ITALIAN CHICKEN SOUP WITH PASTA AND TOMATOES

Italian Chicken Soup with Pasta and Tomatoes image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Time 4h45m

Number Of Ingredients 14

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1 whole chicken (4 1/2 pounds), cut into 8 pieces with the backbone, plus 8 extra wings (1 1/2 pounds)
4 large sprigs parsley
2 large sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, plus freshly ground black pepper for seasoning
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds (1 cup)
1 cup chopped fennel
One 14.5-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
8 ounces cooked ditalini
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Red-pepper flakes and grated Parmesan, for serving

Steps:

Fill a large pot with 14 cups water, chicken pieces, backbone, wings, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Skim foam, reduce heat, and gently simmer for 25 minutes. Remove chicken (except wings); continue simmering while you discard skin and remove meat from bones. Cover meat and refrigerate; return bones to pot and simmer 3 1/2 hours more.
Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve and discard solids, including bones and wings. Skim fat and transfer broth to a clean pot. Add onions, carrots, fennel, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, 25 minutes.
Cut or tear reserved chicken into 3 cups of bite-size pieces. (You'll end up with an extra cup of meat; save it for a salad or a sandwich.) Add to broth, along with ditalini, basil, and lemon juice. Heat through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, top with red-pepper flakes and Parmesan, and serve.