Description
A warm and hearty soup made with shredded chicken, acini di pepe pasta, and a medley of vegetables.
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)
- Kosher salt and black pepper (to taste)
- 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 adding shredded chicken)
- 1 Parmesan rind
- 1 cup* Acini di Pepe pasta (pastina)
- 1 rotisserie chicken (finely shredded, optional)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped)
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
- Extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
- Fresh basil or parsley (for garnish)
- Crusty bread (for serving)
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. Leave them as chunky or as broken down as you like.
- 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.
- Before tossing the tomato can, fill it with chicken stock, swirl it around, and pour it into the pot to get every bit of flavor. Add the remaining stock until you’ve used 32 ounces total.
- 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 the package directions (usually about 9 minutes).
- Remove the bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve.
- Stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken and chopped parsley. If needed, add about 1 additional cup of low-sodium chicken stock to loosen the soup.
- Bring back to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer for 2–3 minutes, just until the chicken is heated through.
Notes
- Flavor develops through the layering of ingredients and seasoning at each step.
- Adding more stock can help adjust the consistency depending on preference.
- Serve with crusty bread for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 60mg