Chicken and stars soup is a fun twist on classic chicken soup. In less than 45 minutes from prep to table, you can have a comforting bowl of homemade soup, perfect for lunch or busy weeknights. It's quick, easy, and made with simple ingredients.
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What's great about this recipe
- Comes together quickly (about 30 to 40 minutes from start to finish) for a warm, homecooked soup any night of the week.
- It's a playful take on traditional chicken soup, made with tiny star-shaped pasta that makes it a hit with both kids and adults.
- Uses everyday pantry staples and fresh produce to create a comforting, flavorful soup without extra fuss.
Ingredients
🍗 Chicken - Boneless, skinless chicken breast keeps this soup quick, light, and satisfying.
🥕 Produce - Onion, carrot, celery, and garlic form the classic base of flavor for homemade chicken soup.
🧂 Seasoning - A simple mix of salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and fresh parsley (optional) enhances the broth without overpowering it.
🥫Pantry - Olive oil for sautéing and chicken broth as the base bring everything together with rich flavor and a silky texture.
⭐ Pasta - Stelline pasta gives this soup its signature look. These tiny star-shaped noodles cook quickly and add wonderful texture to the broth. Note: Some brands refer to stelline simply as pastina.
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make chicken and stars soup
Cut the chicken into ½-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, just until lightly browned. Remove from the pot and set aside (it will finish cooking later).
- Sauté the vegetables: In the same pot, add a bit more oil if needed. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the onions soften.
- Add garlic and seasoning: Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the broth: Pour in the broth while stirring, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Simmer with chicken: Return the chicken to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the pasta: Stir in the stelline pasta and cook uncovered for 6-8 minutes, or until tender.
Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference, we did not add extra salt to ours. Serve and garnish with parsley, if desired.
Recipe tips and notes
Resist the urge to add extra pasta: Stelline pasta can be deceiving. It doesn't look like much when it's first added, but it expands quickly and soaks up broth as it cooks and sits.
Shortcut option: Save time by using diced or shredded rotisserie chicken instead of cooking raw chicken. Start by sautéing the vegetables in olive oil, then add the black pepper, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Pour in the broth, add the chicken, and continue as directed.
Control the salt: Use low sodium chicken broth if you are sensitive to salt. Taste and adjust at the end if needed.
Storing and reheating instructions
Refrigerator: Store leftover soup in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Freezer: To freeze, let the soup cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight, freezer-safe container. Label with the contents and date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Note: The stelline pasta may soften slightly after freezing and reheating.
Reheating: If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. To reheat, transfer the desired amount to a saucepan and warm over medium to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Alternatively, microwave the soup in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds until hot.
Reheating tip: The pasta tends to absorb some broth as it sits, thickening the soup. Add a splash of chicken broth or water while reheating to adjust the consistency.
Food safety: Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. Do not leave cooked food out at room temperature for more than 2 hours-or more than 1 hour if the temperature is over 90°F. For more information on food storage and safety, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
If you like this chicken and stars soup, try some of our other satisfying options. This potato leek soup is smooth and comforting, while our ground beef and cabbage soup is wholesome and hearty, making it perfect for a cold night. And be sure to keep this turkey barley soup recipe handy, it's a great way to put leftover turkey to good use during the holidays.
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📖 Recipe
Chicken and Stars Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound Chicken Breast boneless, skinless
- 1 teaspoon Salt plus extra at the end if needed
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1½ tablespoons Olive Oil
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 small Yellow or White Onion finely diced
- 1 large Carrot sliced into rounds or diced (or 2 medium carrots)
- 1 Celery Rib sliced or diced
- 2-3 Garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ¼ cup Stelline Pasta little stars, labeled as pastina by some brands like Barilla
- Fresh Parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into ½-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot (we use a 4.6-quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven) over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the chicken in a single layer. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, to brown on all sides.
- Take the pot off the heat. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken pieces and place them on a plate. Loosely tent with foil and set aside. Don't worry if the chicken isn't fully cooked-it will finish cooking in the soup.
- Do not wash or wipe the pot. There should still be some oil left in the pan; if not, add a teaspoon or two, just enough to sauté the vegetables. Return the pot to medium heat and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are translucent.
- Add the garlic and Italian seasoning. Stir well and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Slowly pour in the broth while stirring and gently scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the chicken back in. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the stelline pasta to the simmering broth while stirring. Cook uncovered until tender, about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference, we did not add extra to ours.
- Serve and garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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