Tuscan Chicken Soup
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil from the sun-dried tomatoes jar
- 1 lb (450g) chicken breast or use rotisserie chicken/leftover cooked chicken
- 1 medium onion
- 2 ribs celery
- 2 carrots
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons flour divided
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 (14 oz or 400ml) can cannellini beans
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 3/4 cup (75g) parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 handfulls spinach 80g
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 ounces (230g) short-sized pasta bowties, spirals, orecchiette
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients:
- If using raw chicken breast, cut it into small, bite-sized pieces. Season it with salt and pepper and toss with 1 tablespoon of flour.1 lb (450g) chicken breast
- If using rotisserie or cooked chicken, shred or chop it into bite-sized pieces.
- Dice the onion, slice the celery, and carrots. Finely chop the garlic cloves.1 medium onion, 2 ribs celery, 2 carrots, 6 cloves garlic
- Drain and chop the sun-dried tomatoes if they're not already diced.1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- Grate parmesan on the small holes of a box grater.3/4 cup (75g) parmesan cheese
- Cook chicken and vegetables:
- Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over high heat.2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil
- Add the raw chicken pieces, don't stir for the first 2-3 minutes letting the chicken brown. Start stirring until the chicken is browned but not cooked through (it will finish later in the soup). Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Add onion, celery, and carrots to the pot. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables soften, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add garlic, the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour, paprika, and basil. Cook for 1 minute.1 teaspoon basil, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Cook the soup:
- Add chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and beans (with the liquid) to the pot. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes.6 cups chicken broth, 1 (14 oz or 400ml) can cannellini beans
- While the soup simmers, cook the pasta separately according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.8 ounces (230g) short-sized pasta
- Add heavy cream, lemon juice, and grated Parmesan cheese to the pot. Add cooked chicken back to the pot. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the parmesan melted.1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- If using rotisserie chicken/cooked chicken, add to to the pot and cook for 1-2 minutes until heated through.
- Take the pot off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Be careful to not add too much salt because parmesan cheese is already very salty and store-bought chicken broth also.
- Add spinach. Stir gently until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes.2 handfulls spinach
- Ladle the soup into bowls and add cooked pasta. Garnish with additional grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- If you think you will eat the whole soup on the same day, you can cook the pasta directly in the soup (you will need to add more broth or water). If you know you will have leftovers and want to store the soup for the next day, you should cook the pasta separately and add it to the soup just before serving. Pasta left in the soup will soak up the liquid, become mushy, and make the soup very thick.
- If you wish to prepare homemade chicken broth: In a large pot, combine 2 pounds (1 kg) of chicken drumsticks or chicken wings, or leg quarters with 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery ribs, a few garlic cloves, and fresh herbs if available. Fill the pot with water, ensuring it covers the meat by at least 2 inches (5 cm). Bring the mixture to a boil, then let it simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Strain the broth and use it for the soup. Remove the meat from the bones and use it in place of raw chicken.
- Calories = 1 serving (1/6 of the recipe). This is only an estimate!
Nutrition
Calories: 701kcal