Ingredients
- Chicken:
- 500 g (1 lb) chicken thighs, skinless and boneless
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Soup:
- 30 g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large celery stalks, finely sliced (or substitute with 2 carrots)
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock/broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon kosher or cooking salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 250 g (8 oz) small pasta shells (or rice, potatoes, or other small pasta)
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream (or thickened cream)
- 2 packed cups baby spinach (or chopped kale)
- ½ cup sun-dried tomato strips, chopped (plus a bit of oil for drizzling)
- Soup Thickener:
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Season chicken with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sear chicken for 3 minutes on one side and 2 minutes on the other. Remove and set aside (it’s okay if the inside is still raw).
- Sauté Vegetables: Reduce heat to medium-low. In the same pot, sauté garlic, onion, and celery for about 3 minutes, until onion softens.
- Make Soup Base: Add chicken stock, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then stir in the pasta and cook per package directions, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Finish Chicken: While pasta cooks, chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and return it to the pot to finish cooking.
- Combine Ingredients: Once pasta is done, reduce heat to low. Stir in Parmesan until melted. Add the cornstarch slurry, cream, and spinach. Stir until the soup thickens slightly and spinach is wilted.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and top with chopped sun-dried tomatoes and a drizzle of the oil.
Notes
- For extra flavor, use the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes to drizzle over the soup when serving.
- Can substitute chicken thighs with chicken breasts if preferred.
- For a thicker soup, increase the cornstarch mixture to 3 teaspoons.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 1500mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 41g
- Cholesterol: 125mg
