Lemon White Bean Chicken Soup
on Dec 09, 2022, Updated Apr 15, 2024
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This lemon white bean chicken soup recipe is absolutely the only chicken soup recipe you need. It has all my favorite things! Cozy homemade broth tossed with shredded chicken, carrots, celery and cannellini beans. Finish with a big handful of fresh herbs, loads of lemon and a lil’ parmesan to top it all off. Ahh, truly comforting. One of my favorite dinners on the weeknights, and to save leftovers for the next day, too.
Table of Contents
What ingredients do you need for this lemon white bean chicken soup recipe?
Homemade chicken broth: We are making a homemade chicken broth, but it is totally optional! If you do decide to make your own broth, you will need olive oil, chicken wings, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, chicken breast (to poach and shred for the soup), peppercorns, salt and water.
The soup base: starts with butter, olive oil and a mirepoix which is a blend of celery, carrots and onions.
Herbs: We are adding in some fresh oregano (dried oregano works too!), but you can also add herbs like thyme, bay leaf, sage or rosemary. Make sure to remove after infusing for flavor! We are also using a handful of fresh dill and fresh parsley (fresh) to finish off the soup as well.
White beans: We are using drained and rinsed white cannelini beans/navy beans/white kidney beans which are creamy and delicious in this soup! You can use any of your favorite white beans, though, such as butter beans, great northern beans or pinot beans, as some other options.
Lemon: I LOVE the essense and flavor lemon juice brings to this soup!
Garnish: optional to garnish with shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions to make this chicken and white bean soup recipe
Make your chicken broth
Begin by making your chicken broth (you can also use store bought chicken stock if you prefer and skip this step).
With a drizzle of olive oil in a stock pot or large pot on your stovetop, add in your chicken wings. Do a light sear on all sides. I find this brings out a deep flavor in the broth. Next, add your onion, carrots, garlic, celery, salt, chicken breast, water and peppercorns, mix well. Bring the stock to a boil and then simmer for 40-45 minutes.
Remove the skim of the stock and remove your cooked chicken on a separate plate, shred your chicken and set aside for the soup. Strain your broth, discarding all the vegetables and reserve the liquid for your soup.
Start your soup
In a dutch oven, or the same pot as the broth, heat olive oil and butter until melted. Toss in your celery, carrots and onions. Stir for 5 minutes on medium heat.
Next add in your flour and sweat out your vegetables for another 10 minutes, and until the flour has dissolved in. Add in your broth with 2 sprigs of fresh oregano, or a pinch of dried oregano, and simmer until the vegetables are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. Adjust with salt and pepper.
Add in your chicken and white beans
Once your vegetables are soft, add in your poached shredded chicken and rinsed beans, at this point remove your oregano as well (if you’re using fresh). Warm through.
Finishing touches and serve
Turn off the heat, add in fresh lemon juice and fresh herbs, we are using fresh dill and parsley. Finish with shredded parmesan, also optional. Serve immediately.
Tips, Tricks and Substitutions
What is the thickener in a white bean soup? To thicken up your white bean soup, you can use either a cornstarch slurry, or flour. I add flour in with the vegetables before I add in the broth!
How do I have this recipe for leftovers? You can save your leftovers in an airtight container and place in the fridge (cool before transferring to the fridge!) for up to 4 days.
What are some ingredients I can add to this soup? Any leafy greens would be wonderful in this soup such as baby spinach and kale.
Check out the below soup recipes for more cozy inspiration!
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Roasted Tomato Soup with Crispy Gruyère Toasts
- Potato Leek Cheddar Soup
- Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Pesto
- Broccolini & Cheddar Soup with Crispy Prosciutto
If you do make this Lemon White Bean Chicken Soup recipe (first of all, thank you!!), be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram and through social media so I can be sure to see what you’re making! If you’d like to stay in touch and get the latest to your inbox, sign up for our Newsletter here as well!
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Watch How To Make This Recipe
Lemon White Bean Chicken Soup
Ingredients
Homemade chicken broth (optional)
- 1 tablespoon olive extra-virgin oil
- 1 pound of chicken wings
- 1 yellow onion, with peel
- 1 head of garlic, with peel
- 4 carrots
- 4 ribs of celery
- 1 pound of chicken breast, about 2 pieces
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- Kosher salt to taste
- 2 quarts water
For the soup
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 ribs of celery, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 5-6 cups chicken broth
- 2 sprigs fresh oregano, or pinch of dried oregano
- 2 cups chicken, poached and shredded
- 1 15 oz can of white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- Juice of 1/2 lemon, and more to preferred taste (I normally add towards 1 full lemon juice)
- Tossed in with a handful of dill and parsley, finely chopped
- Optional to garnish with shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Make your chicken broth. Begin by making your chicken broth (you can also use store bought chicken stock if you prefer and skip this step).
- With a drizzle of olive oil in a stock pot on your stovetop, add in your chicken wings. Do a light sear on all sides. I find this brings out a deep flavor in the broth. Next, add your onion, carrots, garlic, celery, salt, chicken breast, water and peppercorns, mix well. Bring the stock to a boil and then simmer for 40-45 minutes.
- Remove the skim of the top of the stock and remove your cooked chicken on a separate plate, shred your chicken and set aside for the soup. Strain your broth, discarding all the vegetables and reserve the liquid for your soup.
- Start your soup. In a dutch oven, or the same pot as the broth, heat olive oil and butter until melted. Toss in your celery, carrots and onions. Stir for 5 minutes on medium heat.
- Next add in your flour and sweat out your vegetables for another 10 minutes, and until the flour has dissolved in. Add in your broth and simmer until the vegetables are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. Adjust with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Add in your chicken and white beans. Once your vegetables are soft, add in your poached shredded chicken and rinsed beans. Warm through.
- Finishing touches and serve. Turn off the heat, add in fresh lemon juice and fresh herbs, we are using fresh dill and parsley. Finish with shredded parmesan, also optional. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How much flour is to be added? It doesn’t say in the ingredient list
Thank you for letting us know! We just updated it to reflect: 1 tablespoon flour. Thank you!
SO TASTY!!!! Made this when I was battling a flu, and it was simple & delicious. Thank you!
SO TASTY!!!! Made this when I was battling a flu, and it was simple & delicious. Thank you!
Feel better! So glad you enjoyed!
DELIGHTFUL!
Perfect for this time of the year, I loved that this recipe includes the making of the chicken broth because I always end up looking out how to prepare it and referencing two recipes at the same time, can be a handful! This was so practical and yet a complex, cozy and heartwarming taste<3
Hi Cristy! Thank you so much for your wonderful review, so glad you enjoyed! Happy soup season!
This is my favorite recipe ever. I’ve made 4x now, and even make variations. It always turns out excellent. Thank you!
So happy to hear that and thank you for your review! Enjoy! 🙂
it was sooo good! i altered it a little: store bought low sodium chicken broth, egg noodles, and a rotisserie chicken. Also did not mix/sweat it with the flour for 10 minutes, more like 2, and excluded the dill (added rosemary in its stead). The egg noodles were a great addition to it, though I can see rice being great as well! Very filling too which is great.
Sounds amazing! I’ll have to try it with egg noodles, too. Thank you for your review and I’m glad you enjoyed! 🙂