Description
This comforting chicken soup is filled with tender vegetables, shredded rotisserie chicken, and delightful acini di pepe pasta, perfect for a cozy meal!
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped carrots (peeled)
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup sliced pepperoncinis (no juice)
- to taste Kosher salt
- to taste black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 14 ounce can cherry tomatoes
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- 32 ounces chicken stock (+ 1–2 cups more if you’re adding shredded chicken)
- 1 Parmesan rind
- 1 cup Acini di Pepe pasta (pastina)
- 1 rotisserie chicken (finely shredded, optional)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped)
- for serving Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- for drizzling Extra virgin olive oil
- for garnish Fresh basil or parsley
- for serving Crusty bread
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium to medium-low heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and sliced pepperoncinis. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Cook slowly for 10–15 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft and translucent with just a slight golden tint.
- Add the tomato paste and stir continuously over medium heat for 3–5 minutes until it deepens in color and smells rich and slightly sweet.
- Pour in the cherry tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon.
- Add the Italian seasoning, bay leaf, and another pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5–10 minutes.
- Fill the empty tomato can with chicken stock, swirl it around, and pour it into the pot. Add the remaining stock until you’ve used 32 ounces total. Season lightly again.
- Add the Parmesan rind and bring the soup back to a boil.
- Add the acini di pepe directly to the soup. Bring to a rolling boil and cook according to package directions (about 9 minutes).
- Remove the bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve as is.
- Stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken and chopped parsley. Add about 1 additional cup of low-sodium chicken stock to loosen the soup if needed.
- Bring back to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer for 2–3 minutes until the chicken is heated through.
Notes
- This soup can be made ahead of time and reheated when ready to serve.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the chicken and use vegetable broth.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 35mg