Chicken Marsala Soup - A Hearty Spin On Italian Classic

I think the groundhog got it all wrong  this year. It's February 27th, and I see the snow out of my window. It's Pacific Northwest, for crying out loud! It should be raining!
Soup sounds good. But not just any soup - a hearty soup. Like this one:

To make this you'll need:

• 4 chicken breasts, cut-up into chunks
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 3 cans of diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 can of NW white beans (I didn't have any, and substituted for black)
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 8 oz. fusilli noodles (uncooked)
• 0.5 cup Marsala wine
• 1 Tbs. of fresh rosemary
• 1 Tbs. of fresh parsley
• 1 Tbs. of fresh thyme
• salt & pepper (to taste)
• a pinch of cayenne
• 4-5 cups of chicken stock or water

First, brown the chicken in 1 Tbs. of oil over medium-high heat, about 7-8 min.
Add tomatoes, beans, noodles, garlic, herbs, cayenne, pepper, wine, and broth and bring to a slight boil. Turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for about 25 min.

 I like to make hearty soups in my trusty cast iron pot, so I can stick it in the oven for another 15-20 min., at about 350F. Fresh herbs are really what makes this soup explode with a unique flavor, so try to use them instead of dried herbs. And by adding noodles, the traditional classic soup turns to a nice comforting hot food for a cold day.

Serve with fresh, crusty but soft bread. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh parsley. Stay warm! :)