This cozy chicken meatball soup is made with spoon-dropped meatballs, hearty veggies, and pasta that come together in a warm, savory broth. It’s the kind of easy, from-scratch recipe that tastes like it simmered all day
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: A light, savory broth with hints of garlic and herbs, juicy chicken meatballs, hearty veggies, and cozy pasta.
- Time Saving Tip: Put the ground chicken mixture into a zippered bag and cut the corner off to pipe meatballs directly into the soup.
- Serving Suggestions: I love serving this with some dinner rolls, a handful of crackers, or a simple fresh salad.
Easy Ingredients and Variations
- Ground Chicken: Any ground chicken will work, or swap for ground turkey or pork. To keep the meatballs tender, gently mix and simmer (not a hard boil) once the meatballs are in.
- Bread Crumbs: Seasoned bread crumbs add flavor and help keep the meatballs soft. If using plain breadcrumbs, add a pinch of Italian seasoning for extra flavor.
- Seasoning: Swap the poultry seasoning for thyme and sage if you like.
- Pasta: Small pasta shapes, like shells, elbows, or mini bow ties, cook quickly in the broth. If planning leftovers, prepare the pasta separately to keep it from getting soggy.
- Variations: Stir in some spinach or kale at the end until just wilted, finish with a squeeze of lemon to brighten the flavors, and top each bowl with a sprinkle of Parmesan for a savory touch.
Your Simple Soup Game Plan
- Combine the ground chicken mixture and set aside (full recipe below).
- In a pot, sauté the onion, carrot, celery, and poultry seasoning.
- Add water and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil.
- Drop in meatballs and simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
Leftovers That Stay Cozy
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It is best to store the pasta separately. It will keep in the freezer (without the pasta) for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water or broth if it’s too thick, and add fresh pasta.
Cozy Soup Night Lineup
Did you enjoy this Chicken Meatball Soup Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 large carrots chopped
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 4 ounces small pasta such as small shells, elbows, or mini bow ties
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together ground chicken, egg, bread crumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the poultry seasoning and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the chicken broth and water to the pot, and bring to a rolling boil.
- Use a small spoon* to scoop ½-inch bits of the chicken mixture directly into the boiling broth. The meatballs do not have to be rolled or round.
- Once all the meatballs are added, add the pasta*. Let the soup simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender and the meatballs are cooked through.
- Taste the soup and add salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
Shortcut Meatballs: Combine the meatball mixture as directed and transfer to a freezer bag or piping bag, snip off the corner, and squeeze them directly into the broth.
Frozen Meatballs: The homemade meatballs can be replaced with 16 ounces of small frozen meatballs. Simmer for 5 minutes before adding the pasta.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Soup
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Absolutely delish!!!! So happy I made this. I had it for dinner and it will be my lunch the rest of the week.
Lisa, so glad you loved it!! Perfect for meal prep too—hope it stays just as delicious all week!
very simple and delicious!
Thank you, Diane! I am glad you enjoyed it.
A very tasty and filling soup. My notes are as follows:
* I think pasta could be omitted. Yes, I did add, but not sure it’s necessary because the meatballs add so much.
* I will add a full 8 cups of broth as opposed to 6 cups broth plus 1 cup water. I found there wasn’t as much broth as I like, so I added additional chicken broth. This may not be necessary if you don’t add the pasta.
These are just my notes. The recipe is very good as published.
So happy you enjoyed the soup Andrea!