Chicken Gnocchi Soup

 Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

½ cup julienned carrots

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 cups half and half

4 cups chicken broth

½ teaspoon thyme

½ teaspoon mustard powder

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or 2 cups diced cooked chicken

16 oz . Potato gnocchi (on the pasta island)

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh spinach

1 pinch red pepper flakes optional

Salt and pepper to taste

 Instructions:

Stovetop method (see Crock Pot method notes)

Melt  butter in a large pot over medium Heat. Add the chopped onions, celery, and carrots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.Add the flour and stir. Cook for 2 minutes until the flour begins to brown.

Add  chicken stock and half of it in splashes and stir. Don’t add it too quickly or you will ruin the roux.

Add  thyme and mustard powder.If using raw chicken, add it to the broth. Bring it to a gentle boil. (If you cook too quickly, the chicken will be tough.) Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. (This depends on the thickness of the chicken.)

Remove the chicken and let it rest for 5 minutes, then cut it into cubes and put it back into the soup. Let the soup simmer until it reaches the desired consistency, it will continue to thicken.

Add the gnocchi and simmer for about 5 minutes; Please refer to the package instructions for the exact  time.

Reduce heat to low and add  spinach, red pepper flakes, and  salt/pepper to taste. Simmer until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute.Meet!