CHICKEN & TORTELLINI SOUP WITH SAGE PESTO

By gailg

Ingredients

• SAGE PESTO
• 1 C walnuts
• 1 C tightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/4 C fresh sage leaves
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1/3 to 1/2 C extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 C grated pecorino Romano cheese
• salt and fresh black pepper
• CHICKEN AND TORTELLINI SOUP
• 1 T canola oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 8 C homemade chicken stock
• 1 9-oz package fresh cheese tortellini
• Sage Pesto
• Grated pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
• parsley

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

1. For pesto: Combine the nuts, parsley, sage, and garlic in a food processor until coarsely ground. With the motor running, slowly add 1/3 C of the oil down the feed tube until the mixture is emulsified. Add the cheese, salt, and pepper and pulse a few times until it reaches a loose-paste consistency. Scrape into a bowl.
2.. For soup: Heat the canola oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper on both sides and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove breast to a plate. Drain any fay left in the pan; add chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Put chicken breast in the stock, cover pan tightly, and remove from heat. Let chicken sit in the hot broth until cooked through, 8 minutes. Remove chicken breast to a plate and let cool 10 minutes; shred into small pieces.
3. Return stock to high heat and bring to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook until tender, 7 minutes; season with salt and pepper, and stir in the shredded chicken. Ladle soup into bowls and add a dollop of sage pesto and a sprinkling of cheese. Garnish with parsley leaves.