Pasta Soup With Chicken and Vegetables (Printable Version)

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

# 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 (5.3 oz) green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
08 - 1 cup (5.3 oz) frozen peas
09 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Pasta

11 - 1 cup (3.5 oz) small pasta shapes such as ditalini or elbow macaroni

→ Liquids

12 - 8 cups (64 fl oz) 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:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, sautéing 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, or 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 soup into bowls and serve hot, optionally garnished with extra parsley or grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The vegetables soften at different rates, creating this wonderful textural journey where each spoonful offers something slightly different.
  • During busy weeks, leftovers actually taste better the next day as the flavors have time to meld together overnight.
02 -
  • Adding the pasta too early will result in mushy, overcooked noodles that absorb too much broth - I learned this the hard way after ending up with pasta porridge instead of soup.
  • If storing leftovers, the pasta will continue absorbing broth in the refrigerator, so you might need to add more broth when reheating to maintain that perfect soup consistency.
03 -
  • Save Parmesan rinds in your freezer and toss one into the simmering soup for an incredible depth of flavor that will have everyone asking for your secret ingredient.
  • For a time-saving shortcut that doesn't sacrifice flavor, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken shredded into pieces rather than cooking raw chicken from scratch.
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