Chicken Minestrone Soup with Parmesan Crisps

Name: Chicken Minestrone Soup with Parmesan Crisps
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced; 2 stalks (100 g) celery stalks, diced into ¼-inch pieces; 2 medium (150 g) carrots, diced into ¼-inch pieces; 3 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ½-inch pieces; 6 cups (1440 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 1 can (14.5 oz) (410 g) canned crushed tomatoes (fire-roasted or San Marzano); 1 medium (180 g) zucchini, diced into ¼-inch pieces; 1 cup (100 g) fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces; ¾ cup (90 g) small pasta (ditalini or small shells), uncooked; 1 tsp (3 g) dried basil; ½ tsp (1½ g) dried oregano; to taste kosher salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper; ¼ tsp (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional); 4 oz (115 g) aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated (not pre-grated); ¼ cup (10 g) fresh basil, loosely packed, torn or chiffonade (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A rustic Italian vegetable and chicken soup loaded with tender vegetables, pasta, and tomatoes, finished with homemade crispy Parmesan crisps. This one-pot soup is full of flavor, naturally lean, and comes together in under an hour.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: 4 servings (about 10 cups soup)

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Ingredients

4 servings

2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced
2 stalks (100 g) celery stalks, diced into ¼-inch pieces
2 medium (150 g) carrots, diced into ¼-inch pieces
3 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ½-inch pieces
6 cups (1440 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (14.5 oz) (410 g) canned crushed tomatoes (fire-roasted or San Marzano)
1 medium (180 g) zucchini, diced into ¼-inch pieces
1 cup (100 g) fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ cup (90 g) small pasta (ditalini or small shells), uncooked
1 tsp (3 g) dried basil
½ tsp (1.5 g) dried oregano
to taste kosher salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp (0.5 g) red pepper flakes (optional)
For the Parmesan crisps
4 oz (115 g) aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated (not pre-grated)
¼ cup (10 g) fresh basil, loosely packed, torn or chiffonade (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large Dutch oven or soup pot (5-quart/5-liter capacity)
Small baking sheet (for Parmesan crisps)
Parchment paper
Wooden spoon
Sharp knife and cutting board
Measuring spoons and cups

Steps

Before you start

Dice all vegetables and cut chicken into bite-sized pieces before you begin cooking, as the soup comes together quickly once you start
Have the chicken broth at room temperature for faster cooking
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) for the Parmesan crisps

1
Sauté the aromatics
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Once shimmering, add the diced onion, celery, and carrot.
- Stir well to coat with oil.
- Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften and the onion becomes translucent.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
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Ready when: onion is translucent and vegetables are just beginning to soften
Tip: Don't skip the onion translucency step—it builds the foundation of flavor for the entire soup.
2
Add and brown the chicken
- Increase heat to medium-high.
- Add the chicken pieces to the pot and stir to break them apart.
- Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside and the pieces are mostly cooked through.
- The chicken will finish cooking in the broth, so don't worry if the inside is still slightly raw.
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Ready when: chicken is no longer pink on the outside
Tip: Cut chicken into uniform ½-inch pieces so they cook at the same rate and stay tender when the soup is done.
3
Build the broth base
- Pour in the chicken broth and canned tomatoes (with their juice).
- Add the dried basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Stir well to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- Once it reaches a rolling boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 2–3 minutes.
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Ready when: mixture reaches a rolling boil, then is reduced to a gentle simmer
Tip: Fire-roasted or San Marzano tomatoes add richer depth than standard crushed tomatoes.
4
Add root vegetables and green beans
- Stir in the zucchini and green beans.
- Return the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce heat back to medium-low.
- Simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is just tender but still holds its shape and the green beans are bright green and tender-crisp.
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Ready when: zucchini is just tender and green beans are bright green and tender-crisp
Tip: Don't overcook the green beans—they lose their bright color and become mushy. They should still have a slight snap.
5
Cook the pasta
- Stir in the uncooked pasta.
- Continue simmering gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring every 2–3 minutes to prevent sticking, until the pasta is tender but still has a slight firmness (al dente) and the chicken is cooked through.
- The soup should be thick and hearty.
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Ready when: pasta is tender but still al dente, and chicken is no longer pink inside
Tip: Stir frequently while the pasta cooks to prevent it from clumping together at the bottom of the pot.
6
Taste and season
- Remove the pot from heat.
- Taste a spoonful of soup and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to your preference.
- Remember that the Parmesan crisps will add saltiness, so taste conservatively.
- Stir in the fresh basil if using.
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Tip: Add fresh basil at the end to preserve its bright, delicate flavor. If you add it early, it loses its aromatics.
7
Make Parmesan crispsOven 425°F / 220°C
- While the soup simmers, line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a small spoon or your fingers, create 8 small mounds of finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on the parchment, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Lightly flatten each mound with the back of a spoon.
- Bake in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for 4–5 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and crispy but the centers are still pliable.
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Ready when: edges are golden brown and crispy, cheese is set but still slightly pliable in the center
Tip: Watch the crisps carefully—they brown quickly and can burn easily. Don't use pre-grated cheese; it contains anti-caking agents and won't crisp properly.
8
Cool and crisp the Parmesan
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
- Let the crisps cool on the parchment for 1–2 minutes, until they firm up completely and crisp as they cool.
- They will continue to harden as they cool to room temperature.
- Once fully cooled, peel them gently from the parchment and set aside.
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Ready when: crisps are firm and fully crispy when cooled to room temperature
Tip: Handle the warm crisps gently—they're fragile. Store them in an airtight container if making ahead; they'll stay crispy for up to 2 days.
9
Serve
- Ladle the hot soup into four bowls.
- Top each serving with 2 Parmesan crisps, standing them upright in the soup for visual appeal.
- Serve immediately while the soup is hot and the crisps are still crispy.
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Tip: Add the Parmesan crisps just before serving so they don't soften from the steam—that's why you worked hard to crisp them!

Good to know

Tips

For deeper umami flavor, add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste in step 1 along with the garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes before adding the broth.
This soup is naturally lean and high in protein. To make it more substantial, stir in a handful of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 2 tablespoons per serving) just before serving instead of or in addition to the crisps.
If you don't have time to make Parmesan crisps, simply sprinkle grated cheese on top of the soup and serve—it's not quite as fancy, but still delicious.
Use low-sodium broth so you can control the salt level of the finished soup. Homemade broth, if you have it, will yield the most flavorful result.

Make ahead

Parmesan crisps can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container. The soup itself can be made through step 5 and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months (before adding the Parmesan crisps). Reheat gently over medium heat on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth or water if the soup has thickened.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate leftover soup (without crisps) in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, adding broth or water as needed to restore the desired consistency. Parmesan crisps keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days; add fresh ones when serving leftovers.

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken breast → shredded rotisserie chicken or canned white beans for a vegetarian version. If using beans, add them in step 4 with the other vegetables. For rotisserie chicken, shred it and add in step 5 to warm through.
small pasta (ditalini or small shells) → rice, farro, barley, or other small grains. Cooking time may vary slightly. Brown rice takes longer (15–20 minutes); pearl barley takes 12–15 minutes. Adjust simmering time accordingly.
fresh green beans → diced bell peppers, diced tomatoes, spinach, or kale. Add spinach or kale in the last minute of cooking so it wilts. Bell peppers and tomatoes cook in the same time as green beans.
aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese → Asiago, Grana Padano, or Pecorino Romano for the crisps. Each cheese has slightly different flavor and browning characteristics, but all will crisp beautifully at 425°F (220°C).