Winter Minestrone

Ingredients:

Olive oil

2 cooked, cubed chicken breasts

1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions

2 cups (1/2-inch) diced carrots (3 carrots)

2 cups (1/2-inch) diced celery (3 stalks)

2 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) diced peeled butternut squash (I buy this pre-cut at Costco)

1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)

2-3 Tbsp thyme

2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, with juice

6 cups low sodium, fat free chicken broth

1 bay leaf 

Kosher salt 

Freshly ground black pepper

1 15 oz can cannellini beans, undrained

2 cups cooked small pasta (I used ditalini) 

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons pesto

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add theonions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, chicken, the bay leaf, 1 Tbsp salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Discard the bay leaf. Add the beans, wine, pesto, and cooked pasta and heat through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese just before eating.

*The original recipe called for 8-10 oz spinach leaves, added at the end. I'm not a huge fan of wilted spinach in my soup, so I opted to leave it out.

Recipe adapted from http://www.cravebyrandomhouse.ca/2012/10/30/winter-minestrone-garlic-bruschetta/