Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup

There are certain things that should happen in September:
The weather should begin to cool off.
The leaves should start changing color.
I should be pulling sweaters out of the closet and pretending I remember where I put my fall boots.
And soup should once again become a perfectly reasonable dinner option.
Unfortunately... somebody forgot to tell the weather.😬😅
So, here I was last week.
Eating soup.
And sweating like a hog at a luau.🥵🍜🤣

Today also marks our 33rd wedding anniversary, which seems both impossible and completely believable.  We've celebrated a whole lot of birthdays, holidays, vacations, milestones and all the ordinary Tuesdays together and that somehow become the fabric of our lives. We've laughed. We've traveled. We've made memories. We've disagreed about the correct way to load the dishwasher.  We've eaten soup in 90 degree weather together.🤪  

This creamy tuscan chicken soup gets its creamy richness from a combination of broth and cream while sun-dried tomatoes add little bursts of sweet-tart flavor. Tender chicken makes it hearty enough for dinner and fresh spinach brings a pop of color that allows us to pretend this is a health-conscious decision.🤷🏻‍♀️  The result is a bowl of rich, savory, creamy and hearty meal.  

The beauty of Tuscan-style cooking is that it doesn't need to be fussy.  Give me garlic, herbs, chicken, greens and sprinkling of cheese and I can create a dish that's worthy of any Italian restaurant.  Add a loaf of crusty bread and a glass of wine and I've got a complete meal.   Good food and minimal dishes.  Happy anniversary my love.😁 🥰 

Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup
1 Tablespoon sun dried tomato olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
⅓ cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 cup Ditali pasta
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tablespoon corn starch
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped 
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat oil in dutch oven.  Saute onion and celery 3-4 minutes. 

Add garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, basil and chili flakes and cook 1 minute.

Stir in the broth & water and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. ​Add chicken and sun dried tomatoes.

Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce heat and cook until chicken is 165.  (about 10 minutes)

Remove chicken and shred.  

Stir in pasta.  Cover and cook until al dente. 

Whisk together the cream and corn starch and stir into the soup.   

Add chicken, spinach and Parmesan. Cook 2-3 minutes.

Ciao!

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