Chicken Tortellini Soup

• 1 whole roasted deli chicken deboned and shredded
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 ribs celery, sliced
• 3 T olive oil
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 4 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 T chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1 pound dried cheese tortellini (I use Barilla Three Cheese Tortellini) 
• kosher salt
• 1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• parsley stems for garnish
• grated Parmesan for top of soup
• 1 crusty baguette to serve with soup

DIRECTIONS

• 1
  Set a large stockpot over medium heat. Add olive oil, garlic and thyme and gently saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add carrots, onion and celery. Season with salt and cook for 5 - 7 minutes. pour in chicken broth and add peppercorns parsley and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes.
• 2
  Add shredded chicken to the pot of soup and add tortellini. Bring to a boil and cook for around 11 minutes or how ever long the package of noodles says to cook, give a final season with salt and pepper and serve in shallow bowels with a small shower or parsley and grated Parmesan. Garnish with the stems and serve with crusty bread.
• 3
  * remove the bay leaf and sprigs of thyme before serving