Homemade Chickarina Soup (Progresso Copycat)
User Reviews
5
Homemade Chickarina Soup (Progresso Copycat)
Description
Homemade Chickarina Soup starts by sautéing a mix of diced onions, chopped carrots, and celery in cooking oil until soft and fragrant. Chicken thighs are then simmered in a mixture of chicken broth and water, producing a flavorful base. Once the thighs are cooked, they are removed, and small chicken meatballs made from ground chicken breast, egg, salt, and parsley are formed and cooked directly in the hot broth. Pastina or dry pearl couscous is added to provide a tender, pasta-like bite that absorbs the broth's flavor.
The resulting soup balances the natural sweetness of the vegetables with the richness of the chicken broth and meatballs. The broth has a clear, comforting quality, while the pastina adds delicate texture. This soup warms up well and can serve as a wholesome, filling meal especially suited for cooler weather or when in need of classic chicken soup.
Serve the soup hot, ideally with crusty bread or a simple side salad. The chicken meatballs and pastina provide a pleasant variation from traditional chicken soup noodles, offering a unique texture and taste that is gentle yet satisfying.
Ingredients
Soup Ingredients
- 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 cup carrot chopped
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 chicken thigh boneless, skinless
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups water
- 3/4 cup pastina or dry pearl couscous
Chicken Meatball Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast ground
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp parsley or 1/2 tbsp dried, fresh chopped
Instructions
- Dice the onion and chop your celery and carrots
- Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat
- When the oil is hot add the celery, carrots and onion to the pot along with the salt and peper
- Saute until the veggies are they are soft and fragrant - about 7 minutes
- Add chicken thighs, water and broth to the pot and bring to a boil
- Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 14 minutes uncovered
- As the chicken thighs cook some white foam will rise to the top so you can skim that off with a spoon
- While the chicken thighs cook prepare the chicken meatballs by combing ground chicken, egg, salt and fresh parsley in a mixing bowl
- When the chicken thighs have simmered for 14 minutes, remove from the pot, but keep the water simmering
- To make the meatballs, take about 1 heaping tsp of the chicken meatball mixture and drop each one directly into the simmering broth on the stove. The meatballs will start to rise to the top as they cook
- Once you have added all of your meatballs to the simmering pot, shred your chicken thighs and add them back to the pot along with the pastina or pearl cous cous
- Continue simmering the soup for about 15 minutes
- At this point the pasta should be fully cooked and you can remove the soup from the heat
- Top soup with parmesan, lemon zest and parsley and serve!
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 353 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 6g | |
| Calories | 353kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 21g | 7% |
| Protein | 33g | 66% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 167mg | 56% |
| Sodium | 1323mg | 55% |
| Potassium | 766mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 3814IU | 76% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 47mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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