I found a pretty cool looking recipe the other day for a chicken and white bean soup that I thought my family might like. Of course, I always enjoy making things my own by tweaking it a bit, and I also saw great potential to add some nutrition by making it into a "green" soup. A green soup is one that is loaded with hearty, fiber rich vegetables and includes dark greens like chard, spinach or kale. I wanted to preserve the lightness of the soup, so I was lighthanded with these, but you get the idea - I just wanted to boost the soup with some awesome nutritious "greenness." The soup has that great southwestern flavor that I adore, but remains light (not heavy) - almost like a greenish "white" taco soup. There's tons of heart healthy fiber and lean protein in here to fill you up and keep your blood sugar level throughout the day, so this would work great as a lunch prep meal. And since canned beans are so inexpensive and you probably have a lot of the other things on hand in the pantry, it's a very budget friendly meal for the amount of servings! Win! Win! Win!
#glutenfree #dairyfree #paleo #whole30 #lowcarb #hearthealthy #cleaneating #southwestern #chicken #soup #stepbystep #budgetfriendly #lunchprep #mealprep
Ingredients: (6 servings)
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 lg onion, diced small
- 1 - 1 1/2 tsp Creole seasoning, divided
- 1 Tbsp garlic paste of finely minced
- 1 (4oz) can diced green chiles (mild)
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- start with 1/4 and increase in the end if more heat is desired
- 32 oz low sodium chicken broth
- 2 (15oz) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken (breasts or thighs)
- or rotisserie chicken - see note in step-by-step section
- I used 3 large boneless skinless thighs
- 3 - 4 Tbsp chopped cilantro
- Juice of 2 limes
- 2 stalks of kale, rinsed clean and chopped finely
- 1 zucchini, sliced into half moons
- Optional toppings
- tortilla chips
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
Step-by-Step -
In a heavy pot (I used my Dutch oven) add a little oil to the bottom.
In a heavy pot (I used my Dutch oven) add a little oil to the bottom.
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| 2 Tbsp canola oil |
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| 1 lg onion, diced small |
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| 1/2 tsp Creole seasoning |
When onions are soft, add 1 Tbsp finely minced garlic or garlic paste and chopped chiles. Cook another minute until fragrant. At this point, you may want to turn the onion mixture down to low heat.
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| 1 Tbsp garlic paste or minced fine |
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| 4 oz can mild diced green chiles |
Add in the cumin, oregano and red pepper flakes.
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| 1 1/2 tsp cumin |
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| 1 tsp dried oregano |
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| 1/4 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes |
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| 32 oz chicken broth of your choice |
Add in your chicken. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs. 1 - that's what I had on hand in the freezer. 2 - I thought they would stay juicier and have more flavor than breasts.
HOWEVER... I think this recipe would also work just as good with a rotisserie chicken if you are in a hurry and want to go that route. Just pull the meat off the carcass before hand and put the chopped, cooked meat in at the END so it doesn't overcook and dry out. |
| 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken (I used thighs) |
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| 1 tsp Creole seasoning |
Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for about 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Note, if broth reduces too much and becomes overly salty, feel free to add another cup or so of water.
While chicken is cooking, use this time to prep all your other things, like washing the kale (it's often very sandy) and chopping it into tiny pieces. You'll want to give it time to simmer along with everything because kale can be tough. Once you get that done, just throw it in along with the chicken.
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| 2 stalks kale, rinsed and chopped very small |
Drain and rinse two cans of Great Northern white beans. That canned stuff has a lot of yucky sodium "stuff" on them that you don't really want or need. Go ahead and throw that in as well.
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| 2 (15 oz) cans Great Northern white beans, drained and rinsed |
Once the chicken is tender and cooked, remove it from the pot.
Use a potato masher to mash up a few of the beans. I did it maybe 10-15 times. Just enough to thicken the soup just a bit and give it a little more body.
Now add back the cooked, shredded chicken chunks. If you are using a rotisserie chicken, add the pieces now. At this point, everything is on simmer.
Add in a zucchini that you've cut into sliced, half moons. We are adding them in the end because they cook very quickly and we don't want them to just be mush. In 10 minutes, they will be done.
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| 1 zucchini, sliced into half moons |
Coming down the finish line, let's add the chopped fresh cilantro. Don't add it too early or else it will lose its flavor.
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| 3 - 4 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro |
Now to brighten everything up, a punch of acidity from everyone's favorite Mexican acid... fresh lime juice.
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| juice from 2 limes (about 2 Tbsp) |
*Fun fact - since capsaicin (the active ingredient in chili peppers) is an alkaline oil, its intensity may be offset by cooking with acids. Using acidic ingredients such as citrus juices, vinegars, wine, tomatoes, pineapples, etc all help neutralize the pH levels of the spicy oil and reduce the intensity of the heat. Another thing that offsets the heat is dairy. It's no wonder that many spicy ethnic foods such as Mexican, Indian, and Thai cuisines are served with both citrus and dairy accompaniments! (think limes and sour cream)
And now we're ready to ladle it up! This soup is both light and hearty at the same time. It's definitely filling and super tasty, but doesn't leave you feeling weighed down.
It's also a soup you can have fun with. Do serve some tortilla chips with it, if you feel so inclined. The flavor profile works perfectly together when they soften up in the soup. And of course this makes it even more kid friendly.
You could also throw a handful of shredded cheese and a spoon of rich, creamy sour cream on top. Yum. I tried it. I can tell you. It totally works.
Wait. So you have kids that won't eat the zucchini? LOL. Well... hmm. I have the same problem. It's a constant battle, actually. And it's a shame, because zucchini is super nutrient dense, contains zero fat, lots of fiber, and contains significant amounts of both fat soluble AND water soluble vitamins such as vitamins B6, riboflavin, folate, C, and K, and minerals, like potassium and manganese.
Side note - my zucchini'phobe actually ate his whole bowl of this. Even the zucchini. Score! My theory is that they sucked up all the chicken brothy flavor.
But take heart, moms, even if the kids pick them out, the water soluble vitamins (B vitamins and vitamin C) get leached out into the broth, so your kid can't escape the nutrition that you've added! And the kale is so tiny depending on how you chop it that you get to call it "seasoning." Just like cilantro, oregano, and all the rest of the seasoning.
Jar Lid Hand Pies
To buy the Menu Musings Cookbook -
Method:
In a heavy pot (I used my Dutch oven) add a little oil to the bottom. Add diced onions to the oil. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of Creole seasoning over onions, then saute over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until soft and translucent. When onions are soft, add 1 Tbsp finely minced garlic or garlic paste and chopped chiles. Cook another minute until fragrant. At this point, you may want to turn the onion mixture down to low heat. Add in the cumin, oregano and red pepper flakes. *Note - if you have heat sensitive little people at your house, you may want to start off with less heat and add more in the end if desired.
Add in the chicken broth. Add in your chicken (unless you are using rotisserie chicken). Add the remainder of the Creole seasoning. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for about 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Note, if broth reduces too much and becomes overly salty, feel free to add another cup or so of water.
While chicken is cooking, use this time to prep all your other things, like washing the kale (it's often very sandy) and chopping it into tiny pieces. You'll want to give it time to simmer along with everything because kale can be tough. Once you get that done, just throw it in along with the chicken. Drain and rinse two cans of Great Northern white beans. That canned stuff has a lot of yucky sodium "stuff" on them that you don't really want or need. Go ahead and throw that in as well. Once the chicken is tender and cooked, remove it from the pot. Shred the cooked chicken with two forks into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
Use a potato masher to mash up a few of the beans. I did it maybe 10-15 times. Just enough to thicken the soup just a bit and give it a little more body. Now add back the cooked, shredded chicken chunks. If you are using a rotisserie chicken, add the pieces now. At this point, everything is on simmer. Add in a zucchini that you've cut into sliced, half moons. We are adding them in the end because they cook very quickly and we don't want them to just be mush. In 10 minutes, they will be done.
Coming down the finish line, let's add the chopped fresh cilantro. Don't add it too early or else it will lose its flavor. Now to brighten everything up, a punch of acidity from everyone's favorite Mexican acid... fresh lime juice.
*Fun fact - since capsaicin (the active ingredient in chili peppers) is an alkaline oil, its intensity may be offset by cooking with acids. Using acidic ingredients such as citrus juices, vinegars, wine, tomatoes, pineapples, etc all help neutralize the pH levels of the spicy oil and reduce the intensity of the heat. Another thing that offsets the heat is dairy. It's no wonder that many spicy ethnic foods such as Mexican, Indian, and Thai cuisines are served with both citrus and dairy accompaniments! (think limes and sour cream)
And now we're ready to ladle it up! This soup is both light and hearty at the same time. It's definitely filling and super tasty, but doesn't leave you feeling weighed down. It's also a soup you can have fun with. Do serve some tortilla chips with it, if you feel so inclined. The flavor profile works perfectly together when they soften up in the soup. And of course this makes it even more kid friendly. You could also throw a handful of shredded cheese and a spoon of rich, creamy sour cream on top. Yum. I tried it. I can tell you. It totally works.
