3medium baking potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
114.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, including the juice
1whole chicken, about 4 to 4.5 pounds, giblets removed
1/2cupchopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
8garlic cloves, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2teaspoonscrushed red pepper, optional
8ouncesditalini pasta
Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
Prep the vegetables: the onion, celery, carrots, bell peppers and potatoes.
Remove the giblets from the chicken and pat dry with a clean paper towel. Place the whole chicken into a large soup pot.
Add the chopped vegetables to the soup pot.
Add water to the pot (about 6 to 7 cups) to cover the chicken and vegetables.
Bring the soup pot to a boil on high. Using a spoon, skim off any foam that rises to surface (you’ll need to do this every so often while the soup is cooking).
Add parsley, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper to the soup pot.
Reduce heat to medium low. Allow the soup to cook at a simmer for about 1.5 hours, partially covered with a lid, until the chicken is cooked through.
In a separate smaller pot, bring water to a boil and cook the ditalini pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Remove chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. Allow for it to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the pot of soup simmering and add more water (about 2-3 cups), if you want.
Remove the skin from the chicken. Separate meat from the bones. Cut up the chicken using a knife. Set aside.
Using a potato masher, mash some potatoes in pot, this will thicken the broth slightly.
Serve the soup with chicken, pasta and parmesan cheese.
Notes
If you’re storing your leftovers in the fridge, I like to save the soup separate from the chicken and the pasta and when I go to reheat it, I add the chicken and pasta to the bowl.If you’re storing your leftovers in the freezer, add the chicken and the pasta to the soup and then portion into containers. Label the containers with the date and the recipe name. I use the defrost function on my microwave and then heat on 100% power. (Sometimes after defrosting, I will add additional water to the soup before heating on 100%.) Add parmesan cheese and enjoy when you’re craving soup!