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Chicken and Stars Soup
For anyone else who loved Chicken and Stars Soup as a kid like I did, here is the all-natural homemade version that tastes even better! Plus it’s quick and easy to make, and so delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small white onion
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups good-quality chicken stock
- 2 cups finely-chopped cooked chicken
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup uncooked stelline (star-shaped pasta)
- fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- optional garnishes: freshly-grated Parmesan, lemon wedge, and/or chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Sauté the mirepoix. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Simmer. Add the chicken stock, chicken, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the broth reaches a simmer. Add the pasta and cook, stirring frequently, until it is al dente.
- Season. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste and season the soup with salt and pepper (and/or additional herbs) as needed.
- Serve. Serve warm with your desired garnishes and enjoy!
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Sorry if this had already been asked, but is there any substitutions you suggest if the stars can’t be found? I’ve had this recipe pinned for probably a year now waiting for the right night and lo and behold, the hubs is sick tonight! I can’t wait to finally make this! :)
Hi Tiffany! Yes, you could just use Ditalini or Orzo (will be similar in size). We hope you enjoy and that your husband feels better soon!
That red and white can was a staple in my apartment in college too! I even ate a can of it about four years ago when I discovered I had skin cancer. True comfort food for the childhood soul. I love that you have offered a homemade version, as the red and white cans are BANNED from this household now. Pinning!
We hope you enjoy the recipe, Kathryn! :)
Quite interesting and novel soup
If you have a Hispanic store locally or a Hispanic section in your grocery store, you can generally find stars pastas. Here in Seattle they many times go on sale for 28 cents per packet and I stock up on them. Nothing like a quick, hot bowl of soup.
Thanks for sharing, we hope you enjoy this recipe! :)
I have been making your soup for the past year and my daughter absolutely loves it! Thank you!
Thanks for sharing with us Jennifer, that’s so nice to hear! :)
Thank you Jennifer, we’re so happy your daughter’s a fan! ;)
Can’t find the star pasta so used alphabet pasta for the kids. Left out the thyme and bay leaves and used chicken thighs and old veggies to make the stock. Great soup as the fall sets in and soup season begins!!!!
Awesome Shane, we hope the kiddos loved it! :)
This is called Chicken and Stars. But your recipes does not say how to cook the chicken, or when to add it. Kind of confusing.
Hi Ally, The recipe actually states: Add chicken stock, chicken, bay leaves, rosemary, salt, thyme, and black pepper, and stir to combine. (Last sentence in the first paragraph of instructions.) You may use roast, grilled, baked, poached chicken, etc. You can buy it already cooked, or raw, and then cook it how ever you like. We’d recommend the baked chicken breast recipe: We hope you enjoy the soup! :)
Right, it SHOULD say add chicken stock, COOKED Chicken, etc. Unless you intend for the chicken to cook in the short time this soup would be ready, also depending on what chicken you use, could make it greasy doing it that way. I believe she means add already cooked chicken…..
got a pot cooking now. I was surprised to find the pasta in my store. I grew up on canned chicken and stars, too and I hope to share this homemade version with my pre-schooler. In your pics it looks like you have more than 1 cup of pasta. I’ve got one cup and 8 cups of stock going already. I think I’ll add more pasta so she’ll see all of the stars. Can’t wait, it smells good and was quick and simple. Also, most recipes have you remove the bay leaf before eating and, though you didn’t specify, I’ll be removing these 2 before serving. Thanks for bringing back the memories!
That’s great Ella, we hope you enjoy it! And yes, you can remove the bay leaf after cooking. :)
I have made this twice in the last week, it is sooo good! My boyfriend, who is notoriously fussy (no bits, not a fan of soupy dishes) LOVED this and ate all the chunks! Last night I made a large batch of it and now have 3 big lunch boxes for the weeks ahead. Thanks for such a delicious and heart-warming recipe, it’s perfect for our chilly British evenings.
That’s awesome Stephanie, so glad it was a hit!
FYI, I had a terrible time finding the Stellini locally, but then the hubs found the Barilla Stellini at Wal Mart! I’m letting the chicken soup simmer in the crockpot all day and will add the stars at the end. It’s going to be amazing!