chilly day.

Ingredients

The Broth Base:

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups chopped sweet onion
1½ cups peeled and coarsely chopped carrots (about 2 medium)
2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 fresh bay leaves
1 (2 oz) Parmigiano-Reggiano rind

The Good Stuff:

4 oz uncooked pastina (tiny pasta)
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

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Instructions

Simmer the Vegetable Base (10 minutes)

In your large saucepan or Dutch oven, bring the chicken broth, chopped onion, carrots, celery, smashed garlic, salt, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and that precious Parmesan rind to a rolling boil. Once it’s bubbling away, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer until the vegetables are fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Your kitchen is going to smell AMAZING at this point!

Create the Creamy Magic (5 minutes)

Here’s where the magic happens! Using a slotted spoon, carefully fish out all those softened vegetables along with about 1 cup of the flavorful broth. Transfer everything to your blender and puree until completely smooth and creamy. Pour this gorgeous mixture right back into the pot and give it a good stir. Look at that beautiful, creamy color!

Add the Stars of the Show (8-10 minutes)

Stir in your pastina and shredded rotisserie chicken. Let everything cook together until the pasta is perfectly tender – usually 8-10 minutes depending on your pasta size. Before serving, fish out and discard the thyme stems, bay leaves, and Parmesan rind (they’ve done their job!).

The Grand Finale

Ladle this liquid gold into bowls and sprinkle generously with fresh parsley. A little extra grated Parmesan on top never hurt anyone either!

Notes

The blending step makes this special – don’t skip it. Use an immersion blender right in the pot if easier. Just don’t blend too much or it turns to baby food.

Room temperature chicken shreds better than cold. If your rotisserie chicken is from the fridge, microwave 30 seconds first.

This soup is forgiving. Too thick? Add broth. Too thin? Simmer uncovered a few minutes. Not flavorful enough? More salt and Parmesan.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian-American