Carrabba’s Spicy Chicken Soup
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.
Carrabba’s Spicy Chicken Soup is easily going down as my new go-to soup recipe! It’s layered with flavors and oh-so comforting!!!! Plus – I used leftover rotisserie chicken to make it even quicker.
This definitely isn’t anything like the old standard canned chicken noodle soup. This copycat version of Mama Mandola’s Sicilian Chicken Soup has delicious chunks of veggies and chicken – it gets better the longer you cook it too – and then you add the noodles right at the end so they don’t get mushy. It’s just so good!
How do you make Carrabba’s Spicy Chicken Soup?
It’s a simple recipe – but it does take about 2 hours – so make it on an afternoon when it’s gross outside and you want to stay warm and cozy inside!
- First – dice all the veggies (celery, carrots, onion, potato and bell pepper) and saute for 5 min until start to soften
- Next – add tomatoes, parsley, garlic and red pepper flakes (bump it up if you like it spicier!).
- Finally – add water and chicken broth. (I used leftover Turkey broth from Thanksgiving!)
- Bring soup to a boil, turn down heat and simmer for 1 hour.
- Mash some of vegetables in the bottom of the pot with a potato masher.
- What about the chicken? Add shredded chicken (or turkey) to soup and simmer for 30 minutes. Now’s the time to cook your pasta!
- Right before serving, add cooked ditali pasta (any pasta will do but Carrabba’s uses ditali)
Why is chicken soup good for colds?
Well – there has actually been a lot research done – testing drinking cold water, hot water and chicken soup – and the chicken soup wins! Plus the garlic and onion help boost your immunity too.
Can chicken noodle soup be keto?
I have a good friend – my girl Rhonda – that has to eat keto because of some health issues and I just left out the noodles for this recipe and gave it to her. You add the cooked noodles right at the end anyway – so I just made a container of the soup without the noodles for her! She LOVED it!!! The extra kick of spice won it over for her – and the fact that it’s not just a “broth”.
What to serve with Spicy Chicken Soup?
- Copycat Ruby Slipper Buttermilk Biscuits
- Copycat Olive Garden Signature Salad
- Cherries in the Snow Cheesecake (cuz who doesn’t need dessert!?!)
Other Yummy Soup Recipes
Copycat Carrabba’s Spicy Chicken Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 celery ribs diced
- 1 carrot peeled & diced
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 1 small russet potato peeled & diced
- 1/2 red pepper diced
- 1 14 oz can tomatoes drained & chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp parsley
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 5 cups water
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- 2 cups cooked ditali pasta
Instructions
- Dice celery, onion, carrots, potato and bell pepper into 1/4-1/2" pieces1 1/2 celery ribs, 1 carrot, 1/2 yellow onion, 1/2 red pepper, 1 small russet potato
- Heat dutch oven to medium high and add olive oil3 tbsp olive oil
- Once pan is hot, add celery, carrots, potato, onion and pepper. Saute for 5 min until vegetables start to soften
- Add tomatoes, parsley, oregano, garlic and red pepper flakes and stir1 14 oz can tomatoes, 1 tbsp parsley, 1 tbsp oregano, 2 tbsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- Add water and broth – cover and bring soup to a boil over medium low heat5 cups water, 2 cups chicken broth
- Partially cover pot and simmer for 1 hour
- Using a potato masher, mash some of the vegetables in the bottom of the pot
- Add chicken to soup and simmer 30 minutes more2 cups shredded chicken
- While chicken is simmering in soup- cook pasta2 cups cooked ditali pasta
- Right before serving, add cooked pasta
- Serve with freshly grated Parmesan
Chicken Soup for the soul right here! I am so hungry for this, it looks amazing and I wish I had some to slurp right now. I love the pasta, chicken and broth combo, yum!
This looks like total comfort food. I love the idea of a spicy soup too.
Such a comforting and soothing dish! Really like your suggestion to spice it up with chilli and pepper! Just what is needed on winter days!
This soup is a proper meal in itself with all those veggies and chicken. Delicious!
Carraba is my favorite fast Italian food place to eat, I never tried this but it looks so good I am going to make it at home! wow!
My Family Loved it. I am definitely sharing Guys, Thanks For sharing this Great Recipe. this recipe and this website with my friend. Hope they also love it. Thank you again for sharing such a great recipe.
Looks yummy! Could this be done in the crock pot?
Yes definitely! I would saute the onion/carrots/etc first – and then put it all in the crock pot together. I would add the cooked pasta right before serving – same as I say in the recipe. Enjoy!
Delicious
This might be the best soup I’ve ever made!! It is so full of flavor, it’s hard to believe. And a true, the longer you cook it the better!!! Simmer this soup for a few hours to really get all the flavors!
Aw yeah!!! Glad you loved it!
Oh my gosh, Best Soup Ever. Was feeling crummy so I wanted this soup but didn’t want to go out to get it. I was so happy to see this recipe so decided to try it. YES!!!
Love it and will be telling many others to try this. Thank you!!!
so glad you liked it!
Can I used low sodium chicken broth? Will I get same taste!
of course!
What do you mean by red pepper (bell pepper or chili pepper)?
bell pepper
Have you ever tried using white Pepper instead of chili flakes? I prefer it to add the spice.
No – I’m not always a big fan of ground pepper – but if that’s what you prefer – do it! Make it your own. 🙂
I’ve got this simmering right now. I love Carrabas chicken soup when I am sick, and we both have sinus infections. It’s too expensive to buy the amount I want (like 5 bowls).
Why does it need an hour and a half to simmer? I’ve never made a soup that cooks that long with the exception of beans.
Just gives the soup more time to have all the flavors meld together.
We were at Carabbas this weekend and this soup was amazing, so we immediately sought out a copy cat recipe and were excited to give this version a try. Had all ingredients at home ready to go so I quickly tossed it together, simmered as instructed and voila! It’s soup – savory and flavorful and just the right amount of warmth – enough for a meal served with warm bread or crackers. Delicious version. Thank you!
i’m so glad you liked it and that you thought it matched up!
I’m making it now but the ingredients had me sold. I think I’ll add some diced jalapeño because I love spicy. I don’t have a potato in the pantry. Oh well it should still be good.
Thank you for the recipe! I make soup at least once a week even in the summer because soup is very filling and usually pretty healthy and I never finish the rotisserie chicken that I buy so it gets repurposed into soup. This one will go in my rotation.
I hope you enjoy it!!!
Are the herbs 1T fresh or dried?
dried
Where did oregano go on? Haven’t eaten yet
updated – it goes in with the rest of the spices
I’m making this now and it smells delicious. Do I rinse the pasta?
Nope – no need
Does this soup freeze well??
Yes!!! It’s great!
If freezing do you add pasta before?
Yes – maybe undercook the pasta a bit as it will soak up the liquid a bit. you can always add some chicken broth or water when reheating.
Followed directions but my broth is bland. It has the spice just missing something. Any ideas what I can add to fix it?
you could add some Better Than Bouillon – garlic base is my favorite
Can you cook the pasta in the soup or do you have to cook it separately?
i cook it separately – if you cook in the soup – you would need to add more liquid because the pasta will absorb a decent amount.
We thought it was a little bland. I added more spices and better than bouillon. I did make it in the crock pot. Sautéed the veggies first. Then thru everything in the crock pot including uncooked chicken. I took it all out after it was cooked and let it cook on the stove top to reduce down and it was better. I think it really needs to be made in a Dutch oven like you did.
I used to work for Carrabba’s and have really been craving the soup. This recipe was spot on! Delicious and tastes just how wi remembered
I would like to know are these measurement in decimals for a reason. Am I to assume they are a fraction of a cup. I do not want a large quantity when there are only 2 of us. It doesn’t say if it the size of the vegetable. ALl Celery and carrots come in varies sizes. Sounds like people like the recipe but I am a beginner and have no idea what to purchase size wise. If it was in grams it would be a more actuate. I use a scale with most of my cooking. Help via email would be wonderful.
you’re making the portion smaller which is difficult for a soup – i would just cut in half and freeze or enjoy the leftovers. it’s delicious!!!! celery is all pretty much the same size. full size carrots also are pretty much the same size. sorry i don’t do grams.
My Only takeaway is that there is no mention of salt. The broth by itself needs an element of salt.
I made this soup tonight for supper. I let it simmer for between 21/2 – 3 hours. It is now my new favorite. My husband liked it too, we will have this again. Thank you so much for the recipe.