Description
A hearty and flavorful Sicilian Chicken Noodle Soup featuring tender bone-in chicken thighs, a medley of vegetables, diced tomatoes, and ditalini pasta, simmered to perfection in a savory chicken broth and topped with fresh Italian parsley for a comforting and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 1.5 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 32 oz chicken stock
- 4 cups water
- 2 dry bay leaves
- 2 tsp salt (adjust based on stock and canned tomatoes)
- Salt and pepper to taste (added halfway through cooking)
Vegetables
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
- 1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
Pasta and Garnish
- 3/4 dry cup ditalini pasta
- 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Wash and dice all vegetables as specified. Gather the chicken thighs, chicken stock, water, bay leaves, and canned tomatoes. Set aside the pasta and fresh parsley for later use.
- Combine Base Ingredients: In a large pot, combine the chicken thighs, diced onion, celery, carrots, red and green bell peppers, peeled potatoes, minced garlic, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, chicken stock, and water. Stir gently to mix.
- Simmer Soup: Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling rapidly, reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered for 30 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and vegetables are tender. Halfway through the cooking time, taste the broth and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Cook Pasta: Remove the cooked chicken thighs from the soup and set them aside briefly. Add the ditalini pasta to the simmering soup, cover, and cook for an additional 13-15 minutes until the pasta is al dente and cooked through.
- Shred Chicken and Finish Soup: While the pasta cooks, shred the chicken meat, discarding the skin and bones. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to combine well with the soup.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle generously with freshly chopped Italian parsley for a bright, fresh finish. Serve hot.
Notes
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for maximum flavor and richness in the broth.
- Adjust salt carefully depending on the sodium content of your chicken stock and canned tomatoes.
- For a thicker soup, use less water or cook uncovered briefly at the end to reduce the liquid.
- Ditalini pasta works best for this soup due to its size and texture, but small pasta shapes like elbow macaroni can be substituted.
- Discard chicken skin and bones after shredding to avoid toughness and unwanted texture.
- Add fresh parsley at the end to retain its vibrant color and flavor.
