Chicken Pastina Soup

Savory chicken soup with tiny star-shaped pasta, vegetables, lemon and dill. Comforting and healthy!

5 from 78 votes

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Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 35

Servings: bowls

Calories: 213kcal

Boil a pot of salted water for the pastina and cook to box directions. Once the pasta is finished, drain with a very fine strainer or sieve as the small shape can fall through the cracks of a larger strainer.
Stir a bit of olive oil into the pastina to keep it from sticking.

Chop the leeks, carrots, celery and garlic. Keep the leeks, carrots and celery in fairly large pieces. Wash the leeks thoroughly - they can be sandy.
Add olive oil to a pot heated over medium heat. Add the leeks, carrots and celery. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
Add the garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until softened.
Add the chicken broth and bring to boil.
Add the chicken thighs and let cook for 8-10 minutes, until the internal temperature reads 165°F.
Remove the chicken from the broth and place on a cutting board. Turn the temperature down to medium low. Add the salt and pepper to taste.
Using two forks, shred the chicken, removing any excess fat, and return to the pot.
Let the soup cook at a low simmer (tiny bubbles around the perimeter of the pot) for about 10 minutes.
Add the chopped dill and the juice from the lemon into the pot.
Place ¼ cup or so of the pastina in the bottom of a soup bowl and ladle some of the soup overtop. Cooking the soup and pasta separately will prevent the pasta from becoming soggy.

Be sure to use kosher salt when making this recipe. Kosher salt will taste less salty than table salt or sea salt. If using table salt or sea salt, use significantly less (and taste as you go).
You can use chicken breast in place of chicken thighs, here.
Feel free to add other fresh herbs in addition to the dill, like basil or parsley.
You can use other small pasta shapes for this recipe. Try ditalini, orzo or conchigliette.
Stores well for 3-4 days in the fridge. Store pasta and soup separately to avoid pasta getting mushy.
Soup will store for 3-6 months in the freezer. Pasta will store for 6 months frozen, but I recommend cooking when you are ready to serve the soup.