This chicken and white bean soup is rich, smoky, and finished with lemon — the kind of soup that gets better the longer it simmers on the stove.
Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make | 👩🍳 Recipe Tips | 🥗 Serving Suggestions | 📝Full Recipe Card | 🍽 More Soup Recipes
At A Glance
- ⏱ Ready In: 50 minutes (15 min prep, 35 min cook)
- 🍽 Serves: 4 – 6
- 🌱 Diet: Gluten-Free, High-Protein, Dairy-Free (optional)
- 💪 Nutrition Highlights: High in protein from chicken and beans, great source of fiber
- 🥕 Main Ingredients: Chicken breast or thighs, cannellini beans, chicken broth, tomato paste, kale, celery, carrot, onion, lemon
- 🔥 Flavor Profile: Rich, savory, gently smoky, brightened with lemon at the end
- 🧊 Meal-Prep Friendly: Keeps 4–5 days in the fridge, freezes well (leave out cream and kale before freezing)
- Best Served With: Crusty bread or sourdough toast, a simple green salad
This chicken and white bean soup is the kind of dish that gets better the longer it sits on the stove. Chicken pieces braise right in the broth until fall-apart tender, then shred straight into the soup for a richness that chicken breast just doesn’t deliver. The cannellini beans do double duty — part of them get blended back into the broth, which thickens everything naturally without a drop of cream or flour. Tomato paste, smoked paprika, and a bay leaf build a warm, savory base, and a squeeze of lemon at the end keeps it from tasting heavy. If you want an extra hit of umami, stir in some grated Parmesan right before serving — it’s optional, but worth it.
👩🍳 You might also like these recipes: lemon chicken orzo soup, chicken lentil soup, chicken potato soup, tuna white bean salad, borscht soup, or tomato Florentine soup.
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need for this chicken white bean soup recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
- Onion, carrot, celery, garlic — the classic soup base that builds flavor from the ground up.
- Tomato paste — adds depth and richness; cook it until it darkens for the best flavor.
- Dried thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, bay leaf — build warmth and gentle spice without overpowering the broth.
- Chicken — breast or thighs can be used; the meat braises directly in the broth and shreds beautifully. I find that chicken thighs are tastier and shred more easily, but breast is best for leaner meat.
- Cannellini beans — two cans, drained and rinsed. Part of them get blended back into the soup to thicken it naturally. Navy or great northern beans work too.
- Chicken broth — the base of the soup, so use a good-quality one.
- Lemon juice — added at the end to brighten the broth and balance the richness.
- Kale or spinach — stirred in at the end for a pop of green.
- Cream (optional) — for extra richness; leave it out for a lighter, dairy-free version. Light sour cream is another fun option.
- Grated Parmesan (optional) — stir in at the end for extra umami flavor.
How To Make Chicken & White Bean Soup
Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for how to make this bean soup.
- Heat olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and half a teaspoon of salt, and cook for about 8 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes until it darkens. Stir in thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf, and toast 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the chicken, beans, and broth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 20–25 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
- Remove the chicken and shred it. Blend 1 cup of the beans and broth until smooth, then stir it back into the pot along with the shredded chicken.
- Stir in the lemon juice, cream (if using), then season with more salt and pepper as needed (taste as you go).
- Stir in the kale or spinach and simmer 3 minutes, until wilted.
- Remove the bay leaf, ladle into bowls, and finish with grated Parmesan if using.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t rush the tomato paste. Two full minutes in the pan, until it goes from bright red to a deep brick color, removes the raw edge and adds concentrated flavor.
- The blending step matters. Blending just one cup of beans and broth and stirring it back in thickens the soup naturally, no flour or cornstarch needed.
- Chicken thighs shred better than breast, but breast is leaner and lower in calories and works just as fine.
- Storage: keeps in the fridge for 4–5 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer-friendly: freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Leave out the cream and kale, then add them fresh when reheating.
- Make it dairy-free: skip the cream and Parmesan — the soup is plenty rich from the beans and blended broth alone.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this with a thick slice of crusty sourdough for dipping, or a simple green salad on the side to balance the richness. A sprinkle of extra Parmesan and fresh parsley at the table never hurts either.
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil 30 ml
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced (about 5 oz / 140 grams)
- 1 medium carrot diced (about 3 oz / 85 grams)
- 1 celery stalk diced (about 2 oz / 55 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste 15 grams
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast around 16 oz / 454 grams
- 2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 15 oz / 425 grams
- 5 cups chicken broth 40 fl oz / 1.2 liters
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice 15 ml
- 2 tablespoons cream, optional 30 ml
- Extra Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 cups chopped kale or spinach 60 grams
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan, optional, plus more for serving 35 grams
- Fresh parsley or thyme for garnish
- Olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and half a teaspoon of salt, and cook for about 8 minutes, until softened and slightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, until it darkens from bright red to a deeper, brick-red tone.
- Add the thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Toast for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the chicken, beans, and broth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Blend 1 cup of the beans and broth until smooth, then return it to the pot along with the shredded chicken.
- Stir in the lemon juice. Then stir in cream, if using.
- Season with extra salt and pepper; taste as you go. Stir in the chopped kale and simmer for 3 minutes, until wilted.
- Remove the bay leaf. Ladle into bowls and finish with grated Parmesan, if using.
Notes
Nutrition
This was really good, Irena! We had a few cold days so I wanted something warm and hearty and this really the spot. Didn’t change much and added some light cream as suggested but I can see you easily leave it out as it’s creamy and thicken from the blended beans. Will definitely make ahead, it kept well in the fridge.
Thanks, Max! Glad you enjoyed it.