Chicken Meatball & Tortellini Soup

Chicken Meatballs

• 1.5 lbs. fresh chicken-apple sausage*
• .75-1 cup panko bread crumbs
• .5 cup whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (you’ll use more throughout the recipe, so you may as well chop it all now)
• .25 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for sprinkling
• salt & pepper
• extra-virgin olive oil

Soup

• extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed/pressed/minced
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 large carrots, diced or cut into circles
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 4 black peppercorns
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus some additional for garnish
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 lb. fresh cheese tortellini
• fresh lemon (optional)
• additional grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°. In a small bowl, mix panko with the milk, and let sit until absorbed, maybe 5 minutes. (The original recipe calls for fresh bread crumbs. If you have them, use them, I just never seem to have fresh bread when I need it, but always have panko!) In a large bowl, add sausage (without casing), egg, parsley, cheese, and soaked bread crumbs. Mix well – hands are best. Make meatballs using a small ice cream scoop for portions or spoons or your hands – whatever is easiest for you. They will probably be a little “loose” but they should cook up fine. Place meatballs on a lined, rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with additional cheese. Roast for 15-20 minutes. I’ve made these ahead of time and tossed them in the freezer. That moves this recipe from the “easy” to the “ridiculously easy” category the day of.

If you are making the meatballs at the same time, start your soup base while they are roasting. Add extra-virigin olive oil to a large stockpot over medium heat. Add garlic and thyme sprigs. Sauté until fragrant, but do not brown. Add onion, celery, and carrot. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add peppercorns, bay leaf, and parsley. Stir once or twice and then add chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 25 minutes.

If your meatballs are frozen, add them to the soup first and simmer for a few minutes to defrost, and then add the tortellini. If using fresh, add them at the same time. You may need to add a cup or two of water if it looks like there isn’t enough stock. Bring the soup back to the boil for about 2-3 minutes until the tortellini are ready. Pick out the peppercorns and bay leaf. Taste for seasoning. If you feel like it needs a little something besides salt and pepper, add a few squeezes of fresh lemon and taste again.

Serve, topped with additional fresh parsley and a sprinkling of parmesan if you like, and enjoy!

*if you can’t find fresh chicken-apples sausage, get the equivalent in ground chicken; add some grated apple and season with salt & pepper