This chicken soup with white beans and kale is a weeknight wonder. It’s comforting, nutritious, and so easy to make.
A creamy and flavorful chicken soup with white beans and kale is the perfect midweek meal.
There are nights when I don’t feel like cooking; when that happens, I turn to simple, one-pot recipes. This easy chicken and white bean soup with kale is a perfect cure for those nights when you just need a break.
This soup is so comforting with a balanced creaminess accented with just the right amount of brightness from lemon juice and lemon pepper. It’s perfect for a chilly autumn night.
You need just a handful of ingredients, but you can modify this soup endlessly.
How to make this chicken soup with white beans and kale
What you need
- Protein: I’ve made this with boneless, skinless chicken thighs and bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Both work well; use whichever you prefer! The cooking time will just be a bit longer for bone-in, skin-on thighs.
- Beans: I use cannellini beans, but any white bean will work here. Try it with navy or chickpeas instead.
- Vegetables and aromatics: This recipe uses onion, red potatoes, and kale. You can try it with spinach or escarole instead.
- Spices: Lemon pepper and crushed red pepper add a little bit of lemony flavor with just the right amount of heat.
- Finishing touches: A little cream, lemon juice, and fresh parsley round out this one-pot chicken soup’s flavors.
How to make it
- Step 1: Brown the chicken. Pat the chicken dry and season it with salt and pepper. If using skin-on chicken, place it in the pot skin-side down.
- Step 2: Add the diced onion and potatoes and season with lemon pepper, crushed red pepper, and more salt and pepper.
- Step 3: Simmer the soup. Add the beans and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool.
- Step 4: Shred the chicken. Discard the skin and bones if using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
- Step 5: Finish the soup. Add the kale and shredded chicken to the soup and simmer until the kale wilts. Finish with heavy cream, lemon juice, and parsley.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes, this chicken soup with kale is super easy to make in a slow cooker. Throw everything except the kale and cream in the crockpot. Cook it on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours. Shred the chicken and then add the kale during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Right before serving, stir in the lemon juice, cream, and parsley.
Chicken Soup with White Beans and Kale
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or use 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thgihs)
- 1 yellow onion (peeled and diced)
- 1 pound red potatoes (scrubbed and cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (plus more to taste)
- 15-ounce can cannellini beans
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 bunch Lacinato kale (stemmed and roughly chopped)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- ½ cup parsley (loosely packed and minced; plus more for serving)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
Sauté the chicken:
- Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Season the chicken with 1½ teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Add it to the pot (skin-side down, if using skin-on thighs). Cook without moving for 5 minutes.
- Flip the chicken and add the diced onion, potatoes, lemon pepper, and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and cook for 5 minutes.
Simmer the soup:
- Add the beans and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.
- Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Discard the skin and bones if using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
Finish the soup:
- Add the kale and shredded chicken to the soup. Simmer for 5 minutes until the kale wilts. Finish with heavy cream, lemon juice, and parsley. Taste and season once more with salt, pepper, or crushed red pepper.
To serve:
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with more parsley if you like. Enjoy!
I liked this recipe A LOT but I am so curious as to what makes these pictures so red? I haven’t found anything except tomatoes but I’m curious from the blogger?
I’m happy you like the recipe! I hit things with a lot of crushed red pepper, which will definitely impact the color. BUT, I also photograph next to a red brick wall, which probably impacts the color of all my dishes more significantly than the crushed red pepper. I actually thought this one was more cool-toned than my other photos, but maybe I need to get my eyes checked!
why did my recipe turn out all foamy when the chicken cooked? boneless skinless chicken used all the fat cooked out and messed up the broth
This looks amazing
Delicious. Was a huge hit with the family.
So happy everyone enjoyed it!
This is a new favourite. Looking at the ingredients, you wouldn’t think it would be special… but man, it is special. I have no idea why but this is the best soup we’ve ever made. We left out the beans and added carrots instead. I think cooking uncovered is KEY. So so so so delicious. Will be a favourite for years to come.