Homemade Chickarina Soup (Progresso Copycat)

Did you love Progresso Chickarina soup growing up? Try this Homemade Chickarina Soup recipe for a healthy homemade version of a classic.

Progresso chickarina soup was my comfort food whenever I was sick

These days I rarely have canned soup in the house, but growing up I loved the Progresso chickarina soup. It is so comforting with the chicken, chicken meatballs, pastina, veggies and chicken broth.

I found a can at my fiances parents house the other day and thought, “Wow! I need to try to make a Progresso copycat homemade chickarina soup.”

Chickarina soup has delicious tender chicken meatballs. It was tricky to make these at home, but I realized that if I dropped the raw ground chicken directly into the simmering soup I can make small tender meatballs.

What kitchen tools will I need to make this healthy chicken meatball soup?

• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Liquid measuring cup
• Large soup pot or dutch oven
• Mixing bowls
• Mixing spoon

What ingredients will I need to make this homemade Progresso chickarina soup?

You will be amazed at how easy it is to make this delicious chicken meatball soup at home with simple ingredients.

• Oil
• Yellow onion
• Carrot
• Celery
• Chicken thighs
• Pastina or pearl cous cous
• Boneless skinless chicken thighs
• Salt
• Pepper
• Ground chicken
• Egg
• Fresh parsley
• Chicken broth

Let’s make Homemade Chickarina Soup (Progresso Copycat)!

Step 1: Simmer broth and chicken thighs

To begin, dice the onion and chop your celery and carrots. Then, heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat.

Then, when the oil is hot add the celery, carrots and onion to the pot along with the salt and pepper. Sauté until the veggies are they are soft and fragrant – about 7 minutes.

Next, add chicken thighs, water and broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Then, reduce to a simmer and simmer for 14 minutes uncovered.

As the chicken thighs cook some white foam will rise to the top. You can skim that off with a spoon.

Step 2: Prepare and cook chicken meatballs

While the chicken thighs cook, prepare the chicken meatballs by combing ground chicken, egg, salt and fresh parsley in a mixing bowl. When the chicken thighs have simmered for 14 minutes, remove from the pot, but keep the water simmering.

To make the meatballs, take about 1 heaping  tsp of the chicken meatball mixture and drop each one directly into the simmering broth on the stove. The meatballs will start to rise to the top as they cook.

Step 3: Simmer pastina and finish the soup

Once you have added all of your meatballs to the simmering pot, shred your chicken thighs and add them back to the pot along with the pastina or pearl cous cous.

Then, continue simmering the soup for about 15 minutes. At this point the pasta should be fully cooked and you can remove the soup from the heat.

Lastly, top the soup with parmesan, lemon zest and parsley and serve!

Step 4: Enjoy!

How long will this Progresso copycat chicken soup keep in the fridge?

Once prepared, allow the soup to cool completely. Then, transfer to an airtight container.

The chickarina soup will be good in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave.

You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!

Recipe

Homemade Chickarina Soup (Progresso Copycat)

★★★★★ 5 from 18 reviews

A healthy homemade version of Progresso’s famous chickarina soup

Recipe By: Madeline

Prep: 10 minutesCook: 45 minutesTotal: 55 minutes

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Servings: 6 Servings 1x

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Ingredients

Soup Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 3/4 cup dry pastina or dry pearl cous cous

Chicken Meatball Ingredients

• 1 lb ground chicken breast
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley (or 1/2 tbsp dried)

Instructions

1. Dice the onion and chop your celery and carrots
2. Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat
3. When the oil is hot add the celery, carrots and onion to the pot along with the salt and peper
4. Saute until the veggies are they are soft and fragrant – about 7 minutes
5. Add chicken thighs, water and broth to the pot and bring to a boil
6. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 14 minutes uncovered
7. As the chicken thighs cook some white foam will rise to the top so you can skim that off with a spoon
8. While the chicken thighs cook prepare the chicken meatballs by combing ground chicken, egg, salt and fresh parsley in a mixing bowl
9. When the chicken thighs have simmered for 14 minutes, remove from the pot, but keep the water simmering
10. To make the meatballs, take about 1 heaping  tsp of the chicken meatball mixture and drop each one directly into the simmering broth on the stove. The meatballs will start to rise to the top as they cook
11. Once you have added all of your meatballs to the simmering pot, shred your chicken thighs and add them back to the pot along with the pastina or pearl cous cous
12. Continue simmering the soup for about 15 minutes
13. At this point the pasta should be fully cooked and you can remove the soup from the heat
14. Top soup with parmesan, lemon zest and parsley and serve!

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.