Gather the Goods

1 whole 3-4# roaster chicken

1 gallon water

10 garlic cloves, grated

2 onions, medium to large dice

3 medium carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick

3 ribs celery, sliced 1/2 inch thick

2 large potatoes, small dice

1 teaspoon garlic powder

kosher or sea salt

3 cups spinach or a medium bunch of escarole, chopped

Your favorite chicken meatballs ( I will try not to judge if they aren’t homemade…okay?)

1/2 pound baby shells, cooked

lots of parmesan for sprinkling

freshly cracked black pepper

Make It

Place everything into a large pot except the greens, pasta, and meatballs. Season with your liking of salt. Bring the chicken soup mixture up to a boil and lower to a simmer. Let this cook for up to 2 hours.
Remove the chicken from the soup and allow to cool slightly. At this point you can add your greens and chicken meatballs. The greens will begin to wilt in seconds and the meatballs (if raw) will be robust and float to the top. Follow package instructions otherwise.
Pull the chicken off the bone and discard the bones and skin. Add back into the pot with the baby shells.
Plate up large bowls of soup. Sprinkle with black pepper and lots of cheese.