Creamy Chicken-pasta Soup

• butter↗3 tablespoons
• button mushrooms, sliced↗4 ounces
• sliced celery1 cup
• shredded carrot (about 2 medium)1 cup
• medium onion, chopped↗1
• all-purpose flour↗3 tablespoons
• chicken stock or 6 cups canned low sodium chicken broth↗6 cups
• half-and-half↗1 1⁄2 cups
• chopped fresh parsley2 tablespoons
• chicken tenders, cut into 1/2-inch pieces↗1 1⁄2 lbs
• penne pasta↗1 cup
• sugar snap pea, halved diagonally↗1⁄4 lb
• fresh lemon juice↗3 tablespoons

Step-by-step instructions

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.