Canja de Galinha (traditional Portuguese chicken soup with small pasta)

Name: Canja de Galinha (traditional Portuguese chicken soup with small pasta)
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 500 g Chicken Legs; 80 g Pevide soup pasta; 1 un Onion; 2 un Carrot; 1 folha Bay Leaf; 20 ml Olive Oil; 2 c/ch Salt; 1 c/ch Black Pepper; 1 molho Parsley

Recipe by PlanMyMealsUpdated 6 October 2026

min: 55
portions: 4
protein/portion: 19 g

How many people?

The quantities below change with the number of portions.

4portions

Recipe written for 4 portions.

Canja de Galinha (traditional Portuguese chicken soup with small pasta) — The photograph is AI-generated and illustrates the dish. It is not a record of a cook we carried out.

Method

Put the chicken legs in a saucepan with 1.5 litres of water, the peeled onion, carrots in pieces, bay leaf and salt. Bring to the boil, reduce to low heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken reaches 74 °C in its thickest part, away from the bone.
Remove the chicken and carrots. Strain the broth through a fine sieve, discarding the bay leaf and onion. Measure 1.2 litres of broth, topping up with hot water if needed.
Remove the chicken skin and bones and shred the meat. Bring the broth back to the boil, add the small pasta and cook for the time on the packet, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Slice the cooked carrots and return to the broth with the chicken. Heat for 2 minutes.
Season with the pepper, add the chopped parsley and 20 ml of olive oil, and serve.