Start by dicing the celery, carrot, yellow onion, russet potato, and red bell pepper into small ¼”–½” pieces. This ensures that all the veggies cook evenly and quickly.

In your Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the diced celery, carrot, onion, potato, and red bell pepper. Sauté the vegetables for about 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften.

Next, stir in the chopped tomatoes, parsley, oregano, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes. Allow these ingredients to cook together for an additional 2–3 minutes. The aromatics will start to release their wonderful fragrances, adding depth to your soup.

Pour in 5 cups of water and 2 cups of chicken broth. Stir to combine, then cover the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-low heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and allow the soup to simmer, partially covered, for about 1 hour.

After simmering, use a potato masher to gently mash some of the softened vegetables at the bottom of the pot. This step adds a thicker, heartier texture to the soup without needing to blend it fully.

Stir in 2 cups of shredded chicken and allow the soup to simmer for an additional 30 minutes. This gives the chicken time to soak up all the spicy, savory flavors of the broth.

While the chicken simmers, cook your ditali pasta in a separate pot according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Just before serving, add the cooked pasta to the soup. Give everything a good stir to ensure the pasta is well distributed. Ladle the soup into bowls, and if you like, garnish with freshly grated Parmesan for a finishing touch.