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Active Time:30 minsTotal Time:1 hr 20 minsServings:6
Active Time:30 mins
Active Time:
30 mins
Total Time:1 hr 20 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 20 mins
Servings:6
Servings:
6
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But I will say, soup was never a staple in my Italian household, which may be surprising. Sure, I had my fair share of pastina when I was sick, but never in a broth, just with some butter and Parm. So full candid, when I tried Alex Guarnaschelli’s Stracciatella, it was my first time ever eating the soup—better yet, making it! My eyes were bigger than my skill set, so while I looked forward to building the grocery list and creating this traditional soup, I was nervous. The last thing I want is for my ancestors to be rolling in their graves.
That’s where my mom comes in. When I visited one weekend and chatted with her over a post-dinner cup of coffee, I mentioned my plan to make this soup. She stopped me right there and insisted that she would help me (as Italian mothers do). That same night, we went to the grocery store to grab the chicken and veggies, and restock on pantry staples, so we could try out the comforting dish right here, right now.
You would assume that cooking a whole chicken for a soup would make things complex, but it’s actually quite simple. And definitely worth the extra step, as the juicy flavors from the chicken are front and center in this soup. While Mom handled the chicken, I chopped up the veggies and grated the fresh cheese. The liquid gold bubbled on the stove as each ingredient was added in—and the best part is the soup’s namesake. The “little rags” of the beaten eggs forming onto the surface of the soup made this dish all the more gorgeous and unique. But the most important part, the taste: each spoonful was brothy, comforting and simply delicious, embracing the classic ingredients every time.
I ended up freezing this soup and reheating it for lunch throughout the week, and it held up beautifully. Make-ahead tip: If you know you’ll save a few servings for later, leave the cooked pasta on the side and add it to your bowl when you reheat. It’ll leave the pasta firm, not letting it get too soft after sitting in the soup—and you can serve yourself the exact amount of pasta you’d like to have in your bowl. Win-win!
Stracciatella is a traditional meal: my mom reminisced about when her own mother would make classic soups like this for the family. Classic yet timeless, I can see this soup being added to the seasonal rotation for colder months—and I definitely want to whip up another Grandma-approved dinner with my mom, as this experience was fulfilling for both my heart and my stomach.
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Ingredients
2tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil
3mediumcarrots, cut into 1-inch rounds
3mediumcelery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
24pearl onions, peeled
Kosher salt
Freshlyground black pepper
1(3½- to 4-pound)whole chicken
6cupschicken stock
6sprigsfresh thyme
8ouncesacini di pepepasta
3largeeggs, lightly beaten
½cupfinelygrated Parmesan cheese
DirectionsIn a pot large enough to hold the chicken, add the olive oil, carrots, celery, and onions. Season the vegetables generously with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the vegetables become translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the chicken, stock, and thyme along with 3 cups water. Bring to a gentle simmer, skimming the surface with a ladle as impurities rise. Reduce the heat to low and cook slowly until the thickest part of a chicken thigh reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the juices at the thigh joint run clear, 50 to 55 minutes.Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and season with a generous handful of salt. It should taste like seawater. Drop the pasta in the water and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Drain the pasta in a fine-mesh strainer.Taste the chicken broth and adjust the seasoning. Use a slotted spoon and a pair of tongs to transfer the chicken to a large bowl. Let it cool for a few minutes and then remove and discard the skin. Remove the breast and thigh meat, taking care that there are no bones, and break the meat into bite-size pieces. Flake the meat off the wings.Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and heat the soup until piping hot. While stirring so the liquid is moving, gently stir in the eggs so they cook. Stir in the pasta. Season the chicken meat with salt and then stir it into the soup, along with the spinach and cheese, and serve.NoteTo analyze the nutrition for this recipe, we estimated 1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon kosher salt for seasoning the vegetables, salting the water and seasoning the chicken meat and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.Nutrition InformationServing Size: about 2½ cupsCalories 458, Fat 15g, Saturated Fat 4g, Cholesterol 203mg, Carbohydrates 36g, Total sugars 5g, Added sugars 0g, Protein 41g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 1,104mg, Potassium 728mgEatingWell.com, October 2024
Directions
In a pot large enough to hold the chicken, add the olive oil, carrots, celery, and onions. Season the vegetables generously with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the vegetables become translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the chicken, stock, and thyme along with 3 cups water. Bring to a gentle simmer, skimming the surface with a ladle as impurities rise. Reduce the heat to low and cook slowly until the thickest part of a chicken thigh reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the juices at the thigh joint run clear, 50 to 55 minutes.Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and season with a generous handful of salt. It should taste like seawater. Drop the pasta in the water and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Drain the pasta in a fine-mesh strainer.Taste the chicken broth and adjust the seasoning. Use a slotted spoon and a pair of tongs to transfer the chicken to a large bowl. Let it cool for a few minutes and then remove and discard the skin. Remove the breast and thigh meat, taking care that there are no bones, and break the meat into bite-size pieces. Flake the meat off the wings.Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and heat the soup until piping hot. While stirring so the liquid is moving, gently stir in the eggs so they cook. Stir in the pasta. Season the chicken meat with salt and then stir it into the soup, along with the spinach and cheese, and serve.NoteTo analyze the nutrition for this recipe, we estimated 1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon kosher salt for seasoning the vegetables, salting the water and seasoning the chicken meat and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.Nutrition InformationServing Size: about 2½ cupsCalories 458, Fat 15g, Saturated Fat 4g, Cholesterol 203mg, Carbohydrates 36g, Total sugars 5g, Added sugars 0g, Protein 41g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 1,104mg, Potassium 728mg
In a pot large enough to hold the chicken, add the olive oil, carrots, celery, and onions. Season the vegetables generously with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the vegetables become translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the chicken, stock, and thyme along with 3 cups water. Bring to a gentle simmer, skimming the surface with a ladle as impurities rise. Reduce the heat to low and cook slowly until the thickest part of a chicken thigh reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the juices at the thigh joint run clear, 50 to 55 minutes.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and season with a generous handful of salt. It should taste like seawater. Drop the pasta in the water and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Drain the pasta in a fine-mesh strainer.
Taste the chicken broth and adjust the seasoning. Use a slotted spoon and a pair of tongs to transfer the chicken to a large bowl. Let it cool for a few minutes and then remove and discard the skin. Remove the breast and thigh meat, taking care that there are no bones, and break the meat into bite-size pieces. Flake the meat off the wings.
Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and heat the soup until piping hot. While stirring so the liquid is moving, gently stir in the eggs so they cook. Stir in the pasta. Season the chicken meat with salt and then stir it into the soup, along with the spinach and cheese, and serve.
NoteTo analyze the nutrition for this recipe, we estimated 1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon kosher salt for seasoning the vegetables, salting the water and seasoning the chicken meat and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.
Note
To analyze the nutrition for this recipe, we estimated 1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon kosher salt for seasoning the vegetables, salting the water and seasoning the chicken meat and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.
Nutrition InformationServing Size: about 2½ cupsCalories 458, Fat 15g, Saturated Fat 4g, Cholesterol 203mg, Carbohydrates 36g, Total sugars 5g, Added sugars 0g, Protein 41g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 1,104mg, Potassium 728mg
Nutrition Information
Serving Size: about 2½ cupsCalories 458, Fat 15g, Saturated Fat 4g, Cholesterol 203mg, Carbohydrates 36g, Total sugars 5g, Added sugars 0g, Protein 41g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 1,104mg, Potassium 728mg
Serving Size: about 2½ cups
Calories 458, Fat 15g, Saturated Fat 4g, Cholesterol 203mg, Carbohydrates 36g, Total sugars 5g, Added sugars 0g, Protein 41g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 1,104mg, Potassium 728mg
EatingWell.com, October 2024
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