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This recipe uses leftover chicken from Two Roast Chickens, which makes enough chicken for four satisfying and filling meals for the week. Get all of the recipes and read more in Two Chickens, Four(ish) Meals.
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RECIPE: Tuscan White Bean and Chicken Soup
- Yield: Serves 4–6 1x
Description
A bean soup is a great way to use up all the vegetable scraps from the week that didn’t make it into a meal yet, and you definitely don’t want to waste any. This hearty, nourishing soup gets better with time as the flavors meld together. It’s even better with homemade chicken stock — just add your leftover chicken bones to our veggie stock recipe!
Ingredients
Units
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- 2 Tbsps olive oil, plus extra for serving
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- Kosher salt
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 2 15–oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 bunch (3-4 cups) Tuscan kale (aka lacinato or dino kale), stems removed, leaves chopped
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 cups leftover shredded chicken
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Juice and zest from 1 lemon
- Parmesan
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a heavy-bottom pot over medium heat. Add the onion and a large pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the celery and carrot, and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic for the last minute, cook until fragrant.
- Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
- Add one can of the beans to the pot. For a creamier, slightly thicker soup, use a hand blender to partially blend the soup, leaving some beans whole for texture, then add the second can of beans.
- Add the kale and rosemary. Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the kale is tender. Add the chicken to heat through.
- Taste and season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and zest.
- Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil and shaved Parmesan along with some crusty bread.
Notes
- Homemade stock: The better your stock, the better your soup. Use homemade stock for optimal flavor. Use your two leftover carcasses and some of your veggie trimmings in this Simple or Roasted Vegetable Stock.
- Parmesan rind: Have a Parmesan rind in your freezer? Add it during the simmer for extra umami depth. Remove it before serving.
- Make-ahead friendly: This soup is even better the next day as the flavors have time to meld. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
