Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup

Ingredients

• 500 g/1 lb chicken thighs, skinless boneless (Note 1 for breast)
• 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
• 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large celery stems, finely sliced (sub 2 carrots)
• 1/2 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine, optional (Note 2)
• 4 cups chicken stock/broth, low sodium
• 3 cups water
• 1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 250g/8 oz small pasta shells (or other small pasta, rice, potato etc – see Note 3)
• 1 cup (tightly packed) parmesan, finely grated or store bought pre-grated (sandy type) (Note 4)
• 1 cup thickened/heavy cream (Note 5 for milk sub)
• 2 packed cups baby spinach, chopped kale or similar
• 1/2 cup sun dried tomato strips, chopped into 1cm pieces, plus bit of oil drizzling (Note 6)
• 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water

Steps

1. Cook outside of chicken – Sprinkle each side with the salt and pepper. Melt butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Once foamy, place the chicken in and cook the first side for 3 minutes or until light golden, then the other side for 2 minutes – it's fine if the inside is still raw, it cooks more later. Remove onto a plate.
2. Soup flavour base – Turn the stove down to medium low. Add garlic, onion and celery into the same pot then cook for 3 minutes or until the onion is softened.
3. Deglaze – Turn up to high, add wine, stir, then let it simmer until the wine reduces by half.
4. Broth & pasta – Add stock/broth, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then add the pasta. Cook for the time per the pasta packet directions (~10 minutes), stirring every now and then so the pasta doesn't stick to the base of the pot.
5. Add chicken partway – While the pasta is cooking, chop the chicken into 1.5cm / 1/2" pieces then add into the pot to finish cooking.
6. Finish soup – Once the pasta is cooked, turn heat down to low. Stir in parmesan until melted. Stir in the cornflour-water mixture, cream and spinach. Stir for a minute until spinach is wilted and soup thickens slightly.
7. Serve – Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with sun dried tomato strips (and a bit of oil looks nice for finishing). Eat!
8. Storing – Separate pasta from soup so it doesn't bloat, refrigerate both. Just scoop out with slotted spoon. (Note 6)