This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
This Italian Wedding Chicken Meatball Soup is the kind of dinner that actually leaves you satisfied. It’s soothing, deeply flavorful, and hearty enough to count as a real meal, thanks to those little homemade chicken meatballs bobbing around in the broth. And if you’re short on time, frozen meatballs slide right in without anyone being the wiser.
Consider this Italian wedding chicken meatball soup for anyone easing off red meat—light, nourishing, and every bit as flavorful as the classic, even with ground chicken meatballs standing in.
If you’re on a ground chicken kick, don’t stop here. This chicken burger is more tender and juicy than you’d expect (I promise). And for more light, comforting dinners, my chicken lettuce wraps and Buffalo chicken bowls are both worth a look.
Table of Contents
A Few Good Reasons to Make This
- It’s endlessly adjustable: heavy-handed with the chili flakes, generous with the pasta, whatever mood you’re in, the soup can take it.
- It’s even better the next day: once the broth has had time to soak up all that meatball flavor.
- It works as a light starter or as a full meal: especially with a hunk of bread alongside.
Tips From My Kitchen
I make mistakes so that you don’t have to! Here are some things I’ve learned while testing this recipe…
- Sear the meatballs in the pot: this is a small step that pays off in a big way. It’s the Maillard reaction at work, that browning process where heat coaxes amino acids and sugars into something deeply savory. What you’re left with is fond, all those browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, and once your broth hits the pan, that fond dissolves right in, carrying all that flavor with it.
- Cook the pasta separately: if you cook it in the soup, the pasta will absorb the broth, and if you accidentally use too much pasta, you can lose a lot of liquid.
- If the meatball mixture feels a bit sticky: rub a bit of olive oil into your palms to form them.
Ingredients at a Glance
A quick look at some of the essentials before we dive into the recipe:
- Chicken meatballs: I walk you through making from-scratch meatballs in this recipe, but if you want a shortcut, frozen chicken meatballs will do.
- Parmesan rind: Adding a parmesan rind to your soup as it simmers on the stove top infuses the broth with flavor and richness.
- Acini de pepe: This tiny pasta adds a nice texture and gives the soup some heft without taking over the entire dish.
How to Make Chicken Meatball Soup
Step 1: Make the Meatballs
Place all the meatball ingredients into a large mixing bowl and use your hands to mix until well combined. Form into small balls, about ¼ to ½ inch—roughly half the size of a standard meatball—placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet as you go. (You can use a melon baller scoop to form the meatballs.)
Step 2: Sear the Meatballs
Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Once it’s shimmering, reduce to medium-low and add a few meatballs at a time (crowding the pot will cause them to steam instead of brown). Cook for 30 seconds to a minute, until lightly golden, then flip with tongs and brown the other side for another 30 seconds to a minute. Transfer back to the baking sheet and repeat with the rest; set aside.
Step 3: Sauté the Veggies
Add a bit more oil to the pot, then in go the onions, carrots, and celery, along with a pinch of salt. Cook until everything’s softened, then stir in the garlic and chili peppers and let them sauté for 30 seconds—just enough to turn fragrant.
Step 4: Bring Everything Together and Simmer
Add the chicken meatballs back to the pot and pour in the chicken broth. Drop in the Parmesan rind and spinach, then bring it all to a low boil. Once it’s bubbling, dial the heat back to a low simmer.
Step 5: Cook the Pasta
While the soup simmers, cook the acini de pepe according to the package directions in a separate pot. Once it’s done, either stir it into the soup pot or spoon it into bowls, then ladle the soup over it.
I like to finish each bowl with some freshly shaved Parmesan and a good squeeze of lemon—the acidity wakes up the whole dish.
Make It Your Own!
- Pasta shapes: Orzo, ditalini, or stelline are great swaps if you cannot find traditional tiny acini de pepe. Pearl couscous or tubettini adds a fun, slightly larger bite to the broth.
- Different greens: like baby spinach, baby kale cook instantly; use as a mild alternative to bitter greens. Chopped kale or Swiss chard are sturdier choices; add them earlier so they soften. Collard greens hold up well during a longer simmer.
- Gluten-free option: use GF pasta and GF breadcrumbs in the meatball mixture.
- Make it vegetarian: omit the meat and add some creamy white beans, such as cannellini or navy beans. You could also make vegetarian “meatballs” like in my vegetarian Italian wedding soup.
- Crank up the heat: add more chili flakes! You could even add some to the meatball mixture.
Serve It With…
A nice crusty hunk of fresh bread is always perfect with this soup. Consider my Dutch oven bread, or this delicious rosemary bread with roasted garlic.
Salads add a nice, fresh flair as a side. Opt for a simple side salad with lemon juice or Caesar salad with my easy homemade Caesar dressing.
If you’re treating this soup as a starter, some pasta mains to consider: spaghetti aglio e olio, lemon pasta with shrimp, clam pasta, or pappardelle pasta.
Some great non-pasta options: chicken marsala or chicken piccata.
Storage Tips
- Fridge: leftovers can be stored in airtight containers for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: let the soup cool completely, store it in silicone soup molds or containers with a little headspace for expansion, and for best results, add the pasta and spinach after reheating. It’ll keep well in the freezer for up to three months. Transfer it to the fridge the night before you plan to enjoy it.
Italian Wedding Chicken Meatball Soup
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
Italian Wedding Soup
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red onion, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (can be adjusted for more heat)
- 1 cup thinly sliced carrots
- 1 cup thinly sliced celery
- 3-4 handfuls of baby spinach, ribonned or roughly chopped
- 8 cup chicken broth
- Hunk of Parmesan rind
- Sea salt + cracked pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup acini de pepe pasta
- Freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish
- Lemon wedges, for serving (optional but recommended!)
Instructions
Chicken Meatballs
- Place all the ingredients for the meatballs into a large mixing bowl. With your hands, mix until just combined. (Don't overmix.)
- Using a teaspoon or a melon baller scoop, form the mixture into small balls, about ¼ to ½ inch (roughly half the size of a standard meatball), and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet as you go.
- Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Once it’s shimmering, reduce to medium-low and add a few meatballs at a time. (Avoid crowding the pot; it will cause them to steam instead of brown.) Sear for 30 seconds to a minute, until lightly golden, then flip with tongs and brown the other side for another 30 seconds to a minute. Transfer back to the baking sheet and repeat with the rest; set aside.
Italian Wedding Soup
- Add a bit more oil to the pot. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, then sprinkle in a pinch of salt. Cook until everything’s softened, then stir in the garlic and chili peppers. Let them sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the chicken meatballs back to the pot and pour in the chicken broth. Add the Parmesan rind and spinach, then bring it all to a low boil. Once it’s bubbling, reduce the heat to a low simmer.
- While the soup simmers, cook the acini de pepe in a separate pot according to the package directions. When the pasta is cooked, either stir it into the soup pot or spoon it into bowls, then ladle the soup over it.
- I like to finish each bowl with some freshly shaved Parmesan and a good squeeze of lemon.
Notes
Nutrition
View more high-protein lunch ideas here!
I make homemade soups for my toddler granddaughter. I freeze in individual serving containers .
What a fantastic idea. I’m sure she loves it :)
How would you suggest freezing and reheating this? Thanks!
Hi Tina, you can freeze this soup in any freezer-friendly container, just be sure to leave some space for expansion. A few things to note: the pasta can lose quality/become mushy when thawed and reheated, so if you can, freeze the soup without the pasta added. The meatball should hold well but might lose a little texture. You can always freeze them separately if you wish. To reheat, thaw it in the fridge overnight and pop it into a saucepan and heat on the stovetop until warmed through. You can add a bit of pasta to it as it cooks. I hope this helps!
THIS WAS SO GOOD! Followed recipe as written, will definitely make again 🤤
I’m so glad you loved it, Sonia! It’s so so good and filling :)
This is amazing soup,I will be making it again
I’m so glad you love it, Shelly!
Does this freeze well?
Hi Amanda, you can definitely freeze this. I would however avoid freezing it with the pasta in it because the pasta can become mushy when thawing.
Why can’t I just add the pasta to the soup and cook it there
You can, but keep in mind the pasta will soak up some of your broth so you might want to have some extra broth on hand if you go this route. Unless you don’t mind a greater pasta to broth ratio.
I’m looking forward to making this for part of our Christmas dinner! I’m curious – do you think I can make the chicken balls ahead of time? Should I pre-cook and freeze, and then drop them into the broth?
Hi Jon, apologies for the late response. I hope you were still able to enjoy this for Christmas dinner!
Delicious!! I ended up cooking the meatballs separate then boiling then in soup for a few minutes to prevent them from falling apart. Flavors were on point. Definitely will be making again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this, Ashley! It’s a favorite here. And yes, the recipe suggests pan-frying the meatballs first to help keep them together. Plus then you get those nice pan bits and that’s just all flavor for the soup ;) Some people do prefer to plop the uncooked meatballs right into the broth, but I’m with you!