Chicken Minestrone Soup Recipe

White pot brimming with chicken minestrone soup and springs of fresh rosemary.

5 stars (3 reviews)

This traditional minestrone soup is hearty but not heavy, and brimming with fresh veggies, cannellini beans, pasta, and chicken - or your choice of meat. It's easy to customize to make a rustic, comforting, and delicious minestrone recipe the whole family loves!

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Main, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean

Servings: servings

Calories: 360kcal

Author: Sommer Collier

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion peeled and chopped
6 cloves garlic minced
8 ounces button mushrooms sliced
2 carrots sliced
6 cups chicken broth
6 cups water
2 cans fire roasted diced tomatoes (15-ounce cans)
1/2 cup red wine
2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
1 small zucchini quartered and sliced
1 small summer squash quartered and sliced
15 ounces kidney beans drained (1 can)
15 ounces cannellini beans drained (1 can)
8 ounce dried macaroni noodles could be gluten-free
1 cup frozen cut green beans
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
Salt and pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Set a large 6-8 quart soup pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and carrots. Sauté for 5-8 minutes to soften the vegetables, stirring regularly.
Place the whole chicken breasts down in the sautéed veggies at the bottom of the pot. Add in the chicken broth, water, canned tomatoes, red wine, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken breasts are cooked through.
Remove the chicken breasts with tongs and set on a cutting board. Add the zucchini, summer squash, canned beans, macaroni, green beans, and roasted red peppers to the pot. Stir well. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 5-8 minutes, until the pasta is cooked through.
Meanwhile, chop the chicken into bite-size pieces. Stir the chicken back into the soup. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.

Notes

Note: If making a gluten-free variation of this recipe, make sure to use a GF pasta that will not disintegrate in the soup. (Both ALDI and Trader Joe's have a pretty hearty GF pasta.)

Leftovers: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container and keep the soup in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

To Freeze: Cool the soup completely before transferring to a sealed freezer-safe container. I recommend wrapping the container in a layer or two of aluminum foil for extra protection from freezer burn. Minestrone soup with meat will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Defrost it in the fridge overnight before reheating the soup in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Nutrition