White Bean Chicken Soup

Name: White Bean Chicken Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 2 medium carrots (peeled and chopped); 1/2 medium yellow onion (chopped); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 6 cups chicken broth; 2-3 cups shredded chicken (from a rotisserie chicken works well); 1 15 ounce can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 2 cups baby spinach (or Swiss or rainbow chard); 1 tablespoon lemon juice (from about 1/2 medium lemon); 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or 1-2 teaspoons dried); 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 10-12 cranks fresh-ground black pepper

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by Monica Lensink on Dec 16, 2021

Ladle up bowls of this white bean chicken soup for a cozy, healthy, naturally low-carb meal. You’ll love the tender veggies, hearty white beans, and zippy burst of lemon. You’ll also love using rotisserie chicken to get this on the table in record time!

Think of this soup as your new official companion to sweater days, cozy days, early spring days, slightly under the weather days, craving some nutrients days, and all the days in between. How can a humble white bean chicken soup be so versatile? It’s hard to explain, but when you try it, you know.

This simple yet always-appropriate recipe is adapted from a lemony white bean and spinach soup that earns rave reviews and is one of my most-requested meals.

Here we’re adding chicken and stock to make it more like a low-carb spin on classic chicken soup. We keep the zippy lemon, kicked-up garlic and Italian seasonings, tender carrots and onions. You can keep the spinach or swap in Swiss chard or rainbow chard, the latter of which was used in the version shown here. It is, quite literally, all good.

Ingredients & Common Substitutions

Chicken, carrots, onion, white beans, chard, lemon, broth, and seasoning in prep bowls.

Here are a few notes and shopping tips about the ingredients you’ll need to make white bean chicken soup, as well as possible substitutions:

Shredded chicken. Pretty self-explanatory! I try to make this when I have extra rotisserie chicken, for the sheer simplicity, but you can find additional ideas below.
Carrots. Peeled and chopped.
Onion. I prefer yellow onion in this recipe and similar soups, but a sweet onion works well, also. For a twist, you could use part of all shallots.
Cannellini or other small white beans. Cannellini beans are a large Italian bean that work beautifully in any recipe that calls simply for “white beans.” They maintain a hearty, creamy texture when cooked. Great northern or white navy beans work well as substitutes.
Greens. Baby spinach, Swiss chard, or rainbow chard all work well. You want something that wilts relatively quickly in the hot broth. The greens add nutrition and color to this pretty dish.
Lemon.
Garlic.
Parsley.
Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Olive oil and butter.

I don’t have a rotisserie chicken! What should I do?

Poaching is arguably the best and easiest method for making shredded chicken directly from uncooked chicken breasts. It’s quick and simple, and easy to do in large batches. The shredded chicken can be refrigerated for several days or frozen in small-to-medium quantities, which makes it easy to pull out for individual recipes as needed.

I don’t have Italian seasoning! What’s a good substitute?

No Italian seasoning on hand? No worries! Substitute 1/4 teaspoon each of basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. Do consider stocking Italian seasoning, however. It’s a lovely Mediterranean spice blend that is a great shortcut for the cook who is pressed for time.

How To Make Chicken Soup with White Beans

This soup is mercifully very simple to make — just another reason to love it so. You’ll begin in the typical fashion, by sautéeing the carrots and onions in a smidge of butter and olive oil to let them get a head start on softening and mellowing in flavor.

Add garlic and Italian seasoning, then cook for just about one minute, until the garlic is very fragrant. If you wanted your soup to have some additional kick, you could add 1/4 teaspoon (or more) red pepper flakes at this stage.

Add broth and bring the mixture to a rapid boil. Add chicken, reduce heat so that the mixture maintains a low simmer, and let it bubble that way for 8-10 minutes.

White bean chicken soup with rainbow chard, carrots, and onions, simmering in a Dutch oven ready to serve.

Finally, stir in the beans and greens, followed by the lemon, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Be sure to taste and adjust the broth to suit your tastebuds at the end. You may want more lemon, more salt, etc. I usually add another 1/4 teaspoon salt, but my husband likes things on the salty side, so there’s that!

How can I thicken the broth in a white bean soup?

This soup has a fairly light and clear broth, although it gets a bit of robustness from a small amount of starch released by the beans as they cook at the end.

If you prefer a thicker broth, consider adding the beans earlier, along with the chicken, then removing a ladleful to blitz in the food processor or blender. Add that mixture back into the rest of the soup, where it will thicken the base.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this soup with a basket full of garlic knots, breadsticks, or crusty Dutch oven bread. You can leave it at that, or serve alongside a simple salad – try arugula or a classic Italian – to stretch it out.

Want to dress up your bowls? A sprinkle of fresh parsley and a small wedge of fresh-cut lemon makes things look as good as the taste!

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

Storing Leftovers. Extra soup keeps well in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or larger portions on the stovetop over medium heat.
Freezing. This soup does freeze well! Be sure to leave space in the container for the soup to expand as it freezes. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then warm on the stovetop until it reaches a low simmer.

Close-up view of a bowl of white bean chicken soup with carrots and chard, with a spoon hovering above about to dig in.

Here’s hoping this soup is your new comfort companion!

More Soups You’ll Love

Craving more soup? Of course you are! For more soups with poultry, try a hearty tortellini chicken noodle soup or this creamy turkey and dumplings soup. (You can easily use shredded chicken in place of the turkey.)

If you love the creaminess of white beans, this Cannellini and tortellini soup or a lemony shrimp and bean stew will hit the spot. Use your Instant Pot to whip up a delicious broccoli cheddar or creamy potato chowder in a flash, or make this delicious and naturally-vegan carrot red pepper soup on the stovetop.

If you make this White Bean Chicken Soup, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. I love hearing how recipes turn out in your kitchen, and it helps other readers, too.

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