Italian Penicillin Soup

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Italian Penicillin Soup

This Italian Penicillin Soup is the kind of meal that warms you right through. A cozy, comforting chicken soup with lemon, Parmesan, pasta, and spinach in a silky golden broth. Simple ingredients, big flavor, and the kind of bowl that makes everything feel a little better.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: italian chicken pasta soup, italian chicken soup, italian penicillin soup

Servings:

Calories: 341kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

6 Quart Dutch Oven

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion chopped
3 medium carrots sliced
2 stalks celery sliced
6 cloves garlic minced
8 cups chicken broth low-sodium
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
1 cup ditalini pasta uncooked, or orzo
juice of 1 lemon
½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
2 cups fresh baby spinach or chopped kale or escarole
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, or basil, for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add 1 chopped onion, 3 sliced carrots, and 2 sliced celery stalks. Cook 5 to 6 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Add 6 minced garlic cloves and cook 30 seconds more until fragrant.
Pour in 8 cups chicken broth, then add 1 pound chicken, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes, or until the chicken and vegetables are tender.
Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out about half of the cooked vegetables and place them in a blender with 1 to 2 cups of the hot broth. Blend until smooth, then pour the puréed mixture back into the pot. This step creates that velvety, rich broth base.
Shred the chicken with two forks and return it to the pot.
Stir in 1 cup ditalini and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.
Stir in juice of 1 lemon, ½ cup grated Parmesan, and 2 cups spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with fresh parsley or basil, and add an extra dusting of Parmesan if you like.

Notes

Use a good chicken broth. It’s the heart of this soup, so pick one with great flavor or make your own if you can.
I love using chicken thighs because they give the soup more flavor, but chicken breasts work too. Leftover or rotisserie chicken is totally fine here.
Ditalini is my favorite because it holds its shape, but orzo or small shells will do just fine. Cook it right in the soup so it soaks up all that flavor.
Blending the soup is what gives the broth that creamy, velvety texture without adding any cream. It’s easy and makes the biggest difference.
Always use fresh lemon juice. It brightens everything up and balances the richness of the Parmesan.
Freshly grated Parmesan melts beautifully and gives the soup that delicious salty finish. The pre-grated kind just doesn’t do the same job.
Spinach is quick and easy, but kale or escarole are great too. Add them right before serving so they stay bright and tender.
Keeps in the fridge for about 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of extra broth since the pasta will thicken it up a bit.
If you want to freeze it, leave the pasta out and add it fresh when reheating. The soup base freezes beautifully.

Nutrition