Pasta Soup With Chicken Vegetables (Print Version)

Hearty soup with tender chicken, pasta, and fresh vegetables—perfect for warming family meals.

# What You Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
08 - 1 cup frozen peas
09 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Pasta

11 - 1 cup small pasta shapes such as ditalini or elbow macaroni

→ Liquids and Fat

12 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
13 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Seasonings

14 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in chicken cubes and cook for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned but not fully cooked through.
04 - Add zucchini, green beans, diced tomatoes with juices, thyme, basil, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.
05 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
06 - Add pasta and peas. Simmer uncovered for 10-12 minutes until pasta is al dente and chicken is cooked through.
07 - Remove and discard bay leaf. Stir in fresh parsley and adjust seasoning if needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot, optionally garnished with extra parsley or grated Parmesan.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can have real food on the table before anyone starts getting hangry.
  • The chicken stays tender because it gets a gentle head start in the broth, and the pasta absorbs all those savory flavors without getting mushy.
  • You can raid your vegetable drawer and swap almost anything in—I've thrown in spinach, corn, and bell peppers depending on what needed using up.
02 -
  • Don't add the pasta too early—I learned this by stirring a pot of mush, and now I wait until the last possible moment so it stays al dente and doesn't absorb every drop of broth.
  • Frozen peas are your friend; they're already cooked, so adding them early will turn them to soft mush when all they need is a gentle warm-through.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer if you're unsure about doneness—chicken cubes are ready when they hit one hundred sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit, which happens faster than you might think in simmering broth.
  • Add Parmesan rind to the broth as it simmers if you have one; it dissolves slowly and adds an umami depth that makes people ask what restaurant you ordered from.
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