Italian Wedding Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken breast, boneless and skinless
• 6 cups chicken broth
• ¾ cup small pasta shells or ditalini
• 3 cups fresh spinach or escarole, roughly chopped
• 1 small onion, yellow
• 1 medium carrot
• 2 cloves garlic cloves
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 to taste salt and pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the chicken breast into 2-inch chunks by placing it on the cutting board and slicing it lengthwise into 3 or 4 strips, then cutting crosswise every 2 inches.

2. 2

   Cut the onion in half from root to tip, then slice it into thin half-moons by placing each half flat and making cuts parallel to the cutting board.

3. 3

   Peel the carrot and slice it into thin rounds by rolling it slightly between cuts to create roughly 1/4-inch-thick coins.

4. 4

   Mince the garlic by placing each clove flat under a knife handle, pressing down gently to split it, then slicing thinly and chopping until pieces are the size of pencil-tip dots.

5. 5

   Pour the broth into a large pot and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat, watching until steam rises steadily and tiny bubbles break the surface, about 5 minutes.

6. 6

   Add the chicken chunks, onion, carrot, and garlic to the simmering broth and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.

7. 7

   Reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is opaque throughout when you cut a piece open, about 12 minutes.

8. 8

   Pour the pasta into the pot and stir gently to separate the pieces and distribute them throughout the broth.

9. 9

   Continue simmering over medium heat, stirring once every 2 minutes, until the pasta is tender and you can easily bite through a piece, about 8 minutes.

10. 10

    Scatter the chopped spinach on top of the soup and gently stir it in with a wooden spoon until all the greens are submerged, about 1 minute.

11. 11

    Taste the soup with a spoon; add a pinch of salt and pepper, stir, and taste again until the flavor is balanced.

12. 12

    Ladle the soup into bowls, filling them three-quarters full with broth, chicken, pasta, and greens.

13. 13

    Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese on top of each bowl and serve immediately while the soup is steaming.

Tools you’ll need

• large pot (6–8 quart)
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• wooden spoon
• ladle
• small spoon for tasting

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