Here is a great weeknight soup recipe for a cold night.  It is very flavorful, easy, and relatively kid-friendly!

This is my first Paula Deen recipe ever.  Most of her recipes use LOTS of butter but this one is very healthy.

I added some ditalini pasta to the soup to give it a little more heft.  Ditalini, which means “little thimbles” in Italian, is the pasta commonly found in pasta fagioli soup.  If you don’t want to add pasta to the soup, try adding some beans.

Don’t forget to buy the diced tomatoes that are seasoned with basil, garlic, and oregano.  These give a lot of the flavor to the soup.  Using plain diced tomatoes would result in a relatively bland soup.

Don’t forget some parmesan cheese for sprinkling and some crusty bread for dunking!

Italian Chicken and Vegetable Soup
Paula Deen

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1 3/4 pounds)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup sliced carrots (about 3 small)
• 2 1/2 cups sliced zucchini (about 2 medium)
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans chicken broth
• Grated Parmesan, optional

In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add onion and carrot, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in zucchini, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Top each serving with grated Parmesan, if desired.