Creamy Chicken, Mushroom & Asparagus Soup

This one I made myself from scratch. I didn't really know if it was going to turn out well, but it ended up being pretty good! This recipe is very versatile, as most soups tend to be, you could choose to leave out the mushrooms if you don't care for them, but I love the hearty flavor that they add to this dish.

Ingredients:

- 1 small-medium onion
- tsp butter
- 4-6 Chicken breasts (cubed & cooked)
- 4 cups (32 oz.) Chicken (or vegetable) broth
- 1lb. Fresh asparagus (cut into 1-2 inch long pieces)
- 4-5 medium sized potatoes (peeled & cubed)
- 1lb Fresh mushrooms (sliced)
- 1/2 - 1 cup half&half
- 1/2 cup flour to thicken (optional) *leave out for gluten-free menu
- Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Sautee onion in butter in the bottom of a large soup kettle until tender and slightly browned. Add a clove of minced garlic if desired.

Add broth, potatoes, asparagus & mushrooms to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add chicken (cooked) and let simmer for 5-8 minutes until vegetables are tender, and chicken is warmed through. Reduce heat to medium-low and gradually stir in half&half, making sure the heat is low enough so that it won't cause the cream to curdle. *add flour if you choose to thicken, bring to low boil for about 2 minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste & serve. I usually pair this with a whole-grain artisan bread. Yum!