½ cup drained julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil with herbs
1 tablespoon oil from sun-dried tomato jar, divided
1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion
4 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 (32-ounce) packages chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 teaspoons chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish (optional)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more for garnish
8 ounces uncooked medium shell pasta
3 cups packed roughly chopped fresh baby spinach
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
8 ounces cream cheese, cubed, at room temperature
1 ½ ounces Parmesan cheese, finely shredded, plus more for garnish
Recipe Directions
Start by heating up 1 tbsp of oil from your sun-dried tomatoes on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. You want to cook the oil down until it’s glistening.
To your oil add in half of a cup of diced white onions. Sauté your onions down for 3 minutes. Add in 1 tbsp of minced garlic and cook your onions down for an additional minute.
To your pot add in 3 tbsps of tomato paste and 1/2 a cup of sun dried tomatoes. Cook everything down in your pot for an additional 3 minutes. Cooking your tomato paste down until it’s a nice deep red color helps to amplify the flavor.
Next, add 64 ounces (2 store sized containers) of chicken broth to your pot.
Season with your heart with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper. Bring your soup to a boil.
Once your soup is boiling add in 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and bring to a boil yet again.
Add in 15 ounces of medium shell pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes until pasta is al dente.
To your pot add 2 cups of baby spinach, 1 block of room temperature cream cheese, 2 cups of shredded chicken and 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese.
Mix everything together until well combined and allow to simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes before serving.
