Chicken Parmesan Meatball Soup
Chicken Parmesan Meatball Soup is a classic Italian dish in soup form – tomato soup with chicken meatballs and mozzarella cheese.
When you have a dream, do you think much of it?
I do. I believe our dreams are an extension of our subconscious.
Sometimes if a dream really sticks out, I’ll look up the meaning. Other times, dreams can be pretty literal.
Take this Chicken Parmesan Meatball Soup for example. Want to know how I came up with the idea? I dreamed about making this soup.
That’s right – I was developing recipes even while sleeping.
Earlier that same day, I made chicken parmesan meatballs for dinner. In my dream, I put them into tomato soup. Genius, right?
Once awake, I knew I had to make it, especially with the wind howling and snow piling high outside.
After working on it in the kitchen, I came up with a homemade tomato soup with chicken parmesan meatballs. Italian comfort food in a bowl.
Even though eating meatballs for dinner prompted this dream, I was curious and looked up its meaning.
Dreaming about soup means I’m longing for emotional hunger or nourishment, for comfort and healing.
Without getting into much private detail, that sounds pretty accurate. Plus it’s been ridiculously cold out to the point where I want to eat soup every day, just to warm up.
Since fresh tomatoes are hard to come by in the winter months (and yes I can absolutely taste the difference between grocery store and farm fresh), I opted for canned tomatoes.
As long as you use a high-quality canned version you enjoy, the soup still turns out great.
If you do have access to fresh tomatoes, even better.
To save time, I cooked the meatballs directly in the soup, just like I did with my Italian Wedding Soup.
That also means you can make the meatballs ahead of time and freeze raw. Just add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
Chicken Parmesan Meatball Soup
Chicken Parmesan Meatball Soup is a classic Italian dish in soup form – tomato soup with chicken meatballs and mozzarella cheese.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1/2 pound ground chicken, thawed
- 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 14 ounces canned tomatoes with juice
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (plus more to garnish)
Instructions
- For the meatballs: In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt, basil, and parsley. Make 1-inch meatballs then place on a plate or tray. Keep refrigerated while you make the soup.*
- For the soup: In a large Dutch oven, heat up the oil and butter until melted. Add the onion and cook until soft, 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth then stir in tomatoes, sugar, basil, oregano, thyme, paprika, and salt. Bring a boil then turn down to a simmer and cook 30 minutes.
- Add the soup mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Be careful - because the mixture is hot, it will expand greatly in the blender when you turn it on. If needed, puree in two batches. Add back to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the meatballs. Cook 7-10 minutes or until the meatballs are fully cooked. Stir in the cheese until melted. Serve in bowls and garnish with extra mozzarella cheese.
Notes
*If you are making the meatballs ahead of time, freeze individually on baking sheets (or plates that fit in your freezer). Once frozen, place in a freezer bag. Add an extra 5 minutes to the cooking time.
If you enjoyed this Chicken Parmesan Meatball Soup, you may also enjoy these recipes:
From me:
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchase.
Pure genius! I want this, scratch that need this! Also I think of recipes in weird places too. Usually in the shower or when I’m getting ready for work. Essentially when I’m unable to write the idea down. I just pray I don’t forget!
I am notorious for “writing” blog posts in the shower. Unfortunately by the time I sit down at a computer, words escape me. We need to invent something for this…
I don’t know if I’ve ever made a tomato base soup with fresh tomatoes. I’ll have to remember to try it out! Love this soup version of chicken parm too. Sounds very comforting for any ailment.
Oh you must try fresh tomato soup in the summer when you can get your hands on garden tomatoes! Seriously – grocery store tomatoes won’t do. The key is to not refrigerate your tomatoes, which unfortunately grocery store tomatoes often get refrigerated during transit.
I would’ve never guessed that refrigeration would impact their flavor. If I am still living with my parents when their tomatoes grow in their garden I’ll have to try!
Yes it does! I forget where I learned that (Alton Brown?), but the cold affects their tomato cells which then impacts their flavor. It’s why garden tomatoes taste so much better (assuming you don’t store them in the fridge afterwards).
Beautiful recipe – and warming to the bone! The combination tomato + parmesan + mozzarella would be great, but to have the meatballs in such a flavour-packed food is just heavenly. I mean, thyme, basil, oregano….. I’m in!
Very warming indeed! Usually plan pureed soups aren’t a meal to me, but the meatballs really do add substance. All you need now is garlic bread ;)
Genius idea! I love that you dreamt of this soup in your sleep. You now have me daydreaming of this soup on a cold and rainy day :P
I’m dreaming that I had another bowl of this for dinner today ;)
YUM! I got 4 brown grocery bags FULL of tomatoes from a coworker’s friend’s garden that I froze in the fall. I’ve been working my way through them all winter, but luckily, I have enough to make this soup over the weekend (when, coincidentally, it’s going to get cold again)!
Lucky you! My freezer isn’t big enough to store long term, so I’m stuck with canned. Until the summer when garden tomatoes are back! And yes I eat soup during the summer :)
Ha–I do too & people think I’m crazy. :)
Amazing looking soup, I would love a bowl right now!!!
Thanks Tara!
This looks like something I could eat every day and never get tired of. I love soups, and wish my dreams were so inspired and productive!
Yea seriously I’ve been in such a soup kick lately. Funny thing is I rarely ate soup growing up as dinner, but when there’s “nothing else to make,” it usually ends in soup.
I am so glad you dreamed about this soup then made it a reality!!!! I loooove my crazy dreams. You know who hates hearing about my crazy dreams, my husband! Because more often than not something is happening to him or he did something wrong in my dream. Poor guy!
Your poor husband. Next time tell him you dreamed about making him this soup ;)
Dude. That’s awesome. I love that you dreamed this delicious soup up!!!
I wish all recipes came that easily!
Excellent recipe! Pinned it, made it, loved it!
:)
I made this a few weeks ago and is quite possibly one of the best dishes I’ve ever eaten.
Oh my gosh! This sounds so good. My daughter adores meatballs so she would be all over this soup.
LOVE this! a meatball sub in soup, delicious
I found this recipe on Pinterest and it is simply fantastic. The meatballs are so delicious and it was super easy. Rolling them in the breadcrumbs was such a good idea! Everyone from my super picky mom (74) to my super picky tween daughter ate it with compliments.
I doubled the recipe and did add an egg to the meatball mixture. The soup was easily the best tomato soup that I have made–I have tried 3 other recipes that were good but this is the keeper. It was also very easy, I just started dinner a bit early to compensate for rolling all those meatballs.
I cannot wait to try this recipe again when our tomatoes come in. Also, the meatballs would be great on sub sandwiches if you are lucky enough to have any left.
Thank you so much for this fantastic recipe!
Thank you so much for your positive review! I’m so, so thrilled you enjoyed the soup. Funny you should mention the meatball sub idea as I just posted a recipe for Chicken Parmesan Meatball Subs on Monday https://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2015/04/20/chicken-parmesan-meatball-subs/
I just saw the subs post! I came straight to the recipe from Pinterest, thanks to your yummy photo. This is a seriously flexible recipe because you you easily serve the meatballs on a sub, in the soup or even with pasta all in the same meal. Can you tell I am cooking for a large, picky crowd? :-)
Now I am off to go through your recipe index!