Recipe: Quick Chicken-Vegetable Chowder

QUICK CHICKEN-VEGETABLE CHOWDER
Source: Sunset Magazine

1 cup chopped onion
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 1/4 cups sliced small mushrooms
1 quart regular-strength chicken broth, divided use
2 cups (4 ounces) dried bow-tie pasta
1 1/2 teaspoons dried tarragon leaves
1 1/2 pounds boned chicken breasts, skinned and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 1/2 cups milk mixed with 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
TO SERVE:
3 Tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and pepper

In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, boil onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms and 1/4 cup broth, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates and vegetables start to stick and brown, about 10 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup more broth and repeat until vegetables are well browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add remaining broth and bring to a boil. Stir in pasta and tarragon; boil over medium-high heat, covered, until pasta is barely tender to bite, about 6 minutes.

Stir in chicken and milk mixture. Bring to simmering, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes.

TO SERVE:
Add parsley; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes about 9 cups (4 to 6 servings)