Chicken, Fennel and Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon butter 
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 2 teaspoons chicken soup base 
• 0.3 cup cream sherry 
• 1.5 cups crimini mushrooms sliced
• 1  bulb fennel trimmed thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons parsley fresh finely minced
• 0.5 cup half-and-half cream 
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 0.3 cup bell pepper diced red
• 2  chicken breast halves boneless skinless
• 1.5 cups water 

Equipment

• frying pan
• sauce pan

Directions

1. Heat oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on both sides then reduce heat to medium.
2. Add lemon pepper, fennel and cream sherry. Simmer until chicken is cooked through but not dry. When chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan and set aside to cool.
3. While chicken is cooling, add mushrooms, red pepper, parsley, buttermilk, half and half, water and chicken soup base; stir. Tear chicken into bite sized pieces and return them to the soup.
4. Heat until warmed through but do not boil, mushrooms and peppers should still be firm.