Name: White Bean Lemon Chicken Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 pound total; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, plus more to taste; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 small leek, ends removed, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced; 2 carrots, peeled and diced; 3 celery stalks, diced; 1 small onion, diced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained; 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning; juice of 2 small or 1 large lemon

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Recipe

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White Bean Lemon Chicken Soup

Yield: 6 servings 1x

Prep: 15 minutesCook: 45 minutesTotal: 1 hour

Chilly nights call for cozy White Bean Lemon Chicken Soup! This easy to make soup is packed with veggies and full of protein from chicken breast and beans, all in a bright comforting broth. Best served with crusty bread or crackers!

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Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 pound total
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small leek, ends removed, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained
1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
juice of 2 small or 1 large lemon

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Instructions

Brown the chicken: Place the chicken breasts (2 boneless skinless) on a plate or cutting board. Pat dry if they’ve been sitting in liquid, then season both sides liberally with about 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 6-quart soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Gently swirl the pan so the oil coats the bottom. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chicken breasts to the pot. Sear the chicken for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Once sufficiently browned, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. It will not yet be fully cooked at this point.
Cook the veggies: Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same pan. Add the sliced leek (1 small, thinly sliced), carrots (2, peeled and diced), celery (3 stalks, diced) and onion (1 small, diced), plus a generous pinch of salt. Cook until the veggies have softened, for about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic (4 cloves, minced) and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
Simmer the soup: Add a small amount of broth to deglaze the bottom of the pot if needed, then add all remaining chicken broth (6 cups) to the pot. Add the beans (2 cans, drained), Italian seasoning (1/2 tablespoon), and return the browned chicken breasts to the pot. Let the soup come to a low boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165F. For thicker or larger chicken breasts, let it simmer for 20 minutes.
Cut chicken & season soup: Carefully remove the chicken breasts from the pot and transfer to a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut the chicken against the grain into thin slices, then cut the slices into small pieces (photos above!). I prefer tiny pieces of chicken in my soup! Return the cut chicken to the soup pot. Add half the lemon juice and another generous pinch of salt. Stir and taste to see if needs additional salt or lemon juice. Add more lemon juice if you can’t taste the lemon, and add more salt if it needs a bit more depth.
Serve & store: Serve the soup with chopped parsley, Saltine crackers, and lemon wedges if you prefer. Save leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.