1-First, get your ingredients ready by peeling and dicing the onion, chopping the shallot, slicing the celery and yellow bell pepper, mincing the garlic, and dicing the carrots. This mise en place helps everything move smoothly so you can focus on cooking.

2-Next, heat the pot and sauté the aromatics. In a large pot over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter, then stir in the diced onion, finely chopped shallot, diced celery, and diced yellow bell pepper. Cook until the onions turn translucent, about 4-5 minutes, then add the minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.

3-Then, add the liquids and simmer. Pour in 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, the diced carrots, the Parmesan rind if you’re using it, and 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes until the veggies are tender.

4-Remove the rind and blend. Take out the Parmesan rind, then use a slotted spoon to set aside 2 cups of the diced vegetables. Blend the rest of the broth and vegetables in the pot with an immersion blender or carefully in a regular blender until smooth.

5-Add the pasta and cook. Stir in ⅓ cup uncooked pastina and bring the soup back to a boil, then simmer uncovered for about 9 minutes, following the pasta package instructions.

6-Mix in the rest. Add the reserved vegetables and 2½ to 3 cups rotisserie or leftover chicken, cover the pot, and let it rest for 20 minutes so the flavors blend and the pasta absorbs the broth.

7-Taste and season. Check the flavor and add more kosher salt if needed to make it just right.

8-Serve it up. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with grated Parmesan and finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme leaves for a fresh finish.