Chicken Meatball Soup Recipe

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This easy chicken meatball soup is my take on Italian wedding soup. Made with tender baked chicken meatballs, pasta, and greens simmered in a light, flavorful Italian-style broth.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: bowls

Calories: 519kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

Baking Sheet
Cookie Portion Scoop optional
Dutch Oven or Large Pot

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

1 pound ground chicken
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs *
1 large egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Soup:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion diced
3 carrots diced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning **
6-7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup dry ditalini pasta ***
1½ cups chopped kale optional****

Optional Toppings:

grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
1 pound ground chicken, ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs, 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Use a cookie scoop to portion out the mixture into meatballs, about 1½-2 tablespoons each. Roll into balls and place on a baking sheet.
Bake the meatballs for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on the outside.
When the meatballs have a few minutes left of baking, start the soup. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large pot over medium high heat. Once heated, add in the onion, carrots, salt, and pepper. Sauté for a few minutes until softened. Add in the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for a minute until fragrant.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 small onion, 3 carrots, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Add in the chicken broth, pasta, and meatballs. Bring to a boil. Then, cover and reduce to a simmer, cooking for 8-10 minutes until the pasta is tender.
1 cup dry ditalini pasta, 6-7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Stir in the kale if using. Add in more broth if needed.
1½ cups chopped kale
Finish with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
grated Parmesan cheese

Notes

*I like Panko breadcrumbs for the lightness they bring to the meatballs, but regular breadcrumbs will also work. If using Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs, halve or omit the Italian seasoning.

**If you don't have Italian seasoning, use a blend of ¼ teaspoon dried basil, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon dried parsley, ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme, and ⅛ teaspoon dried rosemary.

***Other small pastas, like orzo, tubetti, and elbow macaroni also work here.

****Spinach, collard greens, escarole, or Swiss chard also work well.

Tips:

Don't overwork the meatball mixture, or the meatballs will turn out dry and tough.
Lightly oil the cookie scoop when shaping meatballs to keep the mixture from sticking.
If you don't have a cookie scoop, use a spoon or your hands, and aim for meatballs a bit larger than a quarter.
Properly cooked meatballs should read 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. You can cook your meatballs to 160°F safely; they will continue to heat through in the soup.
If planning to have leftovers, I recommend cooking and the pasta separately, then adding it to portions just before reheating. Toss in a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
Check the pasta for doneness by biting into a piece. If it is still firm in the center, it needs a few more minutes.
Taste the broth after the pasta cooks and add more salt if needed. Pasta absorbs a lot of seasoning.
Once you add the kale, you can cover the pot for 2-3 minutes to help it steam and wilt more quickly.
A squeeze of lemon juice at the end brightens the soup if it tastes a little flat.
Nutritional information does not include optional toppings.

Make-Ahead: You can prep and freeze the meatballs up to 3 months ahead. Bake directly from frozen, adding 5-10 minutes to the final bake time. You can also bake the meatballs up to 2 days before adding them to the soup. Store in the refrigerator and reheat as you cook the pasta.

Storage: Store chicken meatball soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition