Sicilian Chicken Soup - Yum!

We served our soup with freshly baked
Almost No-Knead Oat Bread.

Crissy Cook, manager at Abilene’s Elks Club, offered Sicilian Chicken Soup at the club recently. Is was SO good that Barry and I just had to have more. An internet search lead me to a recipe from Carrabba's Italian Grill's,  "Recipes from Around Our Family Table,” that I used as a guide when making this colorful and flavorful soup. It’s delicious!
By the way, Crissy has been offering a soup on Wednesday nights . . . and they are always YUMMY. 

Sicilian Chicken Soup     About 6 to 8 servings   

About 2 to 3 lbs. chicken parts (breasts, thighs, etc. – your preference)

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes

4 to 6 cups+ chicken broth (could use part water)

2 to 3 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning+

2 to 3 tablespoons dried parsley+ or about ¼ cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley+

½  yellow onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 celery ribs, diced

2 carrots, diced

½ to 1 orange or red bell peppers, diced

1 large russet potatoes, peeled & diced                       

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

About 1 cup acini di pepe pasta

1. To a large soup pot, add chicken parts, tomatoes and at least enough chicken broth to cover chicken. Season with dried Italian seasoning and dried parsley (if using fresh parsley, wait and add it near the end of cooking time). Add lid and cook over low to medium heat until chicken is fall off the bone tender, about 45 minutes. Remove chicken and separate bones from meat; chop and re-add to soup base.
   
2. Add onion, garlic, peppers, celery and carrots; continue to cook until vegetables are almost tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Add potatoes and cook until almost tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Check seasonings adding salt and pepper as needed + additional parsley and Italian seasonings as needed. Add more liquid (chicken broth or water) as needed so there will enough to cook the pasta.
   
4. During last 5 to 8 minutes of cooking time, just before ready to serve, add pasta and cook just until tender.
   

Recipe without photos . . .

Sicilian Chicken Soup     About 6 to 8 servings    

About 2 to 3 lbs. chicken parts (breasts, thighs, etc. – your preference)

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes

4 to 6 cups+ chicken broth (could use part water)

2 to 3 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning+

2 to 3 tablespoons dried parsley+ or about ¼ cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley+ 

½  yellow onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 celery ribs, diced

2 carrots, diced

½ to 1 orange or red bell peppers, diced

1 large russet potatoes, peeled & diced                       

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

About 1 cup acini di pepe pasta

1. To a large soup pot, add chicken parts, tomatoes and at least enough chicken broth to cover chicken. Season with dried Italian seasoning and dried parsley (if using fresh parsley, wait and add it near the end of cooking time). Add lid and cook over low to medium heat until chicken is fall off the bone tender, about 45 minutes.Remove chicken and separate bones from meat; chop and re-add to soup base.
2. Add onion, garlic, peppers, celery and carrots; continue to cook until vegetables are almost tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Add potatoes and cook until almost tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Check seasonings adding salt and pepper as needed + additional parsley and Italian seasonings as needed. Add more liquid (chicken broth or water) as needed so there will enough to cook the pasta.
4. During last 5 to 8 minutes of cooking time, just before ready to serve, add pasta and cook just until tender.