Description
Brodo di Pollo is a traditional Italian chicken noodle soup featuring a rich homemade chicken broth simmered with fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs, combined with tender shredded chicken, egg noodles, and a touch of parsley and olive oil for garnish. This comforting soup is perfect for a wholesome meal, delivering simple yet deep flavors through slow simmering.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken or 2.5 to 3 lbs bone-in chicken pieces
- 3 large carrots, peeled
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 onion, quartered
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
Noodles and Garnish
- 6 oz egg noodles or tagliolini
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional, for drizzling)
Instructions
- Prepare the Broth: Place the whole chicken or chicken pieces into a large stockpot. Add peeled carrots, celery stalks, quartered onion, smashed garlic cloves, bay leaves, black peppercorns, and salt. Pour in enough cold water to cover the ingredients by about 2 inches, ensuring everything is submerged.
- Simmer the Stock: Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface. Let it simmer uncovered gently for 1.5 to 2 hours to extract flavor from the chicken and vegetables.
- Strain the Broth: Remove the chicken and vegetables from the pot. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into another clean pot to remove any solids, leaving a clear, flavorful stock.
- Prepare Chicken and Vegetables: Shred the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. Slice or chop the cooked carrots into smaller pieces. Discard the onion, garlic cloves, and bay leaves as they have imparted their flavor to the broth.
- Cook the Noodles: Bring the strained broth back to a gentle boil. Add the egg noodles or tagliolini to the broth and cook according to package instructions, generally about 3-5 minutes, until al dente.
- Combine and Heat Through: Return the shredded chicken and sliced carrots to the pot with the cooked noodles and broth. Simmer briefly to warm everything through. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt if necessary.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and drizzle with olive oil if desired for an added layer of richness. Serve immediately for a comforting meal.
Notes
- Use bone-in chicken pieces or a whole chicken to develop a richer broth full of collagen and flavor.
- Skimming the foam during simmering ensures a clearer, cleaner broth.
- Customize the soup by adding other vegetables or herbs like thyme or rosemary for variation.
- Leftover broth can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Egg noodles can be substituted with gluten-free or whole grain noodles based on dietary preferences.
