Picture a pot simmering gently on a stovetop, filling the house with an aroma that says, “You’re home.” That’s brodo: the most delicious Italian chicken soup. This rich homemade chicken broth is a cornerstone of Italian cooking, simple yet deeply rooted in tradition. Every region—and every nonna—has their own version of brodo, but the essence remains the same: a slow-cooked broth brimming with flavor, made from simple, wholesome ingredients.

Always served as the first course in a traditional Italian meal, homemade chicken soup is beloved for its versatility. It can be enjoyed as a clear soup or paired with fresh pasta like tortellini, the stuffed pasta that is a specialty in the Emilia-Romagna region. For something simpler, Italians often turn to pastina—tiny pasta shapes perfect for soaking up the flavors of the broth and turn this Italian chicken soup into the ultimate comfort food.

In my opinion chicken soup with tortellini is a celebration of how a few simple ingredients can create something extraordinary. In fact homemade chicken broth it’s by far the unsung hero of Italian cuisine! While it’s traditionally served on special occasions, such as during the Italian Christmas festivities, it also plays a vital role throughout the year as the base for iconic Italian recipes like risottos, slow-cooked meats, or simply as a soul-warming meal on chilly evenings.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Authentic Italian Flavor: This recipe stays true to its roots, bringing the rich traditions of Italian cooking straight to your kitchen.
Versatile and Practical: Enjoy it as a comforting soup with tortellini or pastina, or use the flavorful broth as a base for risottos, sauces, and more.
Simple Ingredients, Extraordinary Taste: With just a handful of fresh, wholesome ingredients, this broth delivers a depth of flavor that feels like a culinary hug.
Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether you’re serving it at a festive holiday table or as a quick weekday dinner, this dish fits every mood and moment.
Time-Tested Tradition: Slow-cooked to perfection, this broth captures the essence of Italian cooking—a blend of patience, simplicity, and love.

Once you try it, this Italian chicken soup recipe will become a staple in your home, just as it has been in Italian kitchens for generations.

Chicken Soup with Tortellini

Recipe by GiadaCourse: SoupsCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hours

Makes

3.5L

This Italian Chicken Soup Recipe is so versatile and delicious it will become your family favorite winter soup.

Ingredients

400g carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
200g celery, including the flavorful leaves, large chunks
300g onions, peeled and halved
2kg chicken legs
2kg beef meat with or without bones (in my case I had ossobuco in the fridge so I’ve used that)
Tortellini: 250g choose high quality tortellini made in Italy
Salt, to taste
Optional: 2 vegetable bouillon cube for a flavor boost
Water: as much as needed to cover to fill up the pot and cover all the ingredients

Directions

Prepare your ingredients. Wash and cut all the vegetables. Then add them to a large pot or use two pots, in this case pay attention to add the same amount of vegetable in both pots. For example, 2 carrots in one pot and 2 carrots in the other. The same for the onions and celery. Add meat and chicken legs following the same principles if you use two separate pots.
Add the seasoning. You should add salt to your ingredients and 2 vegetable bouillon cubes for a flavor boost (optional, but recommended).
Add water. The amount of water should be as much as needed to cover all the ingredients and fill up your pot.
Cook. Now cover the pot with a lid, bring it to a boil and slow cook for about 2.5h
Strain the broth. Let the broth cool down a bit before proceeding with this step. After the broth is ready the meat will be extremely tender and the vegetables will be really soft. To strain the broth you should use a food strainer. Place the strainer on top of a large empty pot. Now you can either filter this homemade chicken broth pouring all the chicken soup into the strainer or slowly scoop it out with the help of a large ladle spoon and filter it. Both ways work.
Let it cool down. After, you should store your broth in the fridge or in containers and freeze it.
OPTIONAL – If you want to serve broth with Italian Tortellini follow this additional steps: in a separate pot add about 3 ladles spoons of chicken soup per person. For 4 people you should use 250g of Tortellini and about 12 ladle spoons of broth. Bring the homemade chicken broth to a boil and only at this stage add tortellini (it’s the same as making pasta) now cook until softened, but not over cooked – this is really a matter of taste actually, so grab a spoon and taste one tortellino (make sure not to get burned). Serve 2-3 spoons of chicken soup with tortellini to each of your guests and enjoy the compliments 🙂
If you prefer Italian chicken soup with pastina you should follow steps explained above and instead of pouring tortellini add pastina. Also in this case the quantity depends on the type of pastina you’d use, so there isn’t a right or wrong amount. I can suggest to use 3 spoons of pastina per each guests.

Notes

You can give your guests some grated Parmesan cheese to add to their chicken soup with Tortelllini to elevate the flavor of this dish.

What is Chicken Broth Good With?

Often served as the first course in a traditional Italian meal, homemade chicken broth is beloved for its versatility. Whether it’s served with pastina (tiny pasta perfect for soaking up all the flavor) or chicken broth with tortellini for a special occasion, this Italian soup is all about warmth, comfort, and tradition.

Why Italians Love Chicken Soup so Much?

Homemade chicken broth isn’t just about sustenance; it’s a ritual. Whether served at family gatherings, on cold winter nights, or as a remedy for colds, Chicken Broth with Tortellini has a special place in Italian kitchens. Each family has its own take, but the essence remains the same: wholesome ingredients, slow cooking, and a lot of love.

What Makes this Homemade Chicken Broth Special?

This dish is a perfect example of cucina povera, or simple cooking that uses basic ingredients to create extraordinary flavor. Slow-cooked with chicken, beef meat, and fresh vegetables, it’s rich, satisfying, and endlessly versatile.