This chicken and white bean soup is the kind of warming and nourishing recipe you need in your life. It's creamy without being heavy, packed with protein and fibre, and made with simple, budget-friendly ingredients and easy to adapt too. It takes under 30 minutes to cook too.
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The base starts with gently cooking some onion, garlic, carrot, and celery, followed by creamy butter beans and shredded cooked chicken. Then adding kale, cream cheese, and Parmesan and creating a comforting soup that feels indulgent but is actually really nutritious.
This chicken soup with white beans is 421 calories per bowl and 31g protein and a huge 11g of fibre. Perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep lunches, or when you want something warm and satisfying with minimal effort. It's also a great way to use up leftover chicken.
Looking for more healthy soup recipes? Try our easy High Protein Tomato Soup, simple Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup or our delicious One Pot Orzo Soup?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Chicken - We used leftover cooked shredded chicken from a roast dinner to make chicken and white bean soup.
- Beans - You can use any white bean, but we love butter beans (lime beans) for the creaminess. We think Bold Bean Queen Beans are the best.
- Vegetables - Carrot, celery, onion and garlic are used for the soup base and then kale is mixed in for a green veggie boost. You can use spinach instead or Swiss chard/rainbow chard and you can also add it from frozen.
- Cheese - Parmesan and cream cheese for the perfect combo. You can swap the cream cheese for crème fraîche.
- Stock - A good quality chicken stock/chicken broth. Why not try our Homemade Chicken Stock? You can use vegetable stock too.
Variations
Dairy-free: Skip the cream cheese and Parmesan and stir in a splash of coconut milk or cashew cream instead. Coconut milk is actually a really good flavour twist to this. You could even add in some Thai curry paste too.
Extra protein: Add an extra cup of cooked chicken or stir in white beans that have been lightly mashed for thickness and protein. You could add cooked lentils too.
Herby version: Add fresh thyme, rosemary, or parsley for a more aromatic soup. An Italian dried herb mix works well too.
Spicy kick: A pinch of chilli flakes or a swirl of chilli oil adds gentle heat. You could add some hot sauce like Sriracha too.
Low-carb: Reduce the beans slightly in this white bean chicken soup and add more chicken and kale.
How To Make Chicken and White Bean Soup
- Step 1: Heat the oil in a large pan and add the garlic, onion, celery and carrots. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Step 2: Add the cooked chicken breast, beans, stock, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
- Step 3: Add the kale, cream cheese and Parmesan.
- Step 4: Stir well and simmer for a further 8 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with crusty sourdough, garlic bread, or toasted pita for dipping.
We like to top with extra Parmesan, cracked black pepper, or a drizzle of olive oil.
If you are trying to encourage kids to eat this chicken and white bean soup, then serve with buttered toast soldiers or cheesy toast on the side.
Meal Prep and Storage
Fridge: Store portions of chicken and white bean soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze without the cream cheese if possible, then stir it in when reheating for best texture, as it can split if it has been frozen.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stove or microwave, stirring well.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Rotisserie chicken saves time and adds great flavour.
- Lightly mash some of the butter beans in the pot for a thicker, creamier texture.
- Keep the heat low once the dairy is added to avoid splitting.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for the smoothest finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can mash some of the beans or blend 1-2 cups of the soup and stir it back in.
Yes, and it actually tastes even better the next day as the flavours deepen.
More Soup Recipes
If you've tried this chicken and bean soup, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Chicken and White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 Onion - diced
- 2 Carrots - peeled and diced
- 1 rib Celery
- 2 Garlic cloves - crushed
- 1 litre (4 cups) Chicken stock
- 130 g (4.5 oz) Cooked chicken - shredded
- 300 g (1.66 cups) Butter beans
- 1 pinch Sea salt
- 1 pinch Ground black pepper
- 40 g (1 cups) Kale - chopped
- 20 g (0.75 oz) Parmesan - grated
- 2 tablespoon Light cream cheese
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon Olive oil in a large pan and add 2 Garlic cloves, 1 Onion, 1 rib Celery and 2 Carrots. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add 130 g Cooked chicken, 300 g Butter beans, 1 litre Chicken stock, 1 pinch Sea salt and 1 pinch Ground black pepper. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add 40 g Kale, 2 tablespoon Light cream cheese and 20 g Parmesan.
- Stir well and simmer for a further 8 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- Rotisserie chicken saves time and adds great flavour.
- Lightly mash some of the butter beans in the pot for a thicker, creamier texture.
- Keep the heat low once the dairy is added to avoid splitting.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for the smoothest finish.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
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