Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto

Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto

 

This yummy, Italian-flavored soup takes advantage of quick-cooking ingredients—boneless, skinless chicken breast, bagged baby spinach, and canned beans. It features a simple homemade basil pesto swirled in at the end to add a fresh herb flavor. If you want to save on time, you can substitute 3 to 4 tablespoons of store-bought basil pesto. 

Ingredients

2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/2 cup carrot or diced red bell pepper

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 8 ounces), cut into quarters

1 large clove garlic, minced

5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram6 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped1 15-ounce can cannellini beans or great northern beans, rinsed1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves

Freshly ground pepper to taste

3/4 cup plain or herbed multigrain croutons for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add carrot (or bell pepper) and chicken; cook, turning the chicken and stirring frequently until the chicken begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Stir in broth and marjoram; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken pieces to a clean cutting board to cool. Add spinach and beans to the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, Parmesan, and basil in a food processor (a mini processor works well). Process until a coarse paste forms, adding a little water and scraping down the sides as necessary. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Stir the chicken and pesto into the pot. Season with pepper. Heat until hot. Garnish with croutons, if desired.

Nutrition information:   Serving size: about 1 1/2 cups

Per serving: 226 calories; 9 g fat (2 g sat); 6 g fiber; 18 g carbohydrates; 19 g protein; 77 mcg folate; 28 mg cholesterol; 2 g sugars; 0 g added sugars; 3866 IU vitamin A; 29 mg vitamin C; 93 mg calcium; 2 mg iron; 211 mg sodium; 525 mg potassium

 

 

Posted in

Leave a Comment





This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter chock full of exercise and healthy lifestyle tips, recipes and motivation.

Please enter your name.
Please enter a valid email address.
Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Boost your energy and strength with a 30-day jumpstart

Join us for 30 days towards a healthier you!

LEARN MORE