Pesto Potato Soup

Always turns out incredibly delicious.  Although this recipe is a bit more time consuming that some of the other ones I do, it never disappoints and is great for when you have a little bit of extra time to cook.  

Ingredients:

1 small package of Smoked Bacon

1 Large Chicken Breast

5 Large Russet Potatoes (skinned)

1 Large Red Pepper (Seeded)

2 Tbsp Butter

2 1/2 Cup Chicken Stock

2 1/2 Cup Milk

6-8 oz Conchigliette (small shell pasta)

2/3 Cup Heavy Cream

Chopped Parsley

Garlic Salt

Basil

Pesto Sauce Ingredients:

2 Tbsp chopped Parsley

3 Garlic Cloves (Crushed)

1/2 Cup Pine Nuts (Crushed)

2 Tbsp chopped Basil

1/2 Cup Grated/Shredded Parmesan Cheese

2/3 Cup Olive Oil

Directions:

To make the pesto sauce, put all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor for about 2 minutes. 

Finely chop the bacon, potatoes, and red pepper.  Cook the bacon in a large pan over medium heat for about 4 minutes.  Add the butter, potatoes, and red pepper and cook for 12 minutes, frequently stirring. 

Finely chop the chicken and cook in a separate pan with a dash of olive oil and season with garlic salt and basil.  Cook until browned all the way through.  Add the chicken to bacon and potatoes.

Add the chicken stock and the milk tot he pan and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  add the conchigliette and simmer for an additional 10-12 minutes.  

Blend in the cream and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the parsley and mix thoroughly.  Stir the pesto into the soup until mixed all the way through.  Serve topped with a sprinkle of the shredded cheese. 

Put all of the pesto ingredients into the blender

Blend for about 2 minutes

Cook the bacon, potatoes, butter, and red pepper together

Continue cooking the potatoes and also cook the seasoned chicken

Add the chicken to the bacon and potatoes

Add the chicken stock and the milk

Add the conchigliette

Add the heavy cream

Add the Parsley

Add the pesto

Mix thoroughly

Serve with Parmesan sprinkled on top