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Chicken and bean soup is a reassuring bowl of comfort and nourishment. This wintry version brings together sweet and succulent chicken thighs, bright-fleshed winter squash, and hearty beans of your choice in a chicken-slick broth. This 6-serving soup recipe is a freezer’s dream, so you can store some for the coming cold months.
This dairy-free white bean soup was developed with my lactose sensitivity in mind, but if you’re a creamy soup enthusiast perhaps this chicken and bacon one, with chewy gnocchi, is more your style?
I am a life-long soup champion. I was raised on soups and I’ve raised my kids on them too. Here’s why…
First, soup, and chicken soup in particular is well known as an immunity-boosting, vitamin-rich, easily digestible meal.
Second, there are no rules when it comes to soups like this one. Meaning you can customise it to your own tastes.
Third, soups are humble and therefore tend to be made from easily accessible, economical ingredients.
Last, they are very low maintenance. Some chopping and slicing and into the pan. Singular! Only one to wash up!
The only drawback is deciding which one to make.
Delicious, nutritious, soothing chicken and bean soup
It’s coming into cold and flu season so you want to be armed with a nutrient-rich defence. And this chicken and white bean soup is absolutely brimming with goodness.
There’s chicken; a dependable source of protein that will keep your strength up. Beans; more protein and fibre. Fibre, fyi, improves digestion so you feel less sluggish (top of my needs in winter!).
And vegetables; onion, carrot, celery, garlic, squash and spinach. These guys are bringing all the vitamins and supporting your immune system.
But nevermind the widely accepted health benefits of chicken soups, they are infinitely satisfying and soothing. This recipe is tender chicken, long-simmered white beans and soft squash beautifully balanced in a herby, aromatic broth. Sigh!
Recipe tips and notes
- Chicken thighs are best for soups. The succulent flesh makes for a juicy mouthful and the bones contribute to a slick and rich broth.
- If you prefer breast meat to thighs, go ahead. But you know what I would use!
- This is a fibre and protein double-header. In fact, I threw in an extra can of beans for extra plant points.
- Speaking of beans. You can use whatever you have in the cupboard- there aren’t really any rules to this soup, except making it as nourishing as it can be.
- I’ve used squash as it’s the season. But if that’s not your jam, sweet potatoes, pumpkin or any other root or thick-bodied vegetable will make a good swap.
- I didn’t add pasta or grains; the second can of beans was plenty!
- But rice (you can use leftovers) is another option to make this white bean chicken soup even more filling.
What goes with it
All this chicken and white bean soup needs is a hunk of sturdy bread for dunking. Choose one with a tight crumb and solid structure, for example sourdough or rye. For this subtly sweet soup, a savoury bread offers a welcome balance.
Storage and leftovers
A soup in the bowl is worth two in the freezer. Not heard that before? You’ll find it in most of my non-cream-based soup recipes on the blog! It means make a double batch- one for today and one (or two) for later.
This chicken and bean soup will keep in the freezer for up to 4 months. Defrost overnight and heat gently on the hob.
More soups to try
- Sardinian Minestrone
- Hearty Mulligatawny Soup
- Creamy Leftover Turkey Chowder
- Thai Noodle Soup (Easy Authentic Flavours)
Chicken and Bean Soup
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Soup pot
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-3 thyme sprigs, or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 This is an affiliate link.bay leaves
- 4 chicken thighs, skin removed and visible fat trimmed
- 1½ litres / 6 cups This is an affiliate link.chicken stock
- 400g / 14 oz canned white beans, drained (cannellini or butter beans)
- 400g / 14 oz canned pinto beans, drained (or beans of your choice)
- 1/2 small winter squash, peeled and diced (1 – 1½ cups)
- 80g / 2 cups fresh spinach
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large soup pot over low heat, then add the chopped onion, diced carrot and diced celery, sauté for 5-7 minutes until slightly softened, add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds longer. Top the vegetable mixture with the chicken thighs, bay leaves and pour the chicken stock over, then turn the heat up and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer covered with a lid over medium heat for 20 minutes.
- Add the white and pinto beans, diced squash and cook for 15 minutes longer.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the pot. Take the meat off the bones, shred the chicken with two forks and add it back to the pot, add the spinach and warm though for 5 minutes, then season with additional salt and pepper to taste and take off the heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
