One Pot Chicken Minestrone Soup

One Pot Chicken Minestrone Soup is an easy weeknight meal in about 30 minutes with easy cleanup. Lean seared chicken with wholesome veggies and two types of beans in a rich broth.

Soups, stews and chilis are a great way to enjoy tasty, wholesome foods. They’re basically a complete meal in one, often including plenty of protein (meats), complex carbs (rice, whole-wheat pasta, beans or vegetables) and natural vitamins and minerals.

This One Pot Chicken Minestrone Soup is quick and easy, ready in about 30 minutes with little cleanup, and makes plenty leftovers or feeds a large group.

Ingredients for Making Chicken Minestrone Soup

• Chicken breasts: boneless and skinless, preferably organic and/or free-range
• Vegetables: yellow onion, celery, carrots, and string beans make for a hearty and healthy soup with tons of flavor
• Garlic: gives a bold and delicious flavor
• Italian seasoning: a mix of essential herbs for a good minestrone soup
• Chicken broth: use good quality and organic (homemade or store bought)
• Diced tomatoes: same goes for the tomatoes, use a good brand and organic for best flavor
• Canned beans: cannellini beans and navy beans for added nutrients and substance
• Spinach: added at the end of cooking, gives a delicious flavor and loads of nutrients
• Parmesan: gives the soup a delicious umami flavor (shredded or grated works best)

Type of chicken for Minestrone Soup

Boneless, skinless chicken breast works best for minestrone soup. It has a firm texture that’s holds up well and will stay plenty moist in the soup.

Chicken, instead of beef or sausage, adds lean protein. Cutting the chicken into smaller pieces before cooking speeds things up, allows it to cook more evenly, and creates more surface area for browning.

I used light olive oil to pan-fry the chicken pieces, instead of butter or other cooking oils that have a lower smoke point. It has a higher smoke point than most cooking oils at about 470° F. Oils with a lower smoking-point negatively affects flavor and introduces potentially harmful components to your food.

How to make Minestrone Soup healthy

Other than being loaded with healthy and nutritious vegetables which provide you with a ton of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This soup has cannelloni and navy beans added to it which replaces the traditional white pasta.

The beans have plenty of complex carbs and flavor, making this One Pot Chicken Minestrone Soup a gluten-free and wholesome recipe you can enjoy anytime.

How to Make One Pot Minestrone Soup in 5 easy steps

1. Heat oil to medium-high heat in a large pot. Add chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until cooked through and edges are golden brown.
2. Remove chicken from pot and set aside to rest, discard excess liquid.
3. Heat remaining oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until fragrant.
4. Stir in celery, carrots, and garlic, cooking 5 minutes more. Stir in string beans, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and beans, simmer. Stir in cooked chicken, spinach leaves, and additional salt to taste if needed. Cook 3 until spinach is wilted. Served garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.

Tips for making the best Chicken Minestrone Soup

• This soup is very versatile and easy to adapt with any vegetables. If you have leftovers that need using up then this is a great way to reduce waste.
• Using high-quality tomatoes is key to a great minestrone because cheaper varieties are usually packed with water, lacking in flavor and can give a very acid taste to the soup.
• For the broth; use homemade if possible for best flavor or high-quality organic store bought. Chicken broth can also be replaced with vegetable broth.
• Like most soups and stews this soup tastes great the next day as the flavor have time to really develop.
• Store leftovers in a suitable container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for 3-4 months.

Chicken Minestrone Soup recipe at a glance

Flavor profiles: Fresh, vibrant flavors of root and green vegetables paired with savory chicken and umami flavors from parmesan.

Texture: Crunky, hearty vegetables, creamy beans and tender chicken in a soothing broth.

Dietary options/substitutions: Omit chicken and use vegetable broth for vegetarian and vegan options

More healthy soup recipes you might like:

• How to Make French Onion Soup
• Italian One Pot Cod Fish Soup
• Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Pho Soup

One Pot Chicken Minestrone Soup

Written by Matt | Plating Pixels

One Pot Chicken Minestrone Soup makes an easy wholesome weeknight meal. Seared chicken with tender carrots, celery, onion, green beans and spinach in a tomato-based broth with cannelloni and navy beans.. 

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Servings 12 servings

Calories 107 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 large chicken breasts boneless, skinless
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons light olive oil divided
• 1 large yellow onion diced
• 2 stalks celery diced
• 2 large carrots sliced
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 6 ounces string beans trimmed and cut
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes undrained
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can cannellini beans rinsed and drained
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can navy beans rinsed and drained
• 2 handfuls fresh spinach leaves
• Fresh grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

 

• Cut chicken into ½-inch pieces. 
• Heat 3-tablespoons oil to medium-high heat in a large pot. Add chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until cooked through and edges are golden brown; 7-10 minutes.
• Remove chicken from pot and set aside to rest, discard excess liquid. You can store cooked chicken in fridge until ready to add at end.
• Heat remaining oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until fragrant. 
• Stir in celery, carrots and garlic, cooking 5 minutes more. Stir in string beans, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook 3-5 minutes more.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in chicken broth, diced tomatoes and beans. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cooked chicken, spinach leaves, and additional salt to taste if needed. Cook 3 minutes until spinach is wilted. Served garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

• This soup is very versatile and easy to adapt with any vegetables. If you have leftovers that need using up then this is a great way to reduce waste!
• Using high-quality tomatoes is key to a great minestrone because cheaper varieties are usually packed with water, lacking in flavor and can give a very acid taste to the soup. 
• For the broth; use homemade if possible for best flavor or high-quality store bought. Chicken broth can also be replaced with vegetable.
• Like most soups and stews this soup tastes great the next day as the flavor have time to really develop. 
• Store leftovers in suitable containers in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

 

Nutrition Facts

One Pot Chicken Minestrone Soup

Amount per Serving

Calories

107

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

5

g

8

%

Saturated Fat

 

0

g

0

%

Cholesterol

 

24

mg

8

%

Sodium

 

349

mg

15

%

Potassium

 

344

mg

10

%

Carbohydrates

 

4

g

1

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

1

g

1

%

Protein

 

9

g

18

%

Vitamin A

 

2620

IU

52

%

Vitamin C

 

11.3

mg

14

%

Calcium

 

35

mg

4

%

Iron

 

0.8

mg

4

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword Chicken Minestrone Soup, easy minestrone soup, one pot chicken soup

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