Chicken Meatball Soup
It's that time of year again ... soup making time.
Not that I don't make soups year round. It's just that I kick it into high gear when the weather gets cooler.
This chicken meatball soup uses lean breast meat ground up in my food processor and a half package of chopped spinach. The result is delicious and filling.
Chicken Meatball and Spinach Soup - serves 4-6
Meatballs - makes 16 meatballs (292 gm, divided into 16 x 18 gm portions)
210 gm chicken breast, ground
1 egg
3/4 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp several shakes of garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
For the Soup
3/4 cup orzo, tubettini, ditalini or other small pasta
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced thinly
1 cup chopped spinach, frozen and thawed*
* Swiss chard was used in the original recipe that inspired this.
In a medium bowl, combine the ground chicken, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well, then form into 1-inch (2 cm) meatballs. You should have 16-18 total.
In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Sear the meatballs on all sides until golden brown, 4-5 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
In the same pot, heat the remaining tbsp of oil. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
Add the chicken stock and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, add the pasta and meatballs. Cover and simmer for 7-8 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
Add the spinach, cover, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the chard has wilted.
Add the Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice.
Ladle into bowls and serve.
Not that I don't make soups year round. It's just that I kick it into high gear when the weather gets cooler.
This chicken meatball soup uses lean breast meat ground up in my food processor and a half package of chopped spinach. The result is delicious and filling.
Chicken Meatball and Spinach Soup - serves 4-6
Meatballs - makes 16 meatballs (292 gm, divided into 16 x 18 gm portions)
210 gm chicken breast, ground
1 egg
3/4 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp several shakes of garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
For the Soup
3/4 cup orzo, tubettini, ditalini or other small pasta
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced thinly
1 cup chopped spinach, frozen and thawed*
* Swiss chard was used in the original recipe that inspired this.
In a medium bowl, combine the ground chicken, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well, then form into 1-inch (2 cm) meatballs. You should have 16-18 total.
In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Sear the meatballs on all sides until golden brown, 4-5 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
In the same pot, heat the remaining tbsp of oil. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
Add the chicken stock and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, add the pasta and meatballs. Cover and simmer for 7-8 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
Add the spinach, cover, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the chard has wilted.
Add the Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice.
Ladle into bowls and serve.