Recipe: Chicken Soup with a Whole Stuffed Chicken (Zuppa Di Pollo Ripieno, Italian)

CHICKEN SOUP WITH A WHOLE STUFFED CHICKEN
(ZUPPA DI POLLO RIPIENO)

"Sundays were the most wonderful food days when we were growing up. It was the day of our big meal! The preparations that began early in the morning filled the entire house with the most enticing aromas. The process was interrupted briefly at eleven, when we went to church, and resumed again an hour or so later. At three that afternoon, the much anticipated feast was served. We often enjoyed this chicken soup as both the first and second courses. Everyone loved the stuffing-so my mother always had to make more than would he needed for stuffing the chicken and bake it separately in an enormous white dish. The soup was served first, followed by the carved chicken accompanied by the stuffing and a crisp, fresh green salad. Nostalgia aside, I think this is one of the best soups in this book."

FOR THE STUFFING:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Giblets (gizzard, liver, and heart) from 1 chicken (see below), finely chopped
1/2 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/4 cup finely chopped cured ham, prosciutto, or pork sausage removed from casing
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

FOR THE SOUP:
1 broiler chicken (3 pounds)
8 cups water
3 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 medium ribs celery with leaves, thinly sliced
1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup long-grain rice, uncooked
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

TO PREPARE THE STUFFING:
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken giblets, onion, and cured ham, if using. Saute until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, scraping the skillet with a rubber spatula. Add the bread crumbs, egg, cheese, raisins, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and prosciutto or sausage (if not using the ham) and mix thoroughly.

TO PREPARE THE SOUP:
Rinse the chicken thoroughly in cold water, both inside and out. Remove as much fat as you can. Pat dry with paper towels.

Place the stuffing in the chicken's body cavity, and close both neck and body openings with metal skewers. Use kitchen string to tie the legs together and the wings to the body. Place the stuffed chicken in a large soup pot.

Add the water, carrots, celery, onion, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a very slow but steady simmer and cook 4 to 5 minutes, skimming off any foam rising to the top. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour. Carefully remove the chicken and place it on a platter. Keep warm by covering with a clean kitchen towel or aluminum foil.

Add the rice to the soup pot and cook, covered, until the rice is al dente (tender hut still firm to the bite), 15 minutes. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and serve accompanied by the grated cheese.

TO SERVE THE CHICKEN:
Scoop out the stuffing and slice it. Cut up the chicken and serve as a second course, along with the stuffing.

Makes 6 servings
Source: Good and Garlicky, Thick and Hearty, Soul-Satisfying, More-Than-Minestrone Italian Soup Cookbook by Joe Famularo