I am sure that many of you are moving away from soup and on to salads and grilling. But don’t turn your nose up at soups yet! I still have a couple of recipes to share with you. If you’re lucky and experiencing spring-like weather, perhaps bookmark these for next winter? Trust me, you definitely want to.
This soup fits all my favorite criteria for the perfect, hearty soup. Chicken, check. Fresh veggies, check. White wine and broth, check check. It makes me want to stand up and sing “Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay. Yes? Anyone?
This soup comes together surprisingly fast, which makes the perfect weeknight meal. And, I would bet you have most of the ingredients needed already in your pantry. And, if you have extra soup, freeze it! I love having all sorts of soup in my freezer to take out for a quick lunch, or if someone is feeling under the weather. Hearty, fast and scrumptious, the ideal cold-weather soup.
Recipe heavily adapted from Cooking Light October 2016
Chicken Minestrone
This veggie packed soup is hearty and healthy. This soup comes together fairly quickly, making for a great weeknight meal. Serve with a big hunk of bread.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- salt and pepper
- 7 oz. small pasta (I used mini shells)
- 1 cup chopped sugar snap peas
- 1 roma tomato, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken and place in the pot. Cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 8 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let cool slightly before shredding or chopping into bite-sized pieces.
- Meanwhile, in the now empty pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, stir in the garlic and tomato paste for 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom. Add the broth and water, granulated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil. Then, stir in the pasta. Cook until al dente, according to package directions. In the last 3 minutes of cooking, stir in the cooked chicken, sugar snaps, tomatoes, and parsley. Taste soup and adjust seasoning as necessary. If the soup is too thick to your liking, stir in 1/2-1 cup of water. Serve steaming with a big hunk of bread.
