January 27, 2014

Chicken and spinach soup with pesto.

Oh man, it is still frigid in these parts, so soups have been on heavy rotations for meal options for us. This is one of my favorite hearty soups and is guaranteed to warm you up on a chilly day:

  • olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
  • 2 large chicken breasts, cut into quarters
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • 5 cups chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons marjoram
  • 1 cup of baby spinach, coarsely chopped
  • 1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup basil leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3/4 cup croutons for garnish


Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch over over medium-high heat. Add carrot 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.

Transfer the chicken pieces to a cutting board to cool. Add spinach and beans to the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

Combine about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, parmesan and basil in a food processor and blend until a coarse paste forms, adding a little water as necessary. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Stir the chicken and pesto into the pot and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with croutons.

Serve piping hot and enjoy!

XO

original recipe found here.

    3 comments:

    1. This recipe sounds delicious for cold evenings but instead of chicken im gonna try with tofu since I dont eat meat.

      ReplyDelete
    2. Mmm...this looks so yummy and satisfying. Pinning it now so I can try it out this winter! Thanks for sharing!

      ReplyDelete