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small pale cooked chicken meatballs, round pearl couscous, thin carrot half-moons and wilted chopped escarole in clear golden broth in an ordinary bowl, with no tomato or garnish
Melissa Hart

Chicken Italian Wedding Soup

Small chicken meatballs poach directly in the broth here, saving a browning step while keeping the texture tender. Pearl couscous gives each spoonful a little bite, and escarole brings the leafy part of wedding soup without turning the bowl into a spinach puree. Roll the meatballs no larger than an inch. That size is what makes the short simmer work; a batch of oversized meatballs needs longer and defeats the quick dinner you were trying to make.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
  • 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
  • 2 garlic cloves minced and divided
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt divided
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion finely diced
  • 2 medium carrots cut into thin half-moons
  • 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup dry pearl couscous with a 10-minute cooking time
  • 4 oz escarole washed and chopped into small pieces
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Method
 

  1. Mix chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, half the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper just until combined. Roll into 32 small meatballs, each about 1 inch across.
  2. Heat oil in a 6-quart pot over medium heat. Cook onion and carrots for 5 minutes, then remaining garlic for 30 seconds.
  3. Add broth and remaining salt, cover and bring to a gentle simmer. Lower meatballs into the broth one at a time and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
  4. Stir in pearl couscous and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring carefully between meatballs, until couscous is tender and the largest meatball reaches 165°F.
  5. Add escarole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until tender. Stir in lemon juice and divide among 6 bowls.