Summary of "Simple Chicken Salad & Pastina Soup"

Simple Chicken Salad & Pastina Soup — Jack Peppa

Yields

About 4 servings

Ingredients

Chicken
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 3 thighs). Thighs preferred; breast can be used instead.
Poaching/stock
- Water: 5 cups
- Salt: 1 tsp (added to the poaching water)
- Aromatics / vegetables:
  - Leek: ~1 cup (can substitute scallion or extra onion)
  - Onion: ~1/2 cup
  - Zucchini: ~1–1.5 cups, cut (added with the chicken; alternative: carrot or other veg)
Soup
- Pastina (very small pasta): 1/2 cup (used to thicken the soup)
- Cheese for soup: grated Swiss (preferred) or Parmesan — some in the bottom of the bowl and some on top
Chicken salad
- Scallions: 3 scallions (~1/3 cup) (adjust to taste)
- Garlic: crushed/pureed to taste (presenter uses quite a lot)
- French mustard: ~1 tbsp
- Red wine vinegar: ~1 tbsp
- Olive oil: at least 1/3 cup
- Salt: 1/4 tsp
- Pepper: a dash
- Hot sauce (e.g., sriracha): a dash or ~1/2 tsp (optional)
- Alternative dressing: mayonnaise, if preferred/conventional

Required equipment & prep

Large pot with lid (for poaching)
Knife and cutting board (cut chicken into ~1/2” pieces)
Grater for cheese
Garlic press or mortar & pestle (optional) to puree garlic
Platter for serving the salad
No special preheating — plan to cover the pot and use residual heat to finish the chicken

Key technique (highlight)

Short boil, then finish by residual heat: briefly boil the chicken and vegetables, then cover the pot and let sit off the heat for 30–45 minutes. The chicken finishes cooking gently in the hot liquid and won’t overcook.

Method — step-by-step

Prepare stock and start chicken
- Put 5 cups water and 1 tsp salt into a pot with the leek (~1 cup) and ~1/2 cup onion. Bring to a boil.
- Add the chicken pieces to the boiling water. Boil about 3–5 minutes until almost cooked.
Add zucchini
- Add the zucchini (or other quick-cooking vegetables) with the chicken. Bring back to a gentle boil and cook about 3 minutes.
Finish cooking by residual heat
- After the brief boil, cover the pot, remove from heat, and let sit undisturbed for at least 30 minutes (presenter notes ~45 minutes until lukewarm). The chicken will finish cooking in the hot liquid.
Remove chicken and cut
- Remove chicken from the broth and cut into ~1/2-inch pieces for the salad.
Make the pastina soup
- Add 1/2 cup pastina to the strained/remaining broth. Bring back to a boil and cook 4–5 minutes until the pastina is done.
- Note: pastina will thicken the soup and will thicken further as it cools.
- Serve the soup with grated Swiss or Parmesan (some in the bottom of the bowl and some on top).
Make the mustard vinaigrette (for the chicken salad)
- Crush/puree garlic to taste.
- Combine garlic, ~1 tbsp French mustard, 1/4 tsp salt, a dash of pepper, ~1 tbsp red wine vinegar, a dash (~1/2 tsp) hot sauce if using, and at least 1/3 cup olive oil. Whisk to combine. (Vinaigrette may separate — that’s fine.)
- Mix dressing with chopped chicken and sliced scallions (~1/3 cup).
Assemble & serve
- Line a platter with lettuce, pile on the dressed chicken salad, and garnish with chives or extra scallion.
- Serve the pastina soup alongside, topped with grated cheese.
- Presenter preference: serve the chicken salad at room temperature (not cold).

Chef tips, technique notes & common pitfalls

Use boneless thigh for more flavor and quicker, forgiving cooking; breast can be substituted.
Add zucchini (or other quick-cooking veg) at the same time as the chicken so it cooks through but doesn’t overcook.
The short boil then covered resting method (3–5 minutes boil, then 30–45 minutes covered off the heat) prevents overcooking and yields tender chicken.
Pastina is used to thicken the broth; expect additional thickening as the soup cools.
Crush garlic into a puree (or use a press) so it integrates better in the dressing.
Don’t worry about a separated vinaigrette — a shiny, separated vinaigrette is normal.

Variations

Protein: use chicken breast instead of thigh.
Aromatics: use scallion in place of leek, or more onion if no leek is available.
Vegetables: substitute or add carrot or other fridge vegetables for zucchini.
Dressing: use mayonnaise for a more conventional chicken salad.
Cheese: Parmesan can substitute for Swiss in the soup.