I came up with this soup one weekend when my wife and I were hungry for something better than the standard. The first attempt turned out fantastic, and now I’ve got the recipe down to 20 minutes.
—CHRIS DALTON MUNDELEIN, IL
START TO FINISH: 30 MIN. • MAKES: 6 SERVINGS
4 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch strips
4 green onions, chopped
1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 teaspoon pepper
6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1. In a large saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Stir in pasta; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 8-10 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and green onions; cook and stir 5 minutes. Add asparagus, mushrooms and garlic; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and asparagus is crisp-tender. Sprinkle with pepper.
3. Add chicken mixture to pasta mixture; heat through. Sprinkle with cheese.
FREEZE OPTION Before adding cheese, cool the soup. Freeze soup and cheese separately in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw soup in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth if necessary. Sprinkle with cheese.
HELPFUL HINT
Don’t throw away the tough ends of fresh asparagus! Cook and drain them, then puree with a bit of water or chicken broth and freeze to use in soups.
—PAULINE STADLER, MT. MORRIS, MI