Posted by As comforting as nan’s chicken pie (but so much easier to make), this hearty chicken soup gets its velvety smooth texture from cream cheese.
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1cm pieces
1 brown onion, finely choppe
750ml (3 cups) Massel Stock Chicken Style
1 large (about 300g) chicken breast fillet
160g (1 1/2 cups) dried elbow pasta
250g cream cheese, at room temperature, chopped
120g baby spinach
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Coarsely grated parmesan, to serve
Fresh continental parsley leaves, chopped, to serve
Step 1
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the mixture softens.
Step 2
Add the stock and 750ml (3 cups) water. Stir until combined then add the chicken. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Cover with a lid tilted slightly and cook for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Use tongs to transfer the chicken to a chopping board. Coarsely chop.
Step 3
Add the pasta to the pan. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to the boil. Cook for 8 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Add the cream cheese. Stir until well combined. Add spinach, mustard and chicken. Stir until well combined. Top with parmesan and parsley. Season with black pepper to serve.