Lemon Thyme Chicken Soup with Kale & White Beans

It’s that time of the year again…cold season! It seems like everyone is fighting off a bug. Besides lots of rest, I know when I'm sick, nothing makes me feel better than a warm bowl of chicken soup. I've always believed meals should be both nourishing for you body and your soul. In many cultures, a bowl of chicken soup is often offered as a source of comfort when someone is under the weather. This particular recipe is not just a source of comfort but also packed with nutrition. So whether you are fighting a cold or just want to support your health and wellbeing, then check out this nutrient-packed recipe to keep your body nourished!

I love this fresh take on a classic chicken soup. The base is a usual mirepoix-type mix (onion, carrots, and celery) and chicken stock or broth. It’s the lemon and thyme flavor that I absolutely adore and makes this a bowl of sunshine during a rainy, fall evening. Paired with a piece of crusty whole grain bread or sliced apples on the side, this soup is a complete meal for lunch or dinner.

Once all your veggies are chopped and chicken cubed, the soup comes together quickly as each step cooks in just a few minutes. I was gifted this gorgeous Le Creuset 5.5qt Dutch oven, (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you) that really lets you build great flavor, but any large cooking pot you have will work to make this soup.

This Lemon Thyme Chicken Soup is prepared in layers; first heat the oil and cook up the cubed chicken, next add in the veggies and cook for a few minutes just to soften. Then add the beans, seasoning and liquids and simmer for about 10 minutes. Finish with the kale which only needs to be cooked for a few minutes to soften up and still retain that bright green color. Your meal is ready in about a half hour!

This recipe makes 6 generous servings packed with nutrition! If you happen to have leftovers, it stores well in the fridge for about 2-3 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months. Make sure you use an airtight container. Just note the kale tends to turn a little grey in color on the second heating,

Key Ingredients and Benefits:

Chicken – Do you ever open a can of “chicken” soup only to find a small, nearly microscopic cube of chicken? I like to pack my soup with LOTS of chicken to make it a complete meal. Using 1.5 pounds of cubed boneless, skinless chicken breast contributes 22-24 grams of protein to each serving. Protein is the star of all my meals to help with satiety and support muscle health. Of course, it you perfer chicken thighs for the taste, by all means, enjoy, but note this will change the nutritional information a bit.

Veggies and a fruit – The mix of onions, celery and carrots provides a great source of health-supporting vitamins and minerals including vitamins C and A, folic acid and fiber. Kale is thrown in at the last few minutes of the cooking time to soften up and still maintain that lovely, bright green color. You can use either Tuscan (dinosaur) or curly kale, whichever looks freshest at the market is what ends up in my basket! For this soup I used curly kale, a power food that provides a dose of antioxidants to help our bodies fight inflammation.* Lemon zest and juice not only add delicious acidity and flavor, but also a bit more vitamin C to support the immune system.

White Beans – Always use what you have in your pantry, and either a can of Great Northern beans or Cannellini beans work great in this hearty soup. Cannellini tend to be a bit larger and creamier in texture, while Great Northern beans have a bit more fiber. You really cannot go wrong adding either to your soup as each will boost your intake of satiating fiber and protein.

Flavor – Garlic! I don’t have many savory dishes that don’t have a lot of garlic! Garlic adds so much flavor and there are studies that show health benefits of this vegetable include antioxidant properties, boosting immunity, and fighting inflammation. Another key flavor in this recipe is Thyme – I just love the combination of the bright acidity of lemon and the earthy flavor of thyme. I always recommend you rub dried herbs between the palms of your hands to wake up their flavor before sprinkling them into your cooking pot.

Lemon Thyme Chicken Soup with Kale & White Beans

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken, cubed

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1 Onion, diced

• 2 carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thin

• 2 ribs celery, diced

• 1 bunch kale, chopped

• 1 can white beans (such as Great Northern or Cannellini), drained & rinsed

• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 teaspoon tried thyme

• Zest & juice of 1/2 a lemon

• 4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a 5.5 qt. Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium high heat. Then add chicken with salt & pepper and stir occasionally until cooked through.

2. Add chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook these veggies until just softened, about 5 minutes. Then add garlic and dried thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.

3. Add beans, broth, lemon zest and juice. Heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes.

4. Add chopped kale and simmer until kale is just wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Add additional salt & pepper to taste.

5. Enjoy!

Cited Research Articles

Ansary, J. et al. (2020). Potential Health Benefits of Garlic Based on Humban Intervention Studies: A Brief Overview. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7402177/

Zehiroglu, C. et al. (2019). The importance of antioxidants and place in today’s scientific and technological studies. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6828919/