Spezzatino is an Italian vegetable stew that has meat in it. This one boasts small bites of chicken and a sprinkle of crunchy pancetta. I love artichokes, so I add them, along with the beans, to make this soup a meal.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　4 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

　　2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

　　2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

　　1 onion, diced

　　3 garlic cloves, halved

　　1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

　　1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

　　2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth

　　1/2 packed cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

　　2 tablespoons tomato paste

　　2 teaspoons dried thyme

　　1 bay leaf

　　2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (1 1/2 to 2 pounds total)

　　12 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and chopped into 1-inch pieces

　　1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

　　

Step 1

In a heavy 5- to 6-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, until brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta and set aside to drain on paper towels.

　　

Step 2

Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper to the pan and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, basil, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf. Add the chicken and press to submerge. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, turning the chicken over and stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Add the artichokes and cannellini beans and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid has reduced slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let cool for 5 minutes. Discard the skin and bones and cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Return the meat to the saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes, or until warmed through. Discard the bay leaf. Season the spezzatino with salt and pepper, if needed.

　　

Step 5

To serve, ladle the spezzatino into bowls and garnish with the pancetta.

　　Giada at Home by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2010 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.