I always make this chicken meatball soup when I want something light, filling, and easy to prepare. You can make it with orzo pasta or rice.
I never wait for the winter season to enjoy a bowl of soup. At least once a week, I need to have a bowl of homemade soup as my meal.
Soups are my comfort food, they are so good and make you feel full without being too heavy.
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A few recipe notes
This chicken meatball soup recipe is made with freshly made chicken meatballs that go straight into the soup for cooking.
I make my meatballs with store-bought or homemade ground chicken. Do not add anything but seasoning to the meat mix.
Believe me, they will hold very well and stay juicy in soup without any eggs or bread crumbs. I have been making them this way for decades.
I also do not recommend adding too much orzo pasta, as it will thicken the next day. If that happens, you can easily add more water or broth when reheating the soup.
This recipe is a meal on its own and we serve it with some crusty bread or crackers. You can also add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top for serving.
Ingredients needed
Please, see the recipe card at the end of this post for the ingredients quantities.
- Meatball ingredients: ground chicken ( 93% lean), salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and dried oregano to the meatballs.
- Orzo pasta: small pasta that looks like rice. you can also use rice, or egg noodles instead.
- Vegetables: I used yellow onion, carrots, and celery. You can also add tomatoes, bell peppers, and zucchini.
- Fresh herbs: I like to add at the end some chopped fresh parsley, thyme, or dill.
- Olive oil: you will need a little bit to saute the veggies. You can also use butter instead.
- Bouillon base and water: I used chicken better than bouillon and water to make the soup base. You can also use vegetable or home-made chicken broth instead.
- Lemon: My secret ingredient to most soups is a little bit of lemon juice at the very end. It balances the taste and makes the soup taste brighter.
- Seasonings: you can add more salt and pepper to taste at the very end.
How to make this recipe
Prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl, add ground chicken, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, and black pepper. Mix well with your hands or a spoon. Using wet hands (so the meat does not stick), form small meatballs and place them on a cutting board. Set them aside for now.
Chop the veggies: dice the onions and chop celery and carrots.
Saute the vegetables. At the bottom of a large pot, add olive oil, and chopped vegetables. Saute them over medium-high heat for about 4-5 minutes or until they slightly soften.
Add pasta and water. Now, add pasta and toast it with vegetables for a few minutes. Add cold water, the bouillon base (if using) and stir it well. Bring it all to a boil and let it simmer for another 2 minutes.
Add meatballs and finish the soup. Carefully, drop chicken meatballs into the simmering broth one by one. Give it a stir and simmer for about 10-12 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally so the pasta does not get stuck to the bottom of the pot. When the meatballs reach 165°F, and the pasta is just al dente, add lemon juice and freshly chopped herbs. Cover, turn off the heat, and let the soup rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Nataliia's recipe tips
- Use ground chicken that has at least 7% fat for more flavor and juiciness.
- Wet your hands under cold water before forming the meatballs, so they do not stick to your hands.
- You can freeze uncooked chicken meatballs for up to 2 months and add them frozen to the soup the next time you make it.
- If the soup gets too thick the next day, add some broth to reheat it.
How to store and reheat chicken meatball soup
Let the soup cool down completely by transferring it into a large airtight container (this way it will cool down faster).
After that, store the soup in in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat, pour the needed amount into a small saucer pan and reheat it over low heat until it just starts simmering. If the soup thickens, add some water or broth.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, I have made it many times with turkey as well. I prefer using dark meat ground turkey for juicier meatballs.
I do not recommend freezing it, as the texture might be different after thawing. So, if you have a pound of ground chicken and only need a small batch of soup, you can easily freeze half of the uncooked meatballs. Next time when you make the soup again, add them straight from frozen to the simmering soup to cook. I have been always doing it.
More meatball recipes
- Stove-top Italian meatballs in sauce
- Baked turkey meatballs
- Greek-style chicken meatballs
- Air fryer chicken meatballs
More soup recipes
📖 Recipe
Chicken Meatball soup
Equipment
- 1 cutting board
- 1 large pot
Ingredients
For chicken meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken , 93% lean recommended
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
For soup
- ½ cup chopped carrots
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ¼ cup diced yellow onion
- ½ cup orzo pasta , uncooked
- 5 cups water
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons chicken better than bouillon base
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Chicken meatballs
- In a large bowl, add 1 pound ground chicken, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder. Mix well with spatula or hands.
- Form small meatballs and place them on a cutting board lined with parchment paper.
Soup
- In a large pot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat it over medium heat. Add ½ cup chopped carrots, ½ cup chopped celery , and ¼ cup diced yellow onion. Saute for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring it frequently.
- Add ½ cup orzo pasta and toast it with the vegetables for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add 5 cups water , 2 teaspoons chicken better than bouillon base and bring it to a boil. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Add chicken meatballs to the boiling soup. Simmer the soup for about 12-13 minutes or until the meatballs and pasta are fully cooked. Meatballs internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Once cooked, add 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley. Taste the soup and add more salt or lemon juice if needed. Serve hot with some crusty bread.
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