Chicken Meatball Soup Spinach Pasta (Print)

Juicy chicken meatballs, spinach, and pasta simmer in a hearty broth with carrot, celery, and lemon.

# Ingredients:

→ For the Chicken Meatballs

01 - 450 g ground chicken
02 - 60 g Italian breadcrumbs
03 - 45 ml half and half or milk
04 - 1 egg, whisked
05 - 24 g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - 1 tsp onion powder

→ For the Soup

10 - 30 g butter
11 - 1 yellow onion, diced
12 - 95 g carrots, sliced
13 - 2 celery ribs, diced
14 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
15 - 5 ml soy sauce
16 - 5 ml hot sauce
17 - 0.75 tsp dried basil
18 - 0.75 tsp dried oregano
19 - 0.75 tsp dried parsley
20 - 0.75 tsp mustard powder
21 - 0.25 tsp dried thyme
22 - 0.25 tsp ground sage
23 - 0.25 tsp black pepper
24 - 1.65 litres chicken broth
25 - 1 chicken bouillon cube
26 - 100 g ditalini pasta, uncooked
27 - 120 g baby spinach
28 - 24 g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
29 - Juice of 1 lemon (about 30 ml), freshly squeezed

# Steps:

01 - Combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, half and half, egg, Parmesan, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and onion powder in a large bowl. Gently mix until just incorporated to avoid tough meatballs.
02 - Preheat oven to 200°C. Shape the meat mixture into 2.5 cm meatballs and arrange on a lightly greased, light-colored baking sheet. Bake for 11 minutes, then broil at 245°C for up to 1 minute to achieve light browning. Transfer to a plate with a spatula.
03 - Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic, soy sauce, hot sauce, basil, oregano, parsley, mustard powder, thyme, sage, and black pepper. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
04 - Pour in chicken broth and add the bouillon cube. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer. Add the baked chicken meatballs and simmer while preparing the pasta.
05 - In a separate pot, cook ditalini pasta in boiling salted water until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and reserve. Add pasta to serving bowls just before serving.
06 - Stir spinach into the soup and allow to wilt for 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat. Blend in freshly grated Parmesan cheese and lemon juice for brightness.
07 - Ladle soup with meatballs and vegetables over pasta in serving bowls. Serve immediately.

# Additional Notes:

01 - Cook pasta separately to prevent it from soaking up excessive broth and becoming mushy during storage.
02 - For enhanced flavor, add a Parmesan rind to the pot as the soup simmers; remove before serving.
03 - Fresh lemon juice adds a bright, balanced finish; bottled juice is not recommended.
04 - Kale can be substituted for spinach, though it requires a longer simmer to become tender.
05 - Store soup without pasta for best freezing or refrigeration. Prepare fresh pasta when reheating leftovers.
06 - Leftover cooked rice is an alternative to pasta for variation.

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