Pasta Soup With Chicken and Vegetables (Printable)

A comforting bowl loaded with chicken, pasta, carrots, celery, zucchini and green beans in savory broth.

# 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

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

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - In a large soup pot, heat olive oil 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 to 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.
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 to 12 minutes or until pasta is al dente and chicken is cooked through.
07 - Remove and discard bay leaf. Stir in fresh parsley and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Serve hot, optionally garnished with extra parsley or grated Parmesan.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This soup has this magical quality where the broth absorbs all the vegetable flavors but still lets the chicken shine through, creating layers of taste that unfold with every spoonful.
  • You can toss it together even when youre exhausted, and somehow it still tastes like you spent hours crafting it, which is why I make it on my busiest weeknights.
02 -
  • The first time I made this, I added the pasta too early and ended up with mushy, bloated noodles that absorbed all my beautiful broth, so timing really matters here.
  • I discovered that letting the soup rest covered for about 5 minutes after turning off the heat allows the flavors to settle and meld in a way that makes the first spoonful absolutely perfect.
03 -
  • When chopping vegetables, aim for similar sizes so everything cooks at the same rate, with softer vegetables like zucchini slightly larger than harder ones like carrots.
  • The secret to preventing the pasta from becoming mushy is to slightly undercook it by about a minute, as it will continue softening in the hot broth even after the heat is turned off.
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