Chicken Minestrone Soup

• 6 chicken thighs
• 8 cups water
• celery & leaves
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup acini di pepe pasta
• 3 cups celery, Chopped
• 3 cups carrots, Chopped
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon parsley flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 (11 1/2 ounce) cans V8 vegetable juice
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, Shredded

1. In dutch oven, combine chicken, water and baby celery w/leaves. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 4-5 hours. (This first step can be done in the crock pot, and you don't need quite as much water.) Remove chicken and celery from water. Discard skin, bones & celery. Tear chicken apart. Set aside.
2. If desired, remove some or all of the fat from water. If needed, add water and boullion cube to make 5 cups broth.
3. In small saucepan, boil 1/2 cup Acini di Pepe Pasta in water for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
4. Combine all ingredients but the pasta and cheese in a dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover. Simmer for 30 minutes adding in the pasta in the last 5 minutes.
5. Top each 1 cup serving with 1 Tbsp of Shredded Parmesan Cheese.

chicken, water, celery, chicken broth, acini, celery, carrots, salt, parsley flakes, pepper, vegetable juice, parmesan cheese

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/chicken-minestrone-soup-290076 (may not work)