chicken parmesan soup

I'll always remember this soup because this afternoon my good friend Erin emailed me to ask me if I had tried this soup as it was on her menu for tonight. We were in the kitchen at the very same time cooking up the very same soup but in distinctly different parts of the country. I got a kick out of that. This soup is delicious! It was so simple and pleasant with a spicy kick.

chicken parmesan soup (adapted from Leigh Anne Wilke's blog: Home Based Mom)
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 chicken breasts, skinless, boneless, pounded thin and cut into bite size pieces
1 (28 ounce) can pureed tomatoes with spices (my kiddos don't like chunks)
1 quart chicken broth
salt and pepper
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I used a half teaspoon but only because of my kiddos)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 teaspoons minced garlic
8 slices of crusty artisan bread
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 whole clove of garlic
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook until just cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add remaining olive oil and saute minced garlic, onions and red pepper flakes. Cook until onions
are beginning to soften. Add tomatoes and chicken broth and bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. Put the chicken back in and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped basil and stir.
While soup is cooking, drizzle the sliced bread with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet under the broiler in the oven and toast until lightly golden. Watch closely. Remove from oven and rub each slice with the whole clove of garlic. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese (we also like to use mozzarella). Place back under broiler for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted.
Place one slice of toast in bottom of bowl and pour soup over the top. Add a second toast on top. Enjoy!