Rosemary Chicken Soup
Moist chunks of chicken, simmered in an herb-infused broth with soft pasta and nutty parmesan cheese. The combination of rosemary, chicken, and parmesan cheese is a match made in culinary heaven! Soothing and satisfying, it’s the ultimate bowl of comfort.
This one-pot meal makes it to the table in under 30 minutes
And that includes the time it takes for you to cut the chicken and chop the onion! The pasta cooks directly in the herby broth, which means it’s crammed with flavor from the very beginning.
About the rosemary: This recipe calls for fresh rosemary sprigs, which are added to the simmering liquid and then removed before serving. As the sprigs simmer, they infuse the broth with their woodsy, floral essence. If you don’t have fresh rosemary, I suggest you substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground rosemary, not the dried rosemary leaves; the leaves never seem to fully soften, no matter how long you simmer them.
I used I used orzo pasta but any pasta works in this soup. If you’re swapping in a different pasta, I suggest ditalini, elbows, mini penne, egg noodles, or broken spaghetti! Rice and couscous also work, just reduce those swaps to 1/2 cup .
You can add vegetables to this soup! Feel free to fold in spinach, broccoli, zucchini, or frozen carrots and peas! They would all make fabulous additions.
Rosemary Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, tender, or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water, or more as needed
- 1 cup orzo pasta, or pasta of choice, or rice (use 1/2 cup rice)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, or more/less to taste
- 2 tablespoons grated or shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Chopped fresh parsley for serving, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute, until the thyme is fragrant.
- Add the broth and water and bring to a boil (increase the temperature to high if needed). Add the orzo pasta and rosemary and cook for 7 minutes.
- Remove the rosemary sprigs. Stir in the parmesan cheese and cook for 2 to 4 more minutes, until the pasta is tender, lowering the temperature as needed to keep the mixture at a gentle boil (add additional water if needed). Season to taste with salt and black pepper
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with parsley (if using). Serve with extra parmesan cheese on the side.