Amazing italian penicillin soup: 1 hug

Oh, I have a recipe for you today that is pure magic when you’re feeling blah or when someone you love needs a big, warm hug in a bowl. We’re talking about the legendary Italian Penicillin Soup. This isn’t some complicated, hours-long affair; this is the simple, bright, lemony chicken and pastina soup that Italian families pass down when someone catches a cold. It’s famous for feeling incredibly soothing, and trust me, my grandmother taught me that the best medicine usually comes seasoned with love and a lot of garlic! I’m Carla Davis, and after years of juggling a hectic schedule, I rediscovered the joy of making dishes like this from scratch. This soup is exactly what my cooking is all about: soulful flavor made achievable for your Tuesday night table. You can learn a bit more about my path from marketing to my kitchen over on my About Page!

SAVE IT

Why This Classic Italian Penicillin Soup Is Your Go-To Healing Soup Recipes

When you’re feeling under the weather, you don’t want anything fussy. You want something that tastes like it was made with genuine care, and that’s exactly what this soup delivers. It’s the ultimate Italian comfort soup. I remember the first time my little nephew had a brutal flu last winter; I whipped up a huge batch of this broth. Seeing him actually finish a bowl felt like winning a marathon! It’s the freshest, most flavorful homemade cold remedy soup you can imagine, focusing on bright lemon and garlic rather than heavy ingredients.

You can find all my favorite comforting recipes in my Soup and Salads category here: Soups and Salads.

Quick Savory Broth Recipe for Weeknight Comfort Dinner

The best part about this recipe, especially when you’re short on time, is how quick it comes together. Seriously, we’re looking at maybe 40 minutes total time! That’s faster than waiting for many weeknight comfort dinner plans get delivered, or waiting for those pricey meal delivery companies to show up. This Italian Penicillin Soup is your secret weapon for immediate, high-quality comfort without the hassle. It’s a truly quick savory broth recipe!

Ingredients for the Ultimate Italian Penicillin Soup

Getting the ingredients right is half the battle, and this list is refreshingly short! You don’t need a dozen fancy spices for this soup to sing. We are keeping the recipe honest and simple, just like Nonna taught me. Remember, the quality of the broth matters most here because that’s the base for everything!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Your Pastina Soup Recipe

If you’re looking for substitutions for your pastina soup recipe, don’t stress! If you can’t find pastina, use orzo, alphabet pasta, or even tiny shells. They all work wonderfully. If you’re worried about sodium content and are using low-sodium broth, you’ll want to be a little heavy-handed with the salt and pepper during that final taste test. Also, that fresh lemon juice? Absolutely non-negotiable! It’s what makes it feel like medicine for the soul.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Italian Penicillin Soup

Okay, let’s get cooking! I’ve laid out the steps here so you can whip this up fast, even if you’re moving slowly because you’re feeling under the weather yourself. This whole process is what makes it such a fantastic lemon chicken soup alternative—it’s quick and comforting.

Sautéing Aromatics for the Garlic Lemon Soup Recipe Base

First things first, grab your biggest, stretchiest sweater and put a large pot on medium heat. We need that tablespoon of olive oil warmed up. Toss in your diced carrots and celery—you want these to soften up nicely; let them sweat it out for about five minutes there. Now, the scent is about to change! Add your three cloves of minced garlic. Be quick here; you only want to cook it for about one minute until you can really smell that Italian magic. Watch it closely, though, because burnt garlic tastes bitter, and we want pure comfort!

Simmering and Adding Pastina to the Italian Penicillin Soup

Once the garlic is singing, dump in all that chicken broth! Add your oregano and basil right away so the herbs can infuse everything. Next up, the chicken pieces go into the bubbly broth. Let that simmer away until the chicken is totally cooked through; usually, that’s about 8 to 10 minutes. Now for everyone’s favorite part: the pastina! Stir in the pasta and let it cook until it’s tender—check your little box for the exact time, usually under 8 minutes. Remember, this Italian Penicillin Soup is ready when the pasta is just right—tender, not mushy!

SAVE IT

Expert Tips for Nonna’s Italian Soup Success

Even a simple soup like this benefits from a few little tricks I’ve learned over the years. If you happen to have leftover cooked chicken that’s just sitting in your fridge, don’t bother cooking raw breast meat! Just toss the cooked pieces in during the last five minutes of simmering, saving you almost ten minutes of cook time. That’s a huge win for making a speedy dinner. Also, to get that really deep, rich flavor that Nonna always seemed to have, try letting the broth simmer just a tiny bit longer after adding the herbs before you drop in the chicken.

You can check out some of my other reliable, simple recipes on my Blog!

Making a Vegetarian Italian Penicillin Soup Variation

If meat isn’t your thing, or maybe you just ran out of chicken, modifying this is super easy. The main swap is using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, which immediately turns it into a wonderful meatless dish. To keep that satisfying, hearty texture without the chicken, toss in a drained can of white beans, maybe Cannellini beans, right when you add the broth. It gives the soup great body and makes it a wonderful Tuscan White Bean Soup cousin!

SAVE IT

Serving Suggestions for Your Soothing Lemon Chicken Soup

This soothing lemon chicken soup is light, but sometimes you just need something extra to round out the meal, especially if you’re serving a few hungry grown-ups instead of just someone recovering from a cold. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with good, crusty Italian bread for dunking in that garlicky broth—it’s the perfect vehicle!

If you want a little crunch and freshness on the side, skip the heavy mains. A simple salad works wonders. I often make a quick Caprese Salad if tomatoes are in season, or, when I’m feeling particularly ambitious, I whip up my favorite Grinder Salad recipe. It adds texture without weighing down the whole meal!

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Italian Penicillin Soup

I always recommend making an extra batch because, let’s be real, this soup tastes even better the next day! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. You can safely keep this Italian Penicillin Soup for about three to four days.

But here’s the heads-up: because we used tiny pastina, it’s going to soak up a lot of that delicious broth as it sits overnight. Don’t panic! When you reheat it on the stovetop, just add a splash of extra chicken broth or even just a bit of water until you get that perfect, soupy consistency back where you like it. A quick warm-up is all it needs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Italian Penicillin Soup

Because this soup is so beloved and often made when people feel they shouldn’t even be standing at the stove, folks always have questions! I want to make absolutely sure you feel confident making this as a true soup when you are sick remedy. It’s all about comfort, not complexity!

Can I use rice instead of pastina in this Italian Penicillin Soup?

Yes, you totally can swap out the pastina! If you prefer rice, short-grain white rice works beautifully because it releases a little starch that helps thicken the broth slightly, making it feel extra cozy. Just remember that rice takes longer to cook than pastina. If you swap it in, you’ll need to give the rice about 15 to 20 minutes to get tender in the simmering broth, so add it in right after the chicken is cooked through.

Is this soup truly an immune boosting soup?

That’s a fantastic question! While I’m not a doctor, I can tell you that recipes like this are wonderful for helping you feel better because they are so nourishing. We pack it with flavor from fresh garlic and bright, vitamin C-rich lemon juice, making it a truly light and easy recovery meal. It’s gentle on the stomach but gives you great hydration and easy-to-digest nutrients, which is exactly what your body needs when fighting something off!

SAVE IT

Nutritional Estimates for This Warm Soup for Cozy Days

I always try to keep things simple around here, and that includes the nutrition side! Since this is such a light and easy meal, it’s perfect when you’re not feeling 100%. Based on the ingredients we used, this recipe shakes out to about 280 calories per serving, with a solid 30 grams of protein!

Just know that these numbers are just estimates based on standard low-sodium broth. If you add extra olive oil or use a different type of pasta, things will shift a bit. But overall, it’s a very light and restorative way to eat when you need that warm soup for cozy days!

Share Your Experience Making This Italian Penicillin Soup

I truly hope this bowl of homemade goodness brings you the comfort you were looking for! When you try this recipe, please come back and let me know how it went. Leave a rating right below this post—five stars if it hit the spot! I adore seeing your creations, so snap a picture and tag me on social media! If you have any lingering questions or just want to say hello, feel free to reach out on my Contact Page. Happy cooking, friends!

Classic Italian Chicken and Pastina Soup (The Ultimate ‘Italian Penicillin’ Recipe)

Print Recipe

Save Recipe Recipe Saved

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

This comforting Italian soup, often called ‘Italian Penicillin,’ uses tender chicken, bright lemon, and tiny pastina pasta in a flavorful broth. It is simple to make and perfect for when you need a warm, soothing meal.

• Author: Carla Davis
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 25 min
• Total Time: 40 min
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Low Fat

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup pastina pasta (or small soup pasta)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced carrots and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
3. Pour in the chicken broth. Add the oregano and basil. Bring the broth to a simmer.
4. Add the bite-sized chicken pieces to the simmering broth. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Stir in the pastina pasta. Cook according to package directions, usually 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
6. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with fresh chopped parsley before serving.

Notes

• For a richer flavor, you can use leftover cooked chicken and add it in the last 5 minutes of simmering.
• If you are looking for alternatives to meal delivery companies, this soup is a quick weeknight dinner solution.
• To make this recipe vegetarian, substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth and omit the chicken, perhaps adding white beans for substance.
• This recipe is simple enough that you do not need a sous-vide precision cooker for perfect results.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1.5 cups
• Calories: 280
• Sugar: 4
• Sodium: 450
• Fat: 7
• Saturated Fat: 2
• Unsaturated Fat: 5
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 25
• Fiber: 3
• Protein: 30
• Cholesterol: 75