Mini Chicken Meatball Soup.
Guess what?
Last week, I had a cup of wedding soup for the first time in like, YEARS. That may sound crazy to some of you but wedding soup is never my first choice… probably because I have no Italian in me whatsoever. And no, I would not like any either thankyouverymuch.
But it was deee.lish.usss. All I could think about was how I wanted to make a soup with little chicken meatballs. So I did.
I’m cut from a simple cloth.
Is soup season coming to a close in the next month or so? I guess for many normal people it is, but I’m not normal and I don’t have a soup season. I eat soup when it’s like 96 degrees outside. Then I hate life, but whatever. Soup is SO good.
Ew, but not with salads. Bah-lahhh. Soup and sandwiches for the win.
You have a meal in a bowl here my friends! You’ve got your chicken… you’ve got your pasta… you’ve got an entire brick of parmesan cheese grated on top… it can’t get much better than this.
Oh wait. Yes it can. BREAD. Warm and toasty and buttered. Yeah yeah… do that.
Mini Chicken Meatball Soup
[meatballs adapted from bite sized baked meatballs]
serves 4-6
for meatballs
1 pound ground chicken breast
1 large egg
1/4 cup romano cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl and mix until just combined. Taking 1 tablespoon or so of the mixture, roll into meatballs of desired size.
for soup
2 1/2 tablespoons of canola oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
4 cups raw spinach
32 ounces low-sodium chicken stock
4 cups water
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups small pasta (I used ditalini rigati)
Heat a large pot over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon canola oil. Add onion with a pinch of salt and stir to coat, then let cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in spinach and garlic, stirring continuously until spinach wilts. Remove from the pot and set aside in a bowl.
With the heat still on medium, add remaining canola oil. Add in chicken meatballs and cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook 2-3 minutes more. (If you make larger meatballs, you will have to cook a few minutes longer. Additionally I found it was easier to flip the meatballs with two small spoons since they are all crowded together in the pot.) Once meatballs are browned, add onion and spinach mixture back to the pot, then add in stock, water and tomatoes. Stir gently making sure meatballs have started to float. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and let cook for 20 minutes. Add in pasta and parmesan cheese, then cook for 8-10 minutes more before serving.
Serve with additional parm. Mmm.
That meatball is so cute I want to eat it.
112 Comments on “Mini Chicken Meatball Soup.”
Looks wonderful! The photos look so appetizing! I love the little pasta you used, this soup is a keeper. I’m bookmarking this recipe!! Thanks!
Yum! I love interesting takes on soups. Great recipe for warming up on a chilly day!
mmm i love italian wedding soup, what a great twist on a recipe. i have this soup and your loaded baked sweet potato soup bookmarked. :)
Even with not a drip of Italian in me I want this soup for breakfast! :)
I love soup all year round because I can be cold in an 85* room- it’s kind of my thing. So soup it is! :)
I love those tiny little meatballs and that tiny little pasta.
I love soup during all seasons too – the Husband freaks out when I make soup in the summer time, but seriously soup is an all weather food.
All seasons are good for THIS soup! Looks amazing!
Funny, I am trying to post all my soup recipes before the warm weather comes!
Loving up this soup!!
Agreed- I definitely had a few days last summer where I would be eating soup while sweating. It just tasted soooo good :)
I love soup and this looks perfect! I haven’t had wedding soup in a long time either! Considering it was 87 degrees here yesterday (IN FEBRUARY) soup season probably never started in good ole Austin. But that hasn’t stopped me. Even if I have to eat it naked with a box fan blowing on me. Truth.
Oh I love soups like this! I bet your kitchen smelled amazing!
I love Italian Wedding soup, and your recipe looks so delicious, Jessica!
Oooh I do love a good soup, and this looks fantastic!!
Mini Chicken Meatball soup tenderizes and massages my heart.
I’m dying.
This looks delicious! Where did you have the Italian Wedding Soup? Big Jim’s is supposed to have the best. While I eat there probably biweekly, I have never actually had the soup.
Your pasta is so cute! I don’t think I’ve ever had Italian wedding soup before, but it sounds pretty good. Although I eat the bulk of my soups and stews in the colder months, I’m kind of weird in that I’ll drink smoothies year round, not just in spring/summer/’smoothie season’. Even if that means from under a blanket. ;)
the meatballs are so freaking adorable i can’t stand it!
Trader Joe’s has chicken meatballs, though I don’t think they are mini.
Soup season never ends for me either. And, it shouldn’t. Soup is perfect in any weather. But, I do always pretend like we are having our first soup of the season when that first cooler weather hits in the fall. :) And, this soup will definitely be added to my list of soups to try. Delicious!
That’s funny because literally every time I eat Italian wedding soup I obsess over making it myself too (that sounds like I’m kidding but I’m actually being completely serious). You win though cause you actually did it and I haven’t got past the “thinking it” stage …yet.
Okay, that’s going on the menu for next week. Curses for pre-making my lunches for the next 2 days!
The meatballs look so cute! Chicken meatballs soup is one of my favorite, my mom used to nake it all the time for me!
this looks so good! And that meatball is adorable, you’re right. I’m currently addicted to soups – can’t wait to try this one :)
I made a mini chicken meatball soup recently too and loved it! Yours looks great!
I can also eat soup year round, especially when mini meatballs are involved!
oh my gah.. i’m sorry.. but i love you. this looks amazing. so happy i found your blog.. maybe not so much in the mornings when i drool on my keyboard at work.
Oh girlie, come stay at my Nonna’s house with me for a week and you will definitely want a little Italian in you! haha! Ahhhh the food. This looks amazing, so traditional, and we really do serve it in my family at weddings. No joke. I love how you did the chicken meatballs, because I have had some bad beef meatballs in my life. Thank goodness I know how to make a mean meatball! Save! This recipe is happening in my kitchen this weekend. With a bucket of Parmesan cheese. Can never have enough.
Mouthwatering. I love the combo of flavors. It looks amazing!
I love spinach in soup! And I must admit…those meatballs look pretty cute. ;)
I’ve never had wedding soup!! But I’m a big fan of anything with meatballs, so I’m thinking I’d like it :-)
I was looking for another soup recipe to help get us through the 5 inches of snow we’re getting today. This sounds perfect! Thanks.
This soup looks simple and delicious, especially the mini meatballs. Yum!
My husband would be all over this dish! Better add it to the list before it warms up too much here.
DINNER. TONIGHT. FOR REAL.
thx,
tina
So I’ve made soup, I’ve made meatballs, I’m Italian and yet I’ve never made wedding soup! Ahh! Must change this asap!
Yum, this looks so delicious!
My mom used to say that if you eat something hot(soup) on a hot day, it will cool you off. I’m not sure it ever worked for me though, the logic seemed a little backwards. You can use that as your reasoning for eating soup on a summer day though!
This sounds so delicious and much easier than I expected Wedding Soup to be! I think my husband would love this too… We’ll see if I make it in the next week or so!
This looks so nummy. I’m Italian, so I’ve had a lot of wedding soup and most of them are not very good! This one looks so hearty and I love that you did the chicken meatballs! Nom nom nom.
I Actually used your chicken meatballs from the chicken parm sandwich post to make italian wedding soup, I will try these too. I love Italian Wedding Soup and so do my kids which is nice!
Oh that is awesome!! Glad they worked. :)
Awww, prettiest little meatballs ever! :)
Your soup looks so good and you always get great spoon holding shots…you clearly don’t drink as much coffee as I do and don’t have the jitters before picture-taking time :)
Would you believe I’ve never had Italian wedding soup…ever?! These little meatballs are so adorable. I want Adrienne to eat them…cuteness explosion.
Just the thought of that made my heart explode.
I lllooovvveee Italian Wedding Soup! I say this as a non-biased (albeit Italian still) person–it is one of the best soups. Ever.
This looks so good, and I love chicken meatballs!!
Mmmm I love italian wedding soup – amazing!
That meatball IS so cute!!
Would you believe it, I’ve never had Italian wedding soup?! Your version looks so good though that I might give it a whirl soon.
I love how you seasoned the meatballs! Looks total yum.
May make this weekend!