Chicken Broth with Pasta

Preparation

• 1
  Peel the onions and chop finely. Peel the carrots, quarter them lengthways then slice thinly. Slice the celery very thinly. Chop the green beans into small lengths.
• 2
  Remove the skin from the chicken breasts then chop them into bite sized pieces. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan then sauté the pieces for 5-6 minutes until lightly browned, turning frequently. Lift out onto a plate using a slotted spoon and set aside to keep warm.
• 3
  In the same saucepan, add another tablespoon of oil if necessary and sauté the chopped onion over a low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the carrot and celery and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 5 minutes.
• 4
  Add the green beans and toss with the other vegetables. Add the chicken pieces and stir into the vegetables.
• 5
  Pour in the stock, add the dried oregano and bring up to the boil. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are almost cooked through.
• 6
  Add the little pasta stars and continue to simmer, stirring to prevent the pasta sticking together, for 6-7 minutes, or until the pasta is just cooked.
• 7
  Finely chop the parsley and stir into the soup and then season well with salt and black pepper.
• 8
  Serve with fresh crusty bread.