Recipe courtesy of
Julian Plovnick
for
Food Network Kitchen
Recipe courtesy of
Julian Plovnick
for
Food Network Kitchen
Watch how to make this recipe.
Italian Penicillin
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- Level: Easy
- Total: 55 min
- Active: 40 min
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 416
- Total Fat
- 10 g
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 42 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Protein
- 39 g
- Cholesterol
- 88 mg
- Sodium
- 1334 mg
This quick and comforting Italian soup is the perfect pick-me-up on a cool day and a tonic for anyone feeling under the weather. Classic chicken soup aromatics like onion, carrot and celery are blended and then folded into the soup, giving the broth a smooth, velvety texture. The soup gets more body from pastina (Italian for “little pasta”); any small cut will work for this recipe, just make sure to follow the instructions on the package for boiling times. A garnish of Parmesan, fennel fronds and lemon keeps the soup bright and gives it irresistible Italian cred.
- Level: Easy
- Total: 55 min
- Active: 40 min
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 416
- Total Fat
- 10 g
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 42 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Protein
- 39 g
- Cholesterol
- 88 mg
- Sodium
- 1334 mg
Ingredients
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Directions
- Place the chicken, Parmesan rind, bay leaves, thyme and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and cover with the chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, skimming any foam that rises to the surface, and cook until the chicken is cooked through and registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl or plate and let cool.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery, fennel bulb and garlic to the stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the vegetables soften and are tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 12 to 14 minutes. Discard the Parmesan rind, bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
- Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and transfer to a blender with 1 cup of the stock. Blend until completely smooth and no chunks of vegetable remain, about 1 minute. Set aside.
- Add the pastina to the broth and simmer until al dente according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, use your fingers or 2 forks to shred the cooled chicken into bite-size pieces.
- When the pastina is tender, lower the heat and stir in the blended vegetables and shredded chicken. Cook until heated through. Taste and season with more salt if needed and black pepper. Divide the soup among bowls and top with fennel fronds. Serve with grated Parmesan and lemon wedges on the side.
Cook’s Note
The key to the soup’s smooth texture is to make sure the vegetables are very soft before blending. When in doubt, aim for cooking longer rather than shorter for the perfect comforting texture.
