Email to Cat      

Italian Chicken Soup

Source of Recipe

From "Cook With Me" by Alex Guarnaschelli


Recipe Introduction

"This is loosely based on a childhood favorite of mine, stracciatella ('little rags') soup. The 'little rags' refers to the eggs that are swirled into the soup and cooked in the broth, looking like little rags. It's hearty, flavorful, and easy to put together. What makes the flavor of this soup so special is the use of a whole chicken cooked in the pot to yield a rich, clean broth. The secret is not to overcook the chicken, so you can put all the meat back into the broth. The salt comes more from the Parmesan cheese than from salt itself. I even tried this recipe subbing in my Thanksgiving turkey after almost all of the meat had been carved from it. Acini di pepe ('seeds of pepper') is a very small pasta that almost looks like pearl couscous. If you can't find it, use any tiny pasta, any shape."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
â—¦ 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick rounds
â—¦ 3 medium celery stalks, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
â—¦ 24 pearl or other small onions, peeled if fresh, thawed if frozen, halved
â—¦ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 1 (3 ½- to 4-pound) whole chicken
â—¦ 1 small bunch fresh thyme, stems tied together with string
â—¦ 6 cups chicken stock, store-bought or homemade
â—¦ 8 ounces acini di pepe pasta
â—¦ ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
â—¦ 2 cups fresh baby spinach


Recipe

In a pot that's large enough to hold the chicken, add the olive oil along with the carrots, celery, and onions. Season the vegetables generously with salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions become translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the chicken, thyme, stock, and water to cover (2 to 3 cups). Bring to a gentle simmer, skimming the surface with a ladle or shallow spoon as impurities rise up, and then reduce the heat to low and cook slowly until the thickest part of the chicken thigh reaches an internal temperature of 165° F and the juices at the thigh joint run clear, 50 to 55 minutes.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and season it with a generous handful of salt. The water should taste like seawater. Drop the pasta into the water and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Drain the pasta in a fine-mesh strainer.

Taste the chicken stock and adjust the seasoning as needed. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a large bowl. Let it cool for a few minutes and then remove and discard the skin. Remove the breast and thigh meat, taking care that there are no bones, and break the meat into bite-size pieces. Flake the meat off the wings as well.

Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Stir in the pasta. Season the chicken meat with salt and then stir it into the soup. Add the cheese and spinach, taste for seasoning, and serve hot.

Serves 4 to 6