Chicken Minestrone Soup
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This chicken minestrone soup recipe is easy to make, wholesome, and completely delicious—so of course we adore it! A rainbow of veggies, tender and convenient rotisserie chicken, and little bites of pasta mingle in the tastiest broth to leave you feeling truly satisfied. Serve with Parmesan, red pepper for kick, and crusty bread or rolls to complete the meal.
Minestrone truly is a soup for all seasons: cozy yet light, comforting yet nutritious, and full of all the most delicious Italian flavors. Add chicken and you have an extra-satisfying yet still totally simple soup that fills you up body and soul.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Minestrone Soup
- Combines budget-friendly pantry staples with fresh veggies and convenient rotisserie chicken
- Easy to make in about 30 minutes—lots of it hands-off simmering time
- Fresh, widely-loved Italian flavors
- Surprisingly healthy for something that tastes so delicious
- Reheats well—if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers!
The result is the most delicious Italian-inspired soup that coaxes big flavor from everyday ingredients. Pair with garlic knots, breadsticks, or a simple salad, relax, and enjoy.
Ingredient Notes
Of course vegetable broth also works if that’s what you’ve got on hand, and you can make a traditional vegetarian minestrone just by using this and omitting the chicken.
Pesto Options
While I always love this soup most when I’m able to mix in a few spoonfuls of sun-dried tomato pesto, it’s also delicious with a little traditional basil pesto or your favorite alternate, too. If you don’t happen to have any pesto, don’t let that stop you from enjoying the soup; just keep in mind you may want to add a little extra salt, red pepper, parsley, or other herbs at the end to bump up the overall flavor.
True One Pot Wonder
As all fabulous soups ought to be, this is a one pot sensation. No fuss, no need to cook anything separately.
To begin, sauté carrots and onion together in olive oil with a bit of salt and pepper.
Once the veggies have softened a bit, stir in nearly everything else: garlic, beans, green beans, diced tomatoes, broth, and seasonings.
Bring the liquid to a rapid simmer, then cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and let it bubble away for at least 8 minutes. It can go a little longer if you’re not in a hurry.
Stir in the shredded chicken, pasta, and pesto. Cook uncovered just until the pasta is cooked nearly al dente, per the package directions.
Pro Tip
Let the pasta keep some bite. I recommend turning off the heat 1-2 minutes shy of the al dente mark, because overcooking is a greater concern than undercooking the pasta in a soup of this kind. And as noted below, if you’re making this ahead of time, it can help to cook the pasta separately. Mushy pasta is one of the few ways to make minestrone go awry!
Finally, sample a spoonful and season to taste. Add red pepper for kick, fresh parsley for a fresh pop, Parmesan for creaminess, and more salt for extra all-around flavor.
Minestrone Serving Suggestions
This soup is delicious and has a lot going on, so I personally consider it a complete meal in one bowl. This said, I’m never one to turn down a little bread on the side! The mini croissants shown here are from Trader Joe’s—you bake them at home from frozen and I think they’re quite good.
For a delicious soup and salad combination, a Parmesan arugula or French carrot salad adds a little variety and complementary flavor.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
- To Make Ahead: If you’re intentionally making this soup ahead of time, it can be helpful to cook the pasta separately, so it doesn’t absorb excess water while it rests and reheats.
- To Store: Leftover chicken minestrone keeps well in an airtight storage container in the fridge for at least 3 days. These deli containers are my forever favorite for storing soup.
More Easy Soup Recipes
- Easy Tortellini Soup with White Beans
- Carrot Red Pepper Soup
- 20-Minute Tomato Soup
- White Bean Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Chicken Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 medium carrots peeled and chopped into small coins
- 1/2 medium yellow onion peeled and chopped
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes I like fire-roasted
- 1 (15 ounce) can Cannellini or other beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup fresh uncooked green beans chopped into roughly 2” pieces
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2-3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 cup small pasta shells elbows, ditalini, or another small shape
- 2-3 Tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto see note
- fresh parsley, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan optional for serving
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, warm olive oil over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and about 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 3 medium carrots, 1/2 medium yellow onion, kosher salt and black pepper
- Add garlic, tomatoes, white beans, green beans, broth, bay leaves, oregano, and thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer for 8-10 minutes.3-4 cloves garlic, 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, 1 (15 ounce) can Cannellini or other beans, 1 cup fresh uncooked green beans, 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Stir in the chicken, pasta, and pesto, then cook uncovered for 1-2 minutes less than the package directions say for al dente pasta. Reduce heat a bit if needed; the water should simmer rapidly but not boil over.2-3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, 1/2 cup small pasta shells, 2-3 Tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto
- When you’re 1-2 minutes shy of the al dente time, turn off the heat. Remove the bay leaves, sample, and season with extra salt, black pepper, or red pepper flakes to taste.
- Garnish with grated Parmesan, more pepper, and fresh parsley, as desired. Enjoy!fresh parsley, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan
Notes
- Celery: Traditional minestrone typically includes a few stalks of diced celery; I admit it’s just not my family’s favorite! If you’re including it, dice into small pieces and sauté in the first step, along with the carrot and onion.
- Pesto: While I always love this soup most when I’m able to mix in a few spoonfuls of sun-dried tomato pesto, which you can make yourself or buy in most stores, it’s also delicious with a little traditional basil pesto or your favorite alternate, too. If you don’t happen to have any pesto to mix in, don’t let that stop you from enjoying the soup; just keep in mind that you may want to add a little extra salt, red pepper, parsley, or other herbs at the end to bump up the overall flavor.
- Pasta: Shells are a classic and shown here; ditalini, orzo, or acini di pepe, pastina, or any other very small shape also work very well. Pearl couscous also works well and is a fun variation.
- Beans: Great Northern or navy beans are good substitutes if Cannellini beans are hard to find. I also like minestrone with red kidney beans; it’s really very flexible.
- To Make Ahead: If you’re intentionally making this soup ahead of time, it can be helpful to cook the pasta separately, so it doesn’t absorb excess water while it rests and reheats.
- To Store: Leftover chicken minestrone keeps well in an airtight storage container in the fridge for at least 3 days. These deli containers are my forever favorite for storing soup.
