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–+ servings

Homemade Authentic Italian Chicken Soup

Course Soups
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 139
Author Christina Conte
A light, delicate brothy soup that is an authentic way Italian chicken soup is made.

Equipment

  • 1 8 quart pot/ 7 ½ liter (optional)

Ingredients

  • 1 whole organic chicken (2 ½ to 3 lbs/ 1 to 1 ½ kg, or some necks and backs)
  • 4 quarts water
  • 2 tsp Kosher salt (or sea salt, to taste)
  • ½ cup pastina (such as acini de pepe, or orzo)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Wash the chicken, remove and wash the giblets and neck, if included, and place everything in a large pot. Fill about ¾ full of water, add salt, place over medium high heat, and bring to a boil.
  • When scum starts to appear, remove it with a spoon, and discard. Lower the temperature, so that the soup is simmering gently.
  • Let the soup simmer for an hour to an hour and a half, then remove from heat.
  • Using a flat metal strainer, lift the chicken out of the pot and place on a plate. Remove the giblets and neck, if they are also in the soup.
  • Strain the broth into another pot, taste for salt, adding more to taste (I can guarantee that it will need more salt at this point) then place half of the broth into a container to freeze for another time. (Use the chicken to make chicken pot pie (recipe coming soon), chicken salad, or any way you like. You may also add some pieces of chicken to the soup.)
  • About 10 minutes before you want to serve the soup, cook the pastina in a separate pot until al dente (you can cook the pasta directly in the broth, but it will make the soup cloudy. If you don’t mind it not being clear, and you don’t want to wash another pot, just cook the pastina right in the broth.)
  • When the pastina is ready, drain the water and add it to the simmering broth. Add the stracciatella, if using. (Stracciatella recipe below.)
  • Taste for salt again, and add some black pepper if desired, and serve.

Notes

  • If you like a little more flavor, you can add a little Better Than Bouillon Chicken, however, if you used a good quality, organic chicken, this should be unnecessary. That’s all you need to do, and you’ll have another batch ready for another meal.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 bowl | Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 854mg | Potassium: 331mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
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