Chicken, White Bean and Kale Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil (14 g)
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, chunked (680 g)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided (6 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided (1 g)
• 1 yellow onion, diced (200 g)
• 2 medium carrots, diced (150 g)
• 2 celery stalks, diced (100 g)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced (12 g)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (2 g)
• 4 cups chicken broth (960 g)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (411 g)
• 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed (250 g)
• 1 bay leaf (1 g)
• 4 cups chopped curly kale (120 g)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (30 g)
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley (15 g)

Instructions

1. Prepare ingredients. Dice the onion, carrots, and celery evenly. Mince garlic, chop kale, rinse beans, and keep the remaining ingredients measured beside the stove. Pat chicken dry, then season it with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
2. Brown chicken. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken in one layer and brown for about 3 minutes per side. Transfer it to a plate. Leave the browned bits and oil in the pot.
3. Cook vegetables. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrots, celery, and the remaining salt. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and Italian seasoning, then stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Build the broth. Add broth, diced tomatoes and juices, beans, and bay leaf. Scrape the pot bottom with a wooden spoon. Return chicken and plate juices, then bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
5. Simmer and shred. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, turning chicken once halfway through. Lift chicken onto a board and shred with two forks. Cook until the thickest piece reads 165°F in the center, then return shredded chicken to the pot.
6. Finish soup. Add kale and simmer uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes until tender. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in lemon juice and parsley, taste, and adjust pepper or salt. Divide chicken, beans, vegetables, and broth evenly among four bowls.

Notes

• Use a Dutch oven or similarly heavy soup pot that holds at least 5 quarts. Its wide base gives the chicken room to brown before the liquid is added, which keeps the method moving without a second pan.
• The finished soup becomes slightly thicker after chilling because the beans continue to absorb broth. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water or broth per bowl while reheating if a looser consistency suits the meal plan better.

Nutrition Facts