Cooking Steps

• Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
• Add the onion and cook, stirring, until just starting to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in the broth. Add the uncooked chicken and sun-dried tomatoes.
• Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (a meat thermometer inserted into the chicken reaches 165°F).
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta according to the package directions.
• Remove the chicken from the soup and shred with two forks.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the half-and-half and cornstarch. Stir into the soup and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly thickened.
• Stir the shredded chicken, cooked pasta, and spinach into the pot and heat through.
• Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Serve with cheese, as desired.