Italian Chicken Soup Recipe

This Italian Chicken Soup Recipe is a hearty and comforting recipe, which is made with a whole chicken, fresh vegetables, and a rich, creamy broth. It’s a satisfying one-pot meal, ready in about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

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Italian Chicken Soup Recipe Ingredients

• 1 box Ditalini Pasta (or other small pasta)
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil, divided
• 1 whole Cut Up Fryer Chicken
• 8 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 2 whole Green Bell Peppers, Diced
• 2 stalks Celery, Diced
• 2 whole Fresh Jalapenos, Diced
• 1 can (28-ounce) Can Whole Tomatoes
• 2 cups Heavy Cream
• 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 Tbsp. Minced Fresh Oregano
• Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste
• Parmesan Cheese Shavings, For Serving

How To Make Italian Chicken Soup

1. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ditalini pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
2. Cook the chicken: Place the cut-up chicken pieces in a large pot or Dutch oven and cover with the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, turn off the heat and leave the chicken in the hot broth, still covered, for another 30 minutes to finish cooking gently.
3. Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken pieces from the broth and set them on a plate to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, shred the meat from the bones. Discard the bones and skin. Set the shredded chicken aside. Reserve the broth in the pot.
4. Sauté the vegetables: In a large, clean skillet (or you can strain the broth into a separate container and use the same pot), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, green peppers, celery, and jalapenos. Sauté for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and golden brown.
5. Combine the soup: Pour the reserved chicken broth into the skillet with the vegetables. Add the shredded chicken. Dice the canned tomatoes and add them to the pot along with all their juice. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
6. Make the oregano oil and finish: In a small skillet, gently heat the 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil and the minced fresh oregano for about one minute over low heat until fragrant. Be careful not to burn it. Pour the oregano oil into the soup.
7. Add final touches: Stir the cooked pasta and the heavy cream into the soup. Stir to combine and heat through, but do not let it boil again. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
8. Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve with a generous amount of Parmesan cheese shavings on top.

Recipe Tips

• How to get the most tender chicken? The method of simmering and then resting the chicken in the hot broth is a gentle cooking technique that results in incredibly tender, juicy shredded chicken.
• Time-saving shortcut: To make this soup on a busy weeknight, you can use a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Simply shred the meat and add it to the soup with the broth in step 5.
• Can I cook the pasta in the soup? It’s not recommended. Small pasta shapes like ditalini will absorb a lot of the broth and can become mushy if cooked directly in the soup, especially in leftovers. Cooking it separately keeps the pasta perfectly al dente.
• How to control the spice level? For a milder soup, be sure to remove the seeds and white membranes from the fresh jalapenos before dicing them. For a completely non-spicy version, you can omit them entirely.

What To Serve With Italian Chicken Soup

This hearty soup is a complete meal in a bowl. It’s perfect served with:

• Warm, crusty Italian bread for dipping
• A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette
• Cheesy garlic breadsticks

How To Store Italian Chicken Soup

Refrigerate: Let the soup cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Note that the pasta will continue to absorb some of the liquid overnight, making the soup thicker. Reheat: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. You may want to add an extra splash of chicken broth or cream to thin it out to your desired consistency.

Italian Chicken Soup Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 650kcal
• Carbohydrates: 45g
• Protein: 35g
• Fat: 38g
• Saturated Fat: 18g
• Sodium: 1100mg
• Fiber: 5g
• Sugar: 10g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving and may vary based on specific ingredients used.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Chicken Soup Recipe
• Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup Recipe
• Tuscan Bean Soup with Shrimp Recipe