Well ladies and gentlemen, it's officially soup season. A few years ago this chicken pastina soup, also known as "Italian penicillin," recipe went viral and I continue to make it each year. This soup blends cooked vegetables into the broth, creating a rich and silky texture. You can also keep this broth in your freezer for 2-3 months and pull it out when you're feeling under the weather. 

You will need: 

1 yellow onion chopped

2 carrots peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks chopped

4 garlic cloves minced

6 cups low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

1 cup pastina pasta

2 cups cooked shredded chicken (use rotisserie for a shortcut!)

1 bay leaf, 

1 tsp dried thyme

Juice of 1 lemon & Parmesan for serving 

Roughly chop your onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Boil 1 cup pastina and shred cooked chicken and set aside.  Pour the chicken broth into a large pot and add the chopped veggies, thyme, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Season well with salt and pepper, place the lid on, and let simmer for about a half hour over or longer medium heat until the vegetables are fork tender. Remove the bay leaf then add veggies (with some of your stock liquid) or use an immersion blender and blend until smooth. Add the purée and shredded chicken back into the soup and bring to a gentle simmer.  Serve this over cooked pastina, and finish with Parmesan, black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice. The lemon juice is essential, as it lightens and brightens up all the flavors. Enjoy! 

Pro tip: When making soup, I never cook pasta within a broth.  The starch will absorb up all the liquid and make it too thick, so I prefer to serve it separately.