I have made minestrone with chicken many times, especially when I want a hearty soup with lots of vegetables. It's the kind of recipe where you can use whatever you have in the fridge, but I stick to this version because the flavors blend well together. You don't need any special techniques. Just a large pot, chopped vegetables, and everything is pretty simple.
Quick Info
Total time: about 1 hour and 10 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe type: hearty soup with vegetables and meat, suitable for lunch or dinner
Ingredients
300 g chicken breast
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 onion
1 piece of leek (white part, about 20 cm)
2 stalks of celery
2 carrots
1/2 small zucchini
2 bay leaves
1 can red beans (about 400 g, rinsed and drained)
200 ml tomato puree (preferably homemade)
Pasta (about what fits twice in a fist; I alternate between spaghetti and penne)
A generous handful of spinach (chopped)
Basil (dried or fresh, to taste)
Salt
Pepper
Grated Parmesan (for serving)
Preparation method
1. Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized cubes. Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the chicken pieces, and brown them for 2-3 minutes, just enough to get a light color.
2. Sauté the chopped onion and leek together with the crushed garlic. After 1-2 minutes, add the celery, carrots, and zucchini, all diced small. Stir and let everything cook over medium to low heat for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.
3. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, basil (to taste), and add the bay leaves. Stir, then add the tomato puree, beans, and about 4 liters of water. Turn the heat to medium and let it simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered, to combine the flavors.
4. After the vegetables have boiled, add the chopped spinach and pasta. I use broken spaghetti or penne, depending on what I have on hand, about what fits twice in a fist. Let it boil for another 10-12 minutes, until the pasta is cooked but not mushy.
5. Taste and see if more salt or pepper is needed. Remove the bay leaves. Serve the soup hot, with grated Parmesan on top.
Why I make this recipe often
It's a hearty soup variant, easy to adapt to whatever vegetables you have. It keeps well in the fridge, is nutritious, and can also serve as a main dish. The fact that it has meat, pasta, and plenty of vegetables makes it suitable when I want a quick yet complete meal. It lasts 2-3 days without any issues.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Don't cut the vegetables too large. They cook more evenly if you make them into similarly sized cubes.
- It's good to use olive oil, but if you don't have it, regular oil works too.
- Cook the pasta directly in the soup, not separately. It gives a better flavor, even if the liquid becomes thicker.
- Taste at the end and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
Substitutions
- You can use other parts of chicken if you want. Boneless thighs work, but they take a bit longer to cook.
- If you don't have spinach, you can skip it or replace it with Swiss chard leaves or even a bit of kale.
- Red beans can be replaced with white beans.
- The pasta can be any small type: shells, orzo, or even broken noodles.
Variations
- For a vegetarian soup, omit the chicken and add more vegetables or mushrooms.
- Chicken can be replaced with turkey meat if you have leftovers.
- If you like it spicier, you can add a pinch of chili or crushed red pepper flakes at the end.
Serving ideas
- Grated Parmesan is optional, but it adds a nice flavor. You can also top it with fresh basil.
- For added texture, serve with toasted bread on the side.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use boiled chicken or leftover from another meal?
Yes, you can use boiled chicken. Add it along with the beans, not at the beginning, so it doesn't dry out.
2. How long does chicken minestrone last in the fridge?
It lasts 2-3 days in the fridge, in a covered container.
3. Can I freeze the soup?
I do not recommend it, as the pasta and vegetables lose their texture when thawed.
4. What kind of pasta works best?
Small soup pasta or broken spaghetti into short pieces.
5. Do I have to use homemade tomato puree?
It's not mandatory. You can use any quality tomato puree or tomato juice.
Nutritional values
Estimate for one serving (out of 6): approximately 230-270 kcal. Macros: 22-25 g carbohydrates, 15-18 g protein, 7-9 g fat. Values vary depending on the amount of Parmesan, type of pasta, and whether you choose breast or another part of the chicken. It's not a fatty soup, but it's quite filling for a main meal.
Storage and reheating
Store in the fridge, in a covered container, for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a little water because the pasta absorbs the liquid. I do not recommend freezing. If you want to make it in advance, it's best to add the pasta directly when serving, not from the start.
Quick Info
Total time: about 1 hour and 10 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe type: hearty soup with vegetables and meat, suitable for lunch or dinner
Ingredients
300 g chicken breast
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 onion
1 piece of leek (white part, about 20 cm)
2 stalks of celery
2 carrots
1/2 small zucchini
2 bay leaves
1 can red beans (about 400 g, rinsed and drained)
200 ml tomato puree (preferably homemade)
Pasta (about what fits twice in a fist; I alternate between spaghetti and penne)
A generous handful of spinach (chopped)
Basil (dried or fresh, to taste)
Salt
Pepper
Grated Parmesan (for serving)
Preparation method
1. Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized cubes. Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the chicken pieces, and brown them for 2-3 minutes, just enough to get a light color.
2. Sauté the chopped onion and leek together with the crushed garlic. After 1-2 minutes, add the celery, carrots, and zucchini, all diced small. Stir and let everything cook over medium to low heat for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.
3. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, basil (to taste), and add the bay leaves. Stir, then add the tomato puree, beans, and about 4 liters of water. Turn the heat to medium and let it simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered, to combine the flavors.
4. After the vegetables have boiled, add the chopped spinach and pasta. I use broken spaghetti or penne, depending on what I have on hand, about what fits twice in a fist. Let it boil for another 10-12 minutes, until the pasta is cooked but not mushy.
5. Taste and see if more salt or pepper is needed. Remove the bay leaves. Serve the soup hot, with grated Parmesan on top.
Why I make this recipe often
It's a hearty soup variant, easy to adapt to whatever vegetables you have. It keeps well in the fridge, is nutritious, and can also serve as a main dish. The fact that it has meat, pasta, and plenty of vegetables makes it suitable when I want a quick yet complete meal. It lasts 2-3 days without any issues.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Don't cut the vegetables too large. They cook more evenly if you make them into similarly sized cubes.
- It's good to use olive oil, but if you don't have it, regular oil works too.
- Cook the pasta directly in the soup, not separately. It gives a better flavor, even if the liquid becomes thicker.
- Taste at the end and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
Substitutions
- You can use other parts of chicken if you want. Boneless thighs work, but they take a bit longer to cook.
- If you don't have spinach, you can skip it or replace it with Swiss chard leaves or even a bit of kale.
- Red beans can be replaced with white beans.
- The pasta can be any small type: shells, orzo, or even broken noodles.
Variations
- For a vegetarian soup, omit the chicken and add more vegetables or mushrooms.
- Chicken can be replaced with turkey meat if you have leftovers.
- If you like it spicier, you can add a pinch of chili or crushed red pepper flakes at the end.
Serving ideas
- Grated Parmesan is optional, but it adds a nice flavor. You can also top it with fresh basil.
- For added texture, serve with toasted bread on the side.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use boiled chicken or leftover from another meal?
Yes, you can use boiled chicken. Add it along with the beans, not at the beginning, so it doesn't dry out.
2. How long does chicken minestrone last in the fridge?
It lasts 2-3 days in the fridge, in a covered container.
3. Can I freeze the soup?
I do not recommend it, as the pasta and vegetables lose their texture when thawed.
4. What kind of pasta works best?
Small soup pasta or broken spaghetti into short pieces.
5. Do I have to use homemade tomato puree?
It's not mandatory. You can use any quality tomato puree or tomato juice.
Nutritional values
Estimate for one serving (out of 6): approximately 230-270 kcal. Macros: 22-25 g carbohydrates, 15-18 g protein, 7-9 g fat. Values vary depending on the amount of Parmesan, type of pasta, and whether you choose breast or another part of the chicken. It's not a fatty soup, but it's quite filling for a main meal.
Storage and reheating
Store in the fridge, in a covered container, for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a little water because the pasta absorbs the liquid. I do not recommend freezing. If you want to make it in advance, it's best to add the pasta directly when serving, not from the start.