Chicken Meatball Soup

This chicken meatball soup is full of flavor and works well for lunch, dinner, or as a meal prep idea. Enjoy it on its own or with a side of crusty Italian bread.

•  Prep Time: 10 minutes
•  Cook Time: 30 minutes
•  Total Time: 40 minutes
•  Yield: 5 servings 1x

Ingredients

Chicken Meatballs:

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
• 1 egg

Soup:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup small pasta, such as orzo, stelline, or ditalini
• 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
• Parmesan, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley, salt, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and egg. Using your hands or a fork, gently mix until everything is well incorporated.
3. Roll the chicken mixture into 1-tablespoon balls, placing them onto the baking sheet once formed, until all of the chicken is used and you have about 40 mini meatballs.
4. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F and golden brown.
5. While the meatballs are cooking, warm the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat.
6. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender. Add the garlic and salt and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
7. Pour in the broth and water and bring to a boil. Then add pasta and cook as per package directions until al dente. If the pasta is cooked before the meatballs are ready, reduce the heat to a simmer.
8. When the meatballs are cooked, add the meatballs and spinach to the pot, giving everything a good stir, and simmer for an additional 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
9. The soup can be served immediately with a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese or cool and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes

To Use Fresh Herbs: Use 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley.

To Use Leftover Pasta: Use 2 cups of a cooked small pasta shape. Skip adding the pasta in step #7 and add it to the pot with the meatballs in step #8.

To Use Frozen Spinach: Use 1/2 cup of frozen spinach. Allow it to thaw completely, then press out all of the water, and add to it soup as per step #8.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 391 calories
• Sugar: 6 grams
• Fat: 17 grams
• Carbohydrates: 34 grams
• Fiber: 3 grams
• Protein: 26 grams