Healthy Chicken Soup With Beans

This healthy recipe for chicken soup with beans does take a while, but the eating is worth it! It’s nutritious, comforting, filling and tasty – the perfect cold weather dinner!

We’ll work with canned beans and whole bone-in chicken leg quarters as well as whatever soup vegetables you have at home!

Be sure to start making this chicken soup about 2 hours before it’s time to eat, or just prep it for the next days. Also, if you want to save some time, you can go for boneless, skinless chicken thighs – that will cut the cooking time in half.

Ready to make some healthy chicken soup? Here’s what you need:

Healthy Chicken soup With Beans Ingredients

Bone-In Chicken Leg Quarters. You can seriously, use whatever type of chicken you have and want for this soup. I usually find the flavor to be deeper when I use bone-in meat, but any type (even cooked chicken and stock) will work! You can use whole chicken (will take longer), chicken thighs, chicken legs, even chicken wings or boneless skinless chicken breast to make the soup.

Soup Vegetables. Carrots, onion, garlic, potatoes and some red bell pepper were the vegetables I added to this recipe. The only must-add vegetables I’d say are onions, everything else is your choice. You can use butternut squash, sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower – whatever you have at home. Make sure to not overdo the vegetable part, keep it in proportion to the chicken.

Canned Beans. Add some canned beans for extra fiber, protein and folic acid! Beans are amazing and make the soup super filling. You can also use canned chickpeas or any type of beans you have.

Water or Stock. I love to use water for my soups, but if you’re used to cooking with stock – then use that. It’s easier to adjust the flavor for salt especially.

Lemon juice or vinegar. The soup does need a little acidity, so you’ll need a squeeze of lemon or some ACV in it!

Herbs. My favorite herb for soups like this one is mint! I used some dried mint, but also added fresh basil as well as that’s what I had in my herb garden right now. Turned out to be a great addition!

How To Make Healthy Chicken Soup With Beans

Now that you’ve gathered all the ingredients, let’s start making this tasty chicken and beans soup!

First step: chop the onion and the garlic really thinly!

Add them to a cooking pot where you’ll make the soup and saute with some olive oil and mint. This step should take around 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Then wash and prep the chicken leg quarters and add them to the cooking pot.

Cover with water and add salt or use stock. Don’t add too much water or stock, just enough to properly cover the chicken thighs.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the chicken for about 40-45 minutes or until completely done. The meat should come off the bone easily.

While that’s cooking, it’s time to prepare the other ingredients that will go into the soup. Peel and thinly chop the potato, shred the carrots and the bell pepper (if you’re using it). Thinly chop some basil leaves, and rinse and drain the canned beans.

Once the chicken has cooked for 20 minutes, add in the thinly chopped potato and continue with the simmering.

After 40-45 minutes of simmering, or once the chicken leg quarters are fully cooked and the meat comes off the bones, it’s time to take the chicken out. You can use thongs, I use a fork. Transfer the chicken onto a plate and allow a few minutes to cool off. You can use that time to add the carrots, bell pepper and beans to the cooking pot and to adjust the broth for salt and pepper.

Start shredding the chicken and discard the bones. Once shredded add it back into the soup.

Add in a squeeze of lemon and simmer again. After 4-5 minutes, have a taste and adjust for salt and pepper.

Lastly, add in the chopped basil and simmer for the last 3-4 minutes.

Then serve with black pepper and thinly chopped parsley or basil (or whatever you desire).

How To Store

This is a great chicken soup to meal prep and have throughout the week. It’s healthy, filling, tasty and will stay good in the fridge for about 4-5 days. Just transfer into an airtight container and put in the fridge. It will jelify once cold, you can reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

More Healthy Soup Recipes

I hope you enjoy this easy chicken soup with beans when you try it! And if you’re a fan of soups, here are some more recipes to try:

• Lentil Vegetable Soup
• Easy Meatball Soup Recipe
• Creamy Potato Carrot Soup

Healthy Chicken Soup With Beans

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Making this healthy recipe for chicken soup with beans does take a while, but the eating is worth it! It's comforting, easy to make and so delicious - the perfect dinner idea for the colder months!

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Ingredients

• 2 chicken thighs, bone in
• 1 large onion, thinly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly chopped
• 1/2 bell pepper, grated (optional)
• 1 potato, thinly chopped
• 5 cups water or as needed
• 1 cup beans, canned, rinsed and drained
• 1 tsp dried mint
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large carrot, grated
• Handful basil
• 1-2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Chop the onion and the garlic really thinly!
2. Add them to a cooking pot where you’ll make the soup and saute until fragrant with some olive oil and mint. This step should take around 2-3 minutes.
3. Then wash and prep the chicken leg quarters and add them to the cooking pot.
4. Cover with water and add salt or use stock. Don’t add too much water or stock, just enough to properly cover the chicken thighs ( I used around 3 1/2 cups water here and then had to add some more water later on)
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the chicken for about 40-45 minutes or until completely cooked. After that time, the meat should come off the bone easily.
6. While the chicken is cooking, it’s time to prepare the other ingredients that will go into the soup. Peel and thinly chop the potato, shred the carrots and the bell pepper (if you’re using it). Thinly chop some basil leaves, and rinse and drain the canned beans.
7. Once the chicken has cooked for 20 minutes, add in the thinly chopped potato, then continue to simmer for 20-25 more minutes.
8. After 40-45 minutes of simmering (total), or once the chicken leg quarters are fully cooked and the meat comes off the bones, it’s time to take the chicken out of the pot. You can use thongs, I use a fork. Transfer the chicken onto a plate and allow a few minutes to cool off. You can use that time to add the carrots, bell pepper and beans to the cooking pot and to adjust the taste of the broth for salt and pepper.
9. Start shredding the chicken with two forks and discard the bones. Once shredded, add the chicken back into the soup.
10. Add in a squeeze of lemon and simmer again for 4-5 minutes, then have a taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
11. Add in the chopped basil and simmer for the final 3-4 minutes.
12. Then serve with black pepper and thinly chopped parsley or basil (or whatever you desire).

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 299Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 83mgSodium 431mgCarbohydrates 29gFiber 5gSugar 8gProtein 21g