Not Your Standard

White Bean Chicken Soup

October 29, 2012

 This hurricane weather has kept me indoors for most of the weekend and the little bit of time I spent outside left me cold, wet and miserable. It only seemed logical to start up the stove and make a soup that can fix anyone’s rainy day. This recipe is a nice twist on your basic chicken soup, the mushroom, spinach, leeks and white beans make it hearty like a stew and the little bit of added bacon gives it a great smokiness. 

 

White Bean Chicken Soup (from HowSweetEats) 

serves 4

 

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

2 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped

1 small sweet onion, chopped

1 cleaned and trimmed leek, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 (6 oz) bag fresh spinach

1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups low-sodium chicken stock

2 cups water

1/4 cup freshly grated fontina cheese + more for garnish

 

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add chopped bacon. Cook until crispy and fat is rendered, then remove and let drain on a paper towel. Turn heat down to medium-low and add onions and leeks. Stir thoroughly to coat in bacon fat, then cook for 3 minutes. Add in mushrooms, stirring to coat and cook for 3 minutes more. Stir in pepper and paprika, then add in garlic and spinach. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until spinach wilts.

 

Add in chicken and toss with ingredients to coat. Add in beans, stock and water, then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Stir in fontina and bacon. Season with salt if desired (I really didn’t feel that mine needed any with the bacon + stock + fontina.) Serve with additional grated fontina and crackers.

 

Note: as long as you have some cooked chicken on hand, this soup will take you under 30 minutes. If you have to cook the chicken, you’re looking at about 45 minutes.