Creamy Chicken Parmesan Pasta Soup
If you're looking for a creamy, delicious comfort soup that's loaded with healthy veggies, lean chicken AND comes together quickly, this Chicken Parmesan Pasta Soup is IT!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 3 stalks celery diced small
- 4 medium cloves garlic finely minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 8 cups chicken broth maybe more
- 12 ounces carrots peeled and sliced about ½-inch thick
- 2-3 medium bay leaves
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cups Ditalini pasta (uncooked)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (I like Parmesan Reggiano)
- 2½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken you can also use turkey
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley more for garnish
Instructions
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Fill a medium-large pot three-quarters full with water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and bring the water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 8 minutes (pasta should be just barely tender), stirring occasionally. Drain well and set aside.
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While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds. Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
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Add the chicken broth, carrots, bay leaf, turmeric, paprika and salt. Stir well to incorporate any flour that’s stuck on the bottom of the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer (low boil). Cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, until the carrots are tender, stirring occasionally.
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Add the milk and return to a simmer. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and add the parmesan cheese. Stir to melt the cheese.
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Add the chicken, cooked pasta, rosemary and parsley and stir to combine. Taste and add salt as needed. (This will depend on how salty your broth and parmesan are.) If needed, add a bit more chicken broth to thin the soup.
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Let the soup sit for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Remove the bay leaf. Serve with extra parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley, for garnish.
Recipe Notes
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips.
Although the pasta is cooked separately in this recipe, it still may absorb some of the broth after being refrigerated. You can always add a little extra low sodium chicken broth to thin the soup.