Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

( 8 servings )

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg boneless
• skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
• 1/3 cup of butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup of flour
• 3 1/2 cups of milk
• 11/2 cups of cream
• 2 cubes of chicken broth ( eg: Maggi ) with two cups of water
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground pepper and salt
• 1 package of potato gnocchi
• 3 cups of chopped, fresh spinach
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme

Directions:

1) In a heavy bottomed pot, heat the butter and brown the chicken pieces inside it. Remove and keep warm. In the same pan, sauté the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in remaining butter and oil until tender (5 – 10 minutes).
2) Whisk in flour until blended for two minutes. Gradually, stir in the milk, cream, chicken broth, salt and pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Then, reduce heat; cook and stir for two minutes or until thickened.
3) Add the spinach. Cook for five minutes or until spinach is wilted. Add the chicken and gnocchi. Cover and simmer for twenty minutes or until heated through (do not boil).
4) Serve them in bowls with shredded carrots on top.

Nour Njeim