Carrabba's Mama Mandola's Chicken Soup Recipe
Carrabba’s Mama Mandola’s Chicken Soup Recipe brings restaurant-quality comfort home — rich broth, tender chicken, and cozy Italian spices.
Equipment
- Large soup pot or Dutch oven
- A sharp knife and a cutting board.
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
- Fine mesh strainer (not compulsory, to have a clearer broth)
- Measuring cups and spoons.
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 3 celery stalks diced
- 3 medium carrots peeled and cut into dice.
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 entire bone in chicken approximately 3-4 pounds, without skin.
- 10 cups of ice water or sufficiently to cover the chicken
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed, optional, yet very recommended
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Optional Add-Ins:
- 1 medium potato cut into dice (to be really hearty)
- 1 cup ditalini pasta or orzo to make it a more substantial one
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
Step 1: Sauté the Aromatics
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add onions, celery, a nd carrots. Cook on saute 5-7 minutes until the vegetables start to get soft and the onions become translucent.
- Then add the minced garlic and continue cooking it for another 30 seconds, but not longer, until it becomes fragrant - do not burn it. This action creates the backbone of that flavor, which is rich and aromatic.
Step 2: Build the Broth
- Put the entire chicken inside the pot and put it in the place of the vegetables. Add a full cup of water to cover the chicken completely. Thick slices of the bay leaves, oregano, basil, red pepper that has been crushed, and a large pinch of salt and pepper.
- Boil very gently in medium-high heat, then lower it to low and simmer uncovered until it has been cooking about 11/2 to 2 hours.
Step 3: Shred the Chicken
- After the chicken is completely cooked and tender, it should be carefully removed from the pot and put on a cutting board. Allow it to cool slightly, then remove the meat from the bones and shred it into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the shredded chicken back into the pot. Get rid of the bones and bay leaves. Taste the broth and add more seasoning- you may require an extra pinch of salt or a dollop of pepper.
Step 4: Optional Add-Ins
- Now is the time to add potatoes or pasta. Plunge them into the boiling broth and boil until tender (between 8 and 10 minutes for pots or pasta).
Step 5: Serve and Savor
- Pour the soup into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with Italian bread on the side.
- Take the initial swallow and feel warmed through to your very core. This is what comfort in a bowl feels like.