pesto chicken and cannellini bean soup

Fish & Seafood

Pesto Chicken & Cannellini Bean Soup

This healthy, Italian-inspired chicken soup recipe is loaded with fiber-rich vegetables and beans and gets an extra boost of flavor from a swirl of pesto at the end. To get a homemade stock flavor using store-bought broth, we simmer bone-in chicken breasts in the broth before adding the rest of the soup ingredients.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 pounds bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed
3 cups sliced fennel
3 cups broccolini (1-inch pieces; about 1 bunch)
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ cup prepared pesto

Directions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add oregano and marjoram; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add broth and chicken. Cover, increase heat to high and bring to a simmer. Uncover and cook, turning the chicken occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part without touching bone registers 165 degrees F, 20 to 22 minutes. Skim any foam from the surface as the chicken cooks. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and shred.
Meanwhile, add fennel, broccolini and tomatoes to the pot; return to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 10 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken, beans, salt and pepper and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in pesto.