Soup Of The Week: Mediterranean Chicken & Vegetable Soup

During the winter months, I like to make a big ol' pot of soup just about every week.  It makes the house smell good and gives it that warm & cozy feel.  Not to mention that it also provides Ralph and me (and even sometimes my mom) with lunch for the week!  I figure it'll be fun to post the soups that I make on here ala "soup of the week"...Not to be confused with our local entertainment newspaper's "model of the week" segment.  I can guarantee you that my soups will be much better looking, better smelling, and more appealing overall.  And best of all, you'll never catch an STD from soup!

So, here goes, presenting...

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN & VEGETABLE SOUP  

INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bag frozen Italian vegetables (or any of the following chopped fresh vegetables: zucchini, carrots, lima beans, green beans, cauliflower)
1 packaged sliced white button mushrooms (or about 8 mushrooms sliced)
3 roasted red peppers, sliced (or most of a jar of roasted red peppers, sliced)
1-2 lbs. chicken breast tenders, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 15.5 oz can of cannellini beans (white beans, great northern beans)
1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
3/4 cup dry white wine
1-2 boxes of chicken broth (or about 5 cans I'm guessing)
1 cup of orzo
Italian seasoning to taste (I never measure anything when I cook, probably about 2 tablespoons)
2 tbsp. fresh oregano (optional, I add it because I grow fresh herbs inside my house)
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 bag of fresh spinach

DIRECTIONS:

• Heat olive oil in soup pot over medium heat.  Add onion, salt, & pepper (I'm not really sure why I add salt when I saute onions but it seems to work so I do) and saute for 3 minutes, or until translucent and starting to brown.
• Add garlic and saute another minute or so.  
• Add mushrooms (do not add salt with mushrooms or it will pull the water from them and they won't brown!) and Italian vegetables and saute until they are cooked through.
• Add chicken and continue to saute until chicken is no longer pink on the outside. 
• Add Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.  
• Add white wine and scrape off any bits from bottom of the pan with your spoon (this is my favorite technique for adding flavor!  I always use a wooden spoon.)
• Add the can of white beans with all of the liquid (don't rinse them or pour out any of the liquid.  The liquid is a great way to add extra flavor to your soups!). 
• Add the can of diced tomatoes (with all the juice).
• Add all of the chicken broth.
• Add the orzo.
• Add the fresh oregano if using.
• Bring the soup to a boil, and as soon as it boils turn it down to low, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Stir the soup periodically to make sure it's not sticking to the bottom of the pot (I hate when that happens).
• Add the red peppers and the spinach.
• Check seasonings and add salt & pepper to taste.  
• Cook on low another 5-10 minutes for the spinach to cook through.  

Serve hot with thick slices of crusty Italian bread and revel in your domestic goddessness!