Chicken & White Bean Soup

There’s nothing quite like a cozy bowl of homemade soup to warm your heart and fill your belly! This Italian-inspired chicken and white bean soup is perfect for busy families who want something healthy and delicious on the table fast. The best part is it takes just 25 minutes from start to finish, so you can have a nourishing meal ready in no time.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Cook Time: 25 minutes, Total Time: 25 minutes, Serves: 6 people.

Nutrition Profile: No Added Sugar, Mediterranean Diet, Weight Loss, Diabetes-Friendly, Dairy-Free, Healthy Pregnancy, Healthy Aging, Heart-Healthy, High-Protein, Gluten-Free.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 360 Calories, 18g Fat, 17g Carbs, 32g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Extra-virgin olive oil: You’ll need 2 tablespoons of good olive oil to get everything started. This adds such a lovely Mediterranean flavor to the soup!

Leeks: 2 medium leeks, using just the white and light green parts, sliced into ¼-inch rounds. Don’t worry if you can’t find leeks – you can swap them for onions!

Fresh sage: 1½ tablespoons chopped fresh sage brings that amazing earthy flavor. If you only have dried sage, use about half the amount.

Fresh thyme: 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves add such a nice herby touch. Again, dried thyme works too – just use less!

Garlic: 2 teaspoons minced garlic because everything’s better with garlic, right? Fresh is best, but the jarred stuff works in a pinch.

Salt: ⅛ teaspoon plus ½ teaspoon, divided. We add it at different times to build layers of flavor.

Chicken broth: 6 cups of unsalted chicken broth makes the perfect base. Look for no-salt-added versions so you can control the saltiness.

Cannellini beans: 1 can (15 ounces) of no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed and drained. These creamy white beans are packed with protein and fiber!

How to Make Chicken & White Bean Soup

Step 1: Heat your olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add those sliced leeks and cook them, stirring often, until they’re nice and soft – about 3 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when they look translucent and smell amazing!

Step 2: Stir in the sage, thyme, garlic, and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Cook everything together, stirring constantly, until it smells incredible – about 30 seconds. This step really wakes up all those beautiful herbs!

Step 3: Pour in all that chicken broth and turn the heat up to high. Cover the pot and bring everything to a rolling boil. Then reduce the heat back to medium – we’re almost there!

Step 4: Add your rinsed beans, shredded chicken, ground pepper, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook everything uncovered, stirring occasionally, until it’s heated through – about 3 minutes. Finally, stir in that bright lemon juice and you’re done!

Easy and Quick Chicken & White Bean Soup Version

Want to make this even faster? You can totally skip the fresh herbs and use 1 teaspoon dried sage and 1 teaspoon dried thyme instead! Just add them with the garlic and they’ll still taste wonderful. Also, if you have leftover cooked chicken from another meal, that works perfectly too – you’ll need about 4 cups of shredded meat.

Serving Ideas

This soup is basically a complete meal in a bowl, but it’s even better with some crusty bread for dipping! A simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette makes a perfect light side. For a cozy dinner, serve it with some warm focaccia or garlic bread.

Storage

Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days in a covered container. To reheat, just warm it gently on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. You might need to add a splash of broth if it gets too thick!

Substitutions

No leeks? No problem – use 1 large onion instead! Can’t find cannellini beans? Navy beans or great northern beans work just as well. If you don’t have fresh herbs, use half the amount of dried herbs. For a lighter version, you can use chicken breast meat only instead of the whole rotisserie chicken.

Pro Tips

Rotisserie hack: Buy your rotisserie chicken the day you plan to make the soup for the best flavor and texture.
Bean tip: Always rinse your canned beans to remove excess sodium and that slightly metallic taste.
Flavor boost: Don’t skip the lemon juice at the end – it really makes all the flavors pop!
Make it heartier: Add some chopped carrots or celery with the leeks for extra vegetables.
Storage secret: The soup tastes even better the next day as all the flavors meld together!

FAQs

Is rotisserie chicken good for you?

Rotisserie chicken can be a real timesaver when you need to get dinner on the table in a hurry! It’s a great source of protein and other nutrients. Just keep in mind that many brands use a lot of salt in their preparation, so if you’re watching your sodium intake, you might want to use it sparingly or try making your own poached chicken instead.

Are cannellini beans healthy?

You bet they are! Like other beans, cannellini beans are packed with plant-based protein and fiber. They also give you zinc, potassium, B vitamins, iron, and antioxidants. Eating beans regularly can help your gut health, boost your immune system, and even protect your heart by helping lower cholesterol and blood pressure!

Can I use other types of white beans?

Sure! While we love cannellini beans for this recipe, you can absolutely use navy beans or great northern beans instead. Just look for the no-salt-added versions if you’re keeping an eye on your sodium intake.

Can I add other vegetables to the soup?

Absolutely! This soup is perfect for using up extra vegetables in your fridge. Add chopped vegetables like carrots or celery with the leeks at the beginning. If you have leftover roasted vegetables, just toss them in with the beans and chicken to heat through.

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Yes, you can! This soup actually tastes even better the next day. Just store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat it gently on the stove and add a splash of broth if needed.

I hope you love this comforting soup as much as we do! It’s become one of our go-to recipes for busy weeknights. Let me know how yours turns out – I’d love to hear about any fun variations you try!