Best Carrabba's Chicken Soup
This recipe recreates the comforting and flavorful Carrabba's Chicken Soup at home. It features a rich homemade chicken broth simmered with fresh vegetables, herbs, and a touch of lemon for a restaurant-quality soup that warms you from the inside out. The soup is easily customizable to suit your taste preferences.
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- fine mesh sieve
- Large bowl or container
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces legs, thighs, or whole chicken cut into pieces
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 10 cups water or more, to cover
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded
- 1 cup ditalini pasta or other small pasta shape
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Juice of 1/2 lemon or to taste
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving optional
Instructions
- Place the chicken pieces in a large pot or Dutch oven.
- Add the quartered onion, chopped carrots, chopped celery, smashed garlic, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, and peppercorns to the pot.
- Pour in the water, ensuring the chicken is fully submerged. If needed, add more water.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 hours.
- Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or container. Discard the solids.
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat, discarding the skin and bones. Set aside 1 cup of shredded chicken for the soup. Save remaining chicken for other uses.
- Chill the broth in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight to solidify fat. Skim off the fat from the surface. This step is optional.
- In the same pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and sliced mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are tender and have released their moisture, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Pour the strained chicken broth into the pot. Add the shredded chicken. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the ditalini pasta to the simmering soup and cook according to the package directions, usually about 8-10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Stir in the chopped fresh parsley and lemon juice. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Ladle the hot soup into bowls.
- Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Don't skip the homemade broth for the best flavor. Use quality ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Chicken soup tastes even better the next day. Freeze for later storage in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. For salty soup, add a peeled potato to simmer, then remove before serving. For a bland soup, add a squeeze of lemon juice, Italian seasoning, or hot sauce. A clear broth is visually appealing, but cloudy broth doesn't affect the taste; avoid boiling too vigorously and skim scum for clearer broth.