Try this Chicken Minestrone Soup recipe
- salt
- 1 tb extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 15-oz can northern white beans
- parmesan freshly grated
- 3 c water
- 1 8-oz boneless chicken
- 1/2 ts powdered cayenne
- 1 c spiral or elbow pasta
- 2 c celery finely chopped
- 1 ts sugar
- 1/2 ts dried thyme
- 2 ts dried basil
- 4 lg garlic minced
- 2 ts balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 1 lg onion finely chopped
- 1 28-oz can plum tomatoes
- 2 1/2 c zucchini or yellow squash
- basil freshly chopped
- 2 c chicken broth
- 1 ts dried oregano
- Carbohydrate 163.276971644187 g
- Cholesterol 230.3 mg
- Fat 68.771247499836 g
- Fiber 37.8632513056106 g
- Protein 117.029500833116 g
- Saturated Fat 11.1472924999574 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (2950g)
- Sodium 2301.39241666446 mg
- Sugar 125.413720338576 g
- Trans Fat 6.32601599997295 g
- Calories 1696 calories
Step-by-step
- In soup pot, saute chicken in oil.
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Saute garlic & onion in remaining oil.
- Add celery, zucchini, tomatoes w/juice, chicken broth, water, herbs, spices, chicken & beans.
- Simmer, covered, for approx. 30 mins.
- Add pasta & simmer for 15 more mins.
- Taste and add additional seasonings if desired.
- Serve topped w/ grated cheese, parsley or basil.
Home cooks frequently crowd the pot when building a soup base, trapping moisture and steaming the aromatics instead of rendering the fond necessary for deep flavor development. Building a proper foundation requires sautéing the onions and garlic slowly in extra-virgin olive oil over medium-low heat until the edges turn golden brown and translucent. Incorporating canned plum tomatoes alongside fresh zucchini introduces a complex textural interplay between soft acidity and crisp structural bite that completely alters how the broth coats the palate. Pair this heavy soup with a dry, high-acid red wine like Chianti to cut through the rich starch of the northern white beans and spiral pasta. Thick, crusty sourdough bread rubbed with a raw garlic clove acts as the ideal vehicle for absorbing the herbaceous chicken broth without dissolving into mush. Stored properly in an airtight container within the refrigerator, the soup maintains its structural integrity for up to three days before the pasta absorbs too much liquid.
