Chicken & Zucchini Soup
Chicken and zucchini soup built from scratch: a whole chicken simmered with parsnip, turnip, and lemon, then enriched with browned Italian sausage, pasta shells, and grated zucchini stirred in at the end.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
150 minREADY
180 minThis is an old-school chicken soup, the kind that starts with a whole bird in a stockpot. Onions, carrots, celery, parsnip, turnip, garlic, cloves, and a lemon slice simmer with the chicken for an hour, then the bones go back in for another forty-five minutes to pull every bit of flavor into the broth.
What makes this version different from a basic chicken soup is the second meat. Browned Italian sausage gets dropped into the strained stock, infusing it with fennel, garlic, and pork fat. Pasta shells go in next, and grated zucchini lands last so it stays bright and silky rather than mushy.
This is a project soup, not a weeknight dish. Block off the afternoon and you get back a deeply savory bowl with three textures: tender shredded chicken, snappy sausage bites, and ribbons of soft zucchini caught in the shells.
Pro Tips
- Skim the foam aggressively in the first ten minutes; a clear stock starts with clean simmering.
- Grate zucchini on the large holes of a box grater so it dissolves into ribbons but does not vanish.
- Cook the pasta shells right in the broth, not separately, so they soak up flavor.
- Make the stock a day ahead; the fat rises and lifts off cleanly once chilled.
Variations
- Use boneless thighs and good store-bought stock if you need a shortcut; simmer 30 minutes instead of two hours.
- Swap shells for orzo or ditalini for a more delicate bite.
- For a spicy version: use hot Italian sausage and add a pinch of crushed red pepper with the zucchini.
Ingredients
Directions
Place the chicken in a 6-quart pot.
Add all the ingredients through the parsnip, plus the parsley sprigs, lemon slice, peppercorns, and 1 teaspoon salt.
Add the chicken stock and enough water to cover the chicken by 2 inches.
Heat to boiling, skimming any residue as it gathers.
Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, 1 hour.
Remove the chicken from the stock and set the stock aside.
Allow the chicken to cool enough to handle, then carefully remove the meat from the bones and cut it into bite-size pieces.
Cover and reserve.
Return the bones and skin to the stock.
Return it to the boil; reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes.
Strain the stock into another pot, pressing the vegetables gently with the back of a spoon to release their juices.
Meanwhile, sauté the sausage pieces in a lightly oiled heavy skillet until well browned, about 8 minutes.
Drain on paper towels.
Add the sausages to the stock.
Heat to boiling; reduce the heat.
Simmer, uncovered, skimming any fat that rises to the surface, for 20 minutes.
Add the pasta shells; cook 10 minutes longer.
Add the zucchini and the reserved chicken; cook 5 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.
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