Pasta with Chicken Broth, Butter and Parmesan

square image of small pasta shape in a bowl of buttery broth

Pasta with Chicken Broth, Butter and Parmesan

This Pasta with Chicken Broth, Butter and Parmesan is the ultimate cozy comfort food! The pasta is simmered gently in flavorful chicken broth, then finished with butter and a sprinkle of Parmesan for a simple, satisfying dish. It’s a perfect solution for busy weeknights, sick days, or anytime you want something cozy with minimal effort.

4.07 from 494 votes

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Cook Time 10

Total Time 10

Course Main

Cuisine Italian

Servings

Calories 518 kcal

Ingredients

4½ cups chicken broth/stock (Note 1)
2 cups small pasta shape ditalini/stelline/orzo (Note 2)
½ stick butter (Note 3)
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (Note 4)
¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
salt to taste (Note 5)
fresh basil optional

Instructions

Bring the chicken stock to a boil. Then add the pasta and stir well
4½ cups chicken broth/stock
2 cups small pasta shape
Turn the heat down to a very gently simmer and cook the pasta as per the packet instructions. Ensure you stir it during the cooking as you are only using a small amount of stock. (Notes 6)
Once the pasta is cooked, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter and parmesan.
½ stick butter
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Use a slotted spoon to divide the pasta between the serving bowls.
Taste your broth and add more salt if you think it needs it. Then pour it over the pasta.
salt to taste
Sprinkle with black pepper and garnish with your fresh herbs. You can add more parmesan if you wish.
¼ teaspoon black pepper
fresh basil

Notes

The majority of the flavor in this dish comes from the chicken broth/stock so it needs to be the star of the show. If your broth/stock isn't tasty then your pasta won't be tasty. Homemade is best, as it has a wonderful deep chicken flavor and the unctuous richness that you rarely get with cartons. There are also some great store bought options out there so if you have a brand you love the flavor of then this is the time to use it.
You want to use a very small pasta shape for this recipe. Stelline is traditional, but Ditalini is my favorite as it is super cute, easy to eat and has a little bit of body to it. Orzo would also work, as would those teeny tiny shells you can buy. Or if you see them Farfalline or Corbata would be awesome too. At a push you could use elbow macaroni. You want it to be small so it cooks quickly and rigid enough that it can withstand stirring without breaking apart.
I use salted butter as that is what we always have in the fridge, but you can use whatever you have available. Not gonna lie, there is a lot of butter in this recipe! But this is a comfort dish for days when you are feeling under the weather, and those aren't the days when you are worrying about how much butter you are eating! Plus I got this recipe from the Nonna of a dear friend and she says the butter is vital as it replaces the fat that traditionally was in homemade chicken broth, before chicken were bred to be low fat.
Please grate your own, this is not just cheese it is extra seasoning. You could use Pecorino or Grana Padano.
It is unlikely you will need to add salt as most chicken broth/stock is salty enough. But taste your dish and add salt to taste.
With this recipe you want to use the lowest simmer possible. If the broth/stock starts to boil, it will evaporate out of the pan and there won't be enough to cook your pasta fully. If your soup ends up too dry once the pasta is cooked you can add extra broth or water.

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Nutrition

Nutrition is per serving

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