Italian Chicken Soup

This is my mother's old world Italian recipe, handed down through the family that we make around the Holiday season. I remember as a child sitting around the table and eating for hours. This recipe is easy to make, and even easier to enjoy!

Chef Chuck's Italian Chicken Soup

1 whole chicken 3-5 pounds

4 cups water

4 cups organic chicken broth 

2 bay leaves

4 celery stalks sliced

 4 carrots sliced

 1 medium onion chopped

1/3 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

1/3 cup mozzarella cheese grated

1 cup small pasta or rice

Mini Meatballs

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs

1/2 cup parmigiana cheese, grated

2 eggs

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

4 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

For the meatballs, combine all ingredients and form small balls about 1/2 " in size. Heat olive oil in frying pan brown meatballs and add to finished soup. Makes about 50 great tasting meatballs. Rinse chicken thoroughly and remove neck and giblets, place in a large pot add bay leafs add water and broth bring to a boil and then cover with lid and simmer for about 1 hour. Remove whole chicken and shred meat and put back in pot. Add vegetables, parsley, salt and pepper cover and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes, then add meatballs. Cook pasta and set aside. Serve in bowls with a little pasta then soup and top with cheese. If you put the pasta in the soup pot it will get too mushy!

Enjoy with bread and a salad.

Buon Appetito