Description
This Easy Chicken Pesto Soup is a comforting and flavorful dish that combines tender shredded chicken, vibrant green pesto, nutritious kale, and creamy cannellini beans in a savory chicken broth. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal, this soup is hearty yet light, packed with veggies, and ready in just 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 cups chicken broth
Main Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons green pesto
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained
- 2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
- 3 ounces chopped kale
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional: grated cheese for topping
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil: Add olive oil to a large soup pot over medium-high heat to warm the oil for sautéing.
- Sauté the vegetables: Add diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook until softened, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Add the garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- Add broth and pesto: Pour in the chicken broth, then stir in the green pesto and drained cannellini beans. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer the soup: Reduce heat to low and simmer the soup for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Add chicken: Stir in the shredded cooked chicken breasts and continue to simmer the soup for another 5 minutes to warm through.
- Add kale: Finally, add chopped kale and simmer for 3 more minutes until the kale is tender but still vibrant.
- Serve: Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste. Optionally, top each serving with grated cheese before serving.
Notes
- Use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the chicken and use vegetable broth instead.
- Fresh pesto can be replaced with store-bought pesto if preferred.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice before serving to brighten the flavors.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be reheated on the stovetop.
