Easy Italian Penicillin Soup
This Easy Italian Penicillin Soup is a nourishing, lemony chicken and pastina soup built on a classic soffritto base and enriched with a silky broth. It's comforting and restorative—perfect for cold nights or recovery days—with a bright lift from lemon, fresh parsley, and a snowy shower of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Ingredients
Broth & Chicken
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 2 medium carrots finely diced
- 2 celery ribs finely diced
- 3–4 garlic cloves minced
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 large bone-in, skin-on chicken breast about 1 to 1¼ lb
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 0.25–0.5 tsp red pepper flakes optional, to taste
- 0.5–1 tsp fine sea salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Pasta & Finishing Touches
- 1–1.5 cups small pasta pastina, ditalini, or orzo
- 1 large lemon, juiced about 3 tbsp juice; zest optional
- 0.25 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving
- Extra-virgin olive oil for finishing
- Crusty bread for the table
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Pour in broth. Add chicken breast, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, and optional red pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover partially and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 25–30 minutes.
- Remove chicken to a bowl and let rest 5–10 minutes. Discard skin and bones, then shred the meat. Season the broth with salt and pepper, then return chicken to the pot.
- Stir in the pasta and simmer until al dente, 6–10 minutes. For best leftovers, cook pasta separately and add to bowls when serving.
- Turn off heat. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste. Serve hot with Parmigiano and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, swap the chicken for cannellini beans and use vegetable broth. To avoid mushy pasta, store separately and combine before serving. For extra depth, add a Parmigiano rind while the soup simmers, then discard before serving.