Recipe compliments of JeanPatterson.com, home of Cooking Outside the Pizza Box

Alphabet Soup

Feel free to sneak in more frozen vegetables (corn, carrots, green beans) if that's what it takes to get your kids to eat them.

6 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 6-ounce boneless skinless chicken breast half
1/2 cup dried alphabet pasta
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 cup frozen petite peas
Dash black pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth, bay leaf, and thyme to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, cover, and simmer over medium heat until the chicken is no longer pink inside, about 12 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Remove the chicken; set aside to cool.

Add the alphabet pasta to the broth and boil until al dente, about 9 minutes. Shred the chicken and return it to the saucepan. Add the parsley, peas, and black pepper. Cook just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Makes 4 (1 1/2-cup) servings.

Do Ahead:
Make the soup up to 1 day ahead. Freezes well.

Recipe copyright 1999 Danae Campbell and Jean Patterson.
All rights reserved. For reprint information, contact Jean Patterson.

Search for more delicious recipes on JeanPatterson.com.

Read about Jean's cookbook Cooking Outside the Pizza Box.