Chicken Minestrone Soup
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.
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
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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.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 509 kcal, Carbohydrates: 54 g, Protein: 43 g, Fat: 13 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g, Cholesterol: 79 mg, Sodium: 565 mg, Potassium: 1202 mg, Fiber: 10 g, Sugar: 10 g, Vitamin A: 8748 IU, Vitamin C: 12 mg, Calcium: 223 mg, Iron: 7 mg