This Chicken Meatball Soup is not only tasty but also straightforward to prepare, making it a healthier alternative to traditional recipes. This hearty and flavorful soup is sure to please everyone in the family.
Recipe Details
This fantastic Chicken Meatball Soup was inspired by my grandmother, and I’m confident you’ll enjoy it as much as my family does. It’s light yet satisfying, brimming with flavor, and suitable for both cold and warm weather. This is a versatile soup you’ll love to serve all year round because it’s simple and delicious.
- TASTE: The soup bursts with flavor from the aromatic onion and sweet carrot combined with savory chicken. Dill and parsley lend a fresh, herby taste that complements the dish perfectly.
- TEXTURE: This broth-based soup is lightweight yet hearty, filled with juicy meatballs, grainy rice, and soft potatoes.
- TIME: You can prepare this recipe in roughly one hour.
- EASE: It’s incredibly easy to whip up and perfect for any time of year. It’s a one-pot meal that primarily requires dicing vegetables and shaping meatballs.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Ground Chicken – These chicken thighs provide moisture and are easy to shape into meatballs.
- Onion, Carrots, and Celery – These ingredients act as flavor enhancers that enrich the broth’s taste.
- Potatoes – These add heartiness to the soup and contribute starchiness to the broth.
- Rice – You can use either white or brown rice for this dish.
- Seasonings – Parsley, dill, salt, and black pepper bring wonderful herbal flavors to the soup.
- Chicken Stock – This serves as the foundational liquid for the broth.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Incorporate additional vegetables – Consider adding diced broccoli, asparagus, bell peppers, mushrooms, or kale to enrich your Chicken Meatball Soup.
- Alternate proteins – You can replace chicken with ground pork, beef, tofu, turkey, or tempeh for a vegan option (just make sure to swap the broth for vegetable broth).
- Change up the rice – Different types of rice like brown, white, or wild rice can work here, or you could opt for a small pasta, such as ditalini.
- Include different herbs – Chicken Meatball Soup is also delicious with other herbs like dried chives, thyme, oregano, Italian seasoning, and basil.
How to Make Chicken Meatball Soup
- Sauté the onion. Heat olive oil in a skillet and sauté 1/2 cup of chopped onion over medium heat. Once the onion is tender, stir in salt and pepper.
- Add the ground chicken. Take the skillet off the heat and mix the ground chicken thighs into the sautéed onion until well blended.
- Shape the meatballs. Form the mixture into meatballs that are roughly 1 inch in diameter, then set them aside.
Pro Tip: For even cooking in the soup, ensure the meatballs are all of a similar size.
- Sauté the vegetables. In a large pot, warm 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and cook the diced onion, carrot, and celery until softened.
- Bring to a boil with broth. Incorporate the chicken broth and water into the pot and increase the heat until it reaches a boil.
- Add the potatoes. Introduce the peeled and chopped potatoes to the mixture and allow it to boil again.
- Add the rice and meatballs. Next, combine the rice into the pot. When the rice is about halfway cooked, incorporate the meatballs. Cook them on medium-high heat for approximately 15 minutes or until they are thoroughly cooked.
- Incorporate the seasonings. Mix in the parsley, dill, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to cook for an additional 3 minutes.
Cooking Tips
- Sauté the onion- This enhances the flavor of the meatballs, and softening the onions first makes for a better texture in the meatballs.
- Uniform meatball size- Aim for small, evenly shaped meatballs to ensure they cook thoroughly and evenly throughout the soup.
- Don’t rush the soup- Allow the soup to simmer, letting the ingredients combine and soften over time. Patience is key for achieving the best flavor and texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
While it’s not mandatory, if you’re concerned about your meatballs falling apart, you might consider adding a large egg to the meat mixture to serve as a binder. Additionally, packing the meat mixture tightly while forming the meatballs can help maintain their shape.
To ensure your meatballs are cooked through, use an instant-read meat thermometer. They should reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Serving Suggestions
This delectable Chicken Meatball Soup is incredibly adaptable and pairs well with a variety of foods. Consider serving it with bread, salads, side dishes, or sandwiches for a delightful lunch or gentle dinner.
- Bread: Complement it with Rustic (overnight) Bread, Sourdough Bread, or Super Soft Brioche Dinner Rolls along with some butter.
- Sandwiches: This soup pairs beautifully with a Turkey Panini Recipe, Beef Brisket Sandwich, Turkey Croissant Sandwich, or a classic Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
- Salad: Team this Chicken Meatball Soup with a Spinach Salad, Tomato Garlic Salad, Cucumber Radish Salad, or the Best Broccoli Cranberry Salad.
- Sides: It works well alongside Sauteed Garlic Asparagus, Air Fryer Baked Potato, Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli, or Scalloped Potatoes.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can prepare this soup multiple days in advance, storing it in the refrigerator or freezing it for an extended period. Additionally, you can prepare the meatballs beforehand and keep them in the fridge for use in the soup later.
Storing: Keep any remaining Chicken Meatball Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Freeze: Once the soup has cooled completely, place a large plastic gallon-sized zip-lock freezer bag into a bowl and ladle the soup into it. Squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing the bag. Lay it flat in the freezer for storage up to one month.
More Delicious Soups!
- Potato Leek Soup
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
Complete Cooking Directions
Chicken Meatball Soup
This Chicken Meatball Soup is the nutritious dinner recipe you were seeking today. It’s flavorful, simple to prepare, and undoubtedly healthier than traditional options, making it a favorite among family members.Print
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RateServings: 8Calories: 523kcalIngredients
For the meatballs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lb ground chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
For the soup
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 3 small carrots chopped
- 2 celery sticks
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 4 cups water
- 1 lb Yukon gold potatoes
- 1/3 cup rice
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup dill chopped
- 1-2 tsp salt depends on how salty your chicken stock is
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup chopped onion
Instructions
- In a skillet, sauté 1/2 cup of chopped onion in olive oil over medium heat. Once the onion is tender, stir in the salt and pepper.
- Take the skillet off the heat and incorporate the ground chicken thighs with the sautéed onion. Mix until everything is well combined.
- Shape the ground chicken into meatballs that are approximately 1 inch in diameter and set aside.
- In a pot, warm 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, and sauté the diced onion, carrot, and celery.
- Pour in the chicken broth and water, then bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the diced and peeled potatoes to the pot and bring it to a second boil.
- Next, incorporate the rice into the pot. When the rice is halfway cooked, introduce the meatballs. Simmer the meatballs over medium-high heat for approximately 15 minutes, or until fully cooked.
- Finish by adding parsley, dill, salt, and pepper. Allow to cook for an additional 3 minutes.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 523kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 1042mg | Potassium: 870mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 4188IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg
This recipe was first published on February 22, 2017, and has seen some updates since that time.
