Chicken Meatball Soup

August and the back-to-school machinery is running. Mason starts ninth grade — high school, the building Ethan walked through for four years, the parking lot we pulled into for his fake graduation in the pandemic. It's a different kind of milestone than the one I've been anticipating because it involves an institution I already have feelings about.

Mason was calm about it. He is calm about almost everything. He bought his supplies with his usual efficiency, chose the schedule that included the foods elective, came home from the first week and said the foods teacher noticed he'd done some cooking. He said it with a shrug but I could read the pleasure underneath the shrug because I know him.

Noah starts fourth grade. He chose a book-shaped backpack to complement the fact that he now reads approximately four hundred pages a week and would like the world to know this about him. He's sharp and funny and occasionally surprising in ways that make me realize he's been listening to everything, quietly, for nine years.

The school routine is back and the manuscript is approaching the final stretch. I'm writing the last section now — the chapter about what the kitchen has become, the chapter about Debra and the pantry, the chapter about teaching Olivia to make pie. The chapter about Grace, which I wrote months ago and haven't touched since and think I might need to revisit. Claire sent notes: "the Grace section is perfect. Don't revise it."

I'm going to trust her and leave it alone.

Mason came home from his first week and mentioned — with that careful shrug of his — that the foods teacher had noticed he’d done some cooking before. I wanted to make something that honored that quietly, something that said: yes, this is what we do in this house. I’ve made this chicken meatball soup at the start of school for a few years now, and it feels right for the turning-over-a-new-page feeling of August — warm enough to signal that fall is coming, simple enough that I can make it while trusting Claire’s notes and leaving the Grace chapter alone.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 55 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

For the meatballs:
1 lb ground chicken
1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the soup:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 medium carrots, sliced into coins
3 stalks celery, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cups baby spinach or chopped kale
1 cup small pasta (ditalini or orzo), cooked separately
Fresh parsley and Parmesan for serving

Instructions

Make the meatball mixture. In a medium bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined — don’t overwork it. Roll into 1-inch balls (about 24 total) and set aside on a plate.
Brown the meatballs. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in a single layer, working in batches if needed, and cook 3–4 minutes, turning once, until lightly golden. They don’t need to be cooked through yet. Transfer to a plate.
Build the soup base. In the same pot, reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–6 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add broth and season. Pour in chicken broth and diced tomatoes. Add Italian seasoning, salt, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle boil.
Finish the meatballs. Return the meatballs to the pot. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15–18 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through and vegetables are tender.
Add greens and pasta. Stir in spinach or kale and let wilt for 1–2 minutes. Add cooked pasta to individual bowls (rather than the pot, so leftovers don’t get soggy). Ladle soup over pasta.
Serve. Top with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve with crusty bread.

Nutrition (per serving)

Chicken Meatball Soup — The Meal That Holds the First Week of School Together