Creamy Chicken-pasta Soup

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 cup shredded carrot (about 2 medium)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6 cups chicken stock or canned low sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup penne pasta
• 1/4 lb sugar snap pea, halved diagonally
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. 1

   Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat.

2. 2

   Add mushrooms, celery, carrots and onion.

3. 3

   Cook until celery and onion are tender, about 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Add flour and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

5. 5

   Gradually mix in chicken stock.

6. 6

   Bring soup to simmer, stirring frequently.

7. 7

   Add half and half and chopped parsley and simmer 5 minutes.

8. 8

   Add chicken tenders and simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

9. 9

   (Chicken soup can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate.) Cook penne pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite.

10. 10

    Drain pasta.

11. 11

    Bring chicken soup to simmer.

12. 12

    Mix in cooked pasta and sugar snap peas and simmer 2 minutes.

13. 13

    Mix in lemon juice; season to taste with salt and pepper.