Hearty without being heavy
Shredded chicken and two cans of white beans make this a filling bowl, while carrots, celery and spinach keep it fresh. Ready-cooked chicken keeps the work short, and the lemon goes in at the very end, so the broth tastes bright instead of flat.
Chicken White Bean Soup
Prep 15 min · Cook 30 min · Total 45 min · Serves 6
Ingredients
Serves 6. Tick items off as you go.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring now and then, until they start to soften, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the broth, chicken, beans, thyme, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, until the carrots are tender and the flavors have come together, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Stir in the spinach and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until it wilts.
- Take the pot off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste, add more salt, pepper or lemon if needed, and serve hot.
Tips & notes
- Rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken is the quickest option; it heats through as the soup simmers.
- No cooked chicken? Add 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts with the broth and simmer until they reach 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, 15 to 20 minutes. Lift them out, shred with two forks and return them to the pot before the spinach.
- Fresh thyme works too: use about 1 tablespoon of chopped leaves in place of the dried.
- For a slightly creamier soup, mash a few spoonfuls of the beans before adding them. For a thinner one, add a little more broth.
- Serve with crusty bread or a simple green salad.
- Storage: refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months (the spinach softens). Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Pin & Prosper Finds · pinandprosperfinds.com/recipes/chicken-white-bean-soup/
