This is a great soup for a cold, wet day. It has become one of my favorites. To save time I used some cooked, shredded chicken. You could make it vegetarian by omitting the chicken and using vegetable broth. This is adapted from Williams-Sonoma, “Soup of the Day”.

Ingredients

1 medium Butternut Squash, Peeled, seeded and cubed
3 T olive oil
Salt & Pepper
1 package of shredded Chicken (or Rotisserie Chicken, shredded)
1 Onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Orzo
3 T butter
1/4 cup dried sage leaves (or 5 fresh leaves torn into pieces)
4 cups chicken broth

Preheat the oven to 400. Place the squash in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread out squash on a non-stick pan and roast until tender and caramelized, about 20 minutes.

Cook orzo about 7 to 10 minutes, drain  and set aside.

In a large stockpot melt the butter. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft and beginning to caramelize. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the orzo, shredded chicken, squash and sage. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with a salad and crusty bread.

Serves 4