Description
Succulent chicken meatballs dance through a hearty Italian-inspired broth, bringing comfort and zest to your dinner table. Fragrant herbs and tender vegetables create a soul-warming meal you’ll savor spoonful by delicious spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 recipe chicken meatballs
Vegetables:
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced to 0.5 inches (1.3 centimeters)
- 3 stalks celery, sliced to 0.5 inches (1.3 centimeters)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅔ cup frozen peas
- Chopped parsley, to taste
Seasonings and Liquids:
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) butter
- 4 tablespoons (30 grams) all-purpose flour
- 6 cups (1.4 liters) chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 0.5 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 0.5 cup (120 milliliters) heavy cream
Instructions
- Blend ground chicken with breadcrumbs, egg, parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Gently combine ingredients without overworking the mixture to maintain a tender texture.
- Shape the meat mixture into compact, bite-sized spheres, creating approximately 36 miniature meatballs. Arrange them neatly on a clean baking sheet.
- Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium-high temperature. Carefully brown meatballs in batches, rotating to achieve an even golden exterior. Transfer browned meatballs to a separate plate using a slotted spoon.
- Melt butter in the same pot and introduce diced onions, sliced carrots, and celery. Sauté vegetables until they soften and onions become translucent, releasing their aromatic essence.
- Incorporate minced garlic and cook briefly to enhance the flavor profile. Dust flour over the vegetable mixture, stirring thoroughly to eliminate raw flour taste.
- Deglaze the pot with chicken broth, scraping accumulated browned bits from the bottom to incorporate rich, concentrated flavors.
- Pour remaining chicken broth, add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, allowing ingredients to meld together harmoniously.
- Reduce heat and let the soup develop depth for approximately 15 minutes, creating a rich, cohesive broth.
- Remove bay leaf and stir in heavy cream, infusing the soup with luxurious creaminess. Reintroduce meatballs and sprinkle frozen peas into the liquid.
- Simmer for an additional 5 minutes, ensuring meatballs are thoroughly cooked and peas are warmed through.
- Ladle the soup into serving bowls, garnish with freshly chopped parsley, and serve piping hot.
Notes
- Meatball Preparation Tip: Gently mix chicken mixture to avoid tough meatballs, using light hand movements for a tender texture.
- Browning Technique: Sear meatballs in batches to develop rich golden-brown exterior, creating deeper flavor profiles.
- Vegetable Sautéing Secrets: Cook onions, carrots, and celery until soft and translucent to build a robust soup base with enhanced sweetness.
- Flour Thickening Hack: Toast flour with vegetables to eliminate raw flour taste and create a silky, smooth soup consistency.
- Flavor Layering Strategy: Deglaze pan with broth to capture caramelized bits, maximizing depth and complexity of soup’s overall taste.
- Cream Finishing Touch: Stir in heavy cream at the end for luxurious richness and velvety mouthfeel without breaking the sauce.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 319
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 690 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 71 mg