Sicilian Chicken Soup

This Sicilian Chicken Soup recipe happens to be an old family favorite. My mom was the one who taught me how to make this one, and her grandmother made it before that. 

However, I’ve recently learned that Carrabba’s Italian Grill has a Sicilian chicken noodle soup recipe on the menu that is very similar, and everyone loves it. So, this can also serve as a copycat version of Carraba’s chicken soup.

Also, check out my delicious Gluten Free Zuppa Toscana, Pizza Soup, and all of my gluten free soup recipes.

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

• One-pot! Everything cooks in one pot for easy preparation and clean-up.
• Delicious. Adding tomato sauce and Italian seasoning makes this Sicilian chicken soup the most flavorful recipe. 
• Nourishing. There’s no better soup to eat when feeling under the weather. It’s also low carb, high-protein, and naturally gluten-free or use gf pasta if you want to serve it over pasta.
• Make-ahead. Make this on Sunday for the week, or freeze it for dinners down the road.

Ingredients

• White or yellow onions, carrots, celery ribs, and garlic cloves. This is the base for this Sicilian soup recipe. 
• Italian seasoning. This homemade Italian seasoning is my favorite to use in Italian recipes; you can also purchase store-bought Italian seasoning. If you don’t have either, swap in some dried oregano, dried basil, or any Italian spices.
• Chicken breast. My mother and grandmother used bone-in chicken breasts with the skin. However, I don’t particularly appreciate finding bones in my soup, so I stick with boneless chicken breasts.
• Chicken stock. High-quality chicken stock will give this Italian chicken soup the best flavor. You can also use chicken bone broth to get more nourishing benefits. Check the label to ensure that it’s gluten free.
• Canned tomato sauce. This is the key ingredient to turning a chicken soup Italian; tomato sauce gives the soup a rich, delicious flavor. Use a high-quality canned tomato sauce that doesn’t include high fructose corn syrup, additives, or hidden gluten.
• Gluten free pasta. You can enjoy this soup without noodles but serving it over a short gluten free pasta is outstanding. Jovial GF shells or elbow pasta works great with soup. If you can find GF ditalini pasta that’s also delicious!
• Parmesan cheese. Grating fresh parmesan cheese on top of a hot bowl of Sicial chicken soup is a must!

How to Make Sicilian Chicken Soup

• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 5 1/2 quart Dutch oven or large soup pot. Add the carrot, celery, and onion and saute until the onion is translucent about 5 minutes. The carrots and celery will continue to cook in the broth.
• Stir in the garlic and cook it until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
• Add the chicken breast with veggies, and then pour the chicken stock and tomato sauce into the pot. Give the soup ingredients a couple of stirs.

• Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. 
• Carefully remove the chicken and set it aside until it’s cool enough to handle. Shred or chop the chicken into small bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken back into the soup and cook for another 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft—taste for salt and pepper.

• Prepare the GF pasta separately according to the package instructions. 
• Place pasta into a bowl and then ladle the soup over the top. Grate fresh parmesan cheese over the top.

Supplies

• 5 ½ quart Dutch oven or Large Soup Pot
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board

Substitutions

• This Italian chicken soup is very versatile; you can add just about any vegetable to it. I’ve added leeks, mushrooms, broccoli, green bell pepper, red bell peppers,  zucchini, spinach, and kale.
• Use a low-sodium chicken broth or stock if you’re watching your sodium intake.
• I don’t recommend cooking the gluten-free pasta in with the soup; this will make the pasta mushy. Instead, cook it separately and add it to individual bowls when ready to eat.
• If you have leftover shredded chicken, you can add that instead of preparing the chicken in the soup.
• You can also swap in boneless skinless chicken thighs for breasts in this Sicilian chicken soup recipe. 
• Use diced tomatoes. I love the richness of tomato sauce in this Sicilian soup recipe, but if you want more texture, add a can of diced tomatoes with all the juices. You can also use fire-roasted diced tomatoes for extra flavor.
• Use other dry herbs like thyme, parsley, rosemary, basil, or bay leaves for a nice flavor.
• Add diced or chopped potatoes to cook in the soup. I reccomend yellow potatoes instead of russet because they have a creamier texture.
• Create a spicy italian soup by adding a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Serving suggestions

A slice of gluten free garlic bread is the best side to serve with a hot bowl of sicilian chicken soup or with a Gluten Free Ceasar Salad.

I also love serving Italian chicken soup with freshly ground black pepper, it’s delicious!

Storage Tips

This Sicilian Chicken Soup stores and reheats perfectly, so it’s great to make ahead of time for a healthy dinner during the week or later. Whether you store it in the fridge or freezer, I recommend keeping the pasta separate, so it doesn’t get mushy.

For the week. After the soup cools, place it into an airtight container and store it in the fridge.

Reheat the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave. You can also prep ahead the vegetables to cook in the soup later in the week.

For the freezer. After the soup cools, place it into an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for 4 to 6 months. I recommend freezing the soup into portion-control servings, making it easier to have dinner or lunch ready to cook. You can also use Souper Cubes to freeze the soup into individual portions.

Reheat the soup on the stovetop or microwave. To reduce the cooking time, take the soup out of the freezer the night before and let it thaw in the fridge.