Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup (903)

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

Instructions:

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)