Sicilian chicken soup is a big pot of tender shredded chicken, potatoes, carrots, celery, yellow pepper and tomatoes in a light, savory broth, with little tubes of ditalini pasta and fresh parsley. It is a comforting dinner for a cold evening or a day when someone in the house has the sniffles and wants soup.
How to make Sicilian chicken soup: Put bone-in chicken thighs, onion, celery, carrots, bell pepper, potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves and salt in a large pot with chicken stock and water. Simmer 30 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F. Take out the chicken and shred it while ditalini cooks in the soup for 13 to 15 minutes. Return the meat and stir in parsley.
Why You’ll Love It
- One pot. The chicken, the vegetables and the pasta all cook together.
- Nothing to brown. Everything goes into the pot raw and simmers.
- Full of vegetables. Six kinds, plus tomatoes.
- A big batch. The pot makes 8 servings.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken thighs. Four bone-in, skin-on thighs, about 2 pounds. The skin and bones come out before serving.
Onion, celery and carrots. One medium onion (about 1 cup chopped), 3 celery ribs (about 2 cups) and 3 medium carrots (about 1 1/2 cups).
Yellow bell pepper. One large, chopped.
Russet potatoes. Two medium, 1 pound in all, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes.
Garlic. Four cloves, chopped.
Diced tomatoes. One 14.5-ounce can, with no salt added.
Chicken stock and water. One 32-ounce carton of low-sodium stock plus 4 cups of water. You can use more stock in place of the water.
Ditalini pasta. A 1/2 cup, dry.
Italian parsley. A 1/2 cup, fresh and chopped, stirred in at the end.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on (about 2 pounds)
- 1 onion, medium, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 celery ribs, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 3 carrots, medium, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 yellow bell pepper, large, chopped
- 2 russet potatoes, medium (1 pound total), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces), no salt added
- 2 bay leaves, dried
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 carton chicken stock (32 ounces), low-sodium
- 4 cups water, or chicken stock
- 1/2 cup ditalini pasta, dry
- 1/2 cup Italian parsley, fresh, chopped
- Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
How to Make Sicilian Chicken Soup
1. Fill the pot. In a soup pot of at least 6 quarts, combine the chicken, onion, celery, carrots, bell pepper, potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves and salt.
2. Simmer the chicken. Add the chicken stock and water and season with black pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender and comes away easily from the bones. Check that the chicken reaches 165°F with a food thermometer before removing it with tongs.
3. Cook the pasta. Add the ditalini to the soup. Cook, partially covered, for 13 to 15 minutes, until tender, stirring a couple of times so it does not stick.
4. Shred the chicken. While the pasta cooks, shred the chicken with two forks, discarding the skin and bones. Return the meat to the pot. Check that the vegetables, especially the potatoes, are done.
5. Finish. Discard the bay leaves, stir in the parsley and serve.
Should the Ditalini Cook in the Soup or Separately?
This recipe cooks it in the soup. The dry pasta goes into the pot after the chicken comes out and simmers there for 13 to 15 minutes, while you shred the meat. It is one less pot to wash.
There is another way. You can boil the pasta in its own pot, following the package directions, and let each person spoon as much as they like into their bowl before the soup is ladled over. That lets everyone choose their own amount.
| Method | How | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| In the soup (this recipe) | Add dry ditalini to the pot after removing the chicken | 13 to 15 minutes, partially covered, stirring a couple of times |
| Separately | Boil in its own pot and add to each bowl | Follow the pasta package |
Do not use the 13 to 15 minutes for pasta cooked on its own. That time is for pasta simmering in this soup. For a separate pot, go by the box.
Tips for Success
How do I know the chicken is done?
It is tender, comes away easily from the bones, and reads 165°F on a food thermometer. Check the temperature before you take it out of the pot.
How big should I cut the potatoes?
Into 3/4-inch cubes. Check them at the end to be sure they are cooked through.
How big a pot do I need?
At least 6 quarts. There are 8 cups of liquid plus the chicken and vegetables.
Why stir the pasta?
Stir it a couple of times while it cooks so it does not stick to the bottom.
Is this the restaurant soup?
It is the same family of soup, with chicken, vegetables, tomatoes and small pasta, but I am not calling it an exact copy of any restaurant’s recipe.
How Long Does It Take?
About 55 minutes: 10 minutes of chopping and 45 minutes of cooking, which covers the 30-minute simmer and the 13 to 15 minutes for the pasta. The recipe makes 8 servings.
Storage & Reheating
Do not leave the pot out to cool to room temperature. USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, in shallow, covered containers, and to use them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat leftover soup to 165°F.
What to Serve With It
For more chicken soup, try creamy chicken noodle soup, slow cooker lemon chicken and rice soup, crack chicken soup or 8-can chicken taco soup. For another tomato and noodle pot, there is slow cooker Amish tomato noodle soup. And for a thicker, cozier bowl, make chicken and dumplings with biscuits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should ditalini cook in the soup or separately?
This recipe cooks it in the soup for 13 to 15 minutes. You can also cook it separately by the package directions and add it to each bowl.
How should I refrigerate and reheat leftover chicken soup?
Refrigerate within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers, keep for 3 to 4 days, and reheat to 165°F.
Can I use all chicken stock?
Yes. The 4 cups of water can be replaced with chicken stock.
Do I leave the skin on the chicken?
It cooks with the skin on, but the skin and bones are discarded when you shred the meat.
Final Notes
I shred the chicken while the ditalini cooks, so the meat goes back into the pot at the same moment the pasta is tender. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Sicilian Chicken Soup
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Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on; about 2 pounds
- 1 onion medium, chopped; about 1 cup
- 3 celery ribs chopped; about 2 cups
- 3 carrots medium, chopped; about 1 1/2 cups
- 1 yellow bell pepper large, chopped
- 2 russet potatoes medium; 1 pound total, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 ounces, no salt added
- 2 bay leaves dried
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 carton chicken stock 32 ounces, low-sodium
- 4 cups water or chicken stock
- 1/2 cup ditalini pasta dry
- 1/2 cup Italian parsley fresh, chopped
- black pepper freshly ground, to taste
Instructions
- In a soup pot of at least 6 quarts, combine the chicken, onion, celery, carrots, bell pepper, potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves and salt.
- Add the chicken stock and water and season with black pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender and comes away easily from the bones. Check that the chicken reaches 165°F with a food thermometer before removing it with tongs.
- Add the ditalini to the soup. Cook, partially covered, for 13 to 15 minutes, until tender, stirring a couple of times so it does not stick.
- While the pasta cooks, shred the chicken with two forks, discarding the skin and bones. Return the meat to the pot. Check that the vegetables, especially the potatoes, are done.
- Discard the bay leaves, stir in the parsley and serve.
