Chicken Chick Pea Sausage Soup with Fresh Tomatoes

The richness of the hot sausage is balanced by the light, freshness of the cool tomatoes and tangy lime - hearty, satisfying and dynamic.
3 links Italian sausage, preferably spicy
2 shallots (or 1/4 cup diced onion)
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)

1/3 cup dry white wine
1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 quart chicken broth
1 large skinless, boneless chicken breast, sliced in half lengthwise

1 ripe fresh tomato, diced
palmful fresh parsley, minced
1 lime, cut in wedges

Poke the sausages with the tines of a fork and brown in a soup pot with a dash of olive oil. Remove to a plate. Add the shallots, garlic and thyme to the pot and cook 2-3 minutes.

Slice the sausages. Add the wine, broth and chickpeas to the soup pot and stir in the sausages. Nestle the chicken breast pieces into the liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook about 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken breast from the soup and allow to cool on a plate. When cook enough to handle, shred the chicken and then return to the soup. Continue cooking the soup for about another 30 minutes.

Serve soup in wide bowls garnished with fresh tomatoes and parsley.  Serve with lime wedges.

Serves 4.