Chicken White Bean Soup

Name: Chicken White Bean Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 3 TB extra virgin olive oil; 1 large onion (chopped); 7 cloves garlic (chopped); 4 whole carrots (peeled and thinly sliced); 31 oz white beans (drained); 1 TB oregano; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 12 cups chicken stock (homemade or high quality store-bought); 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie works well); 3 cups baby kale leaves (thinly sliced); 3 cups cooked rice (white or brown)

By Amy Dong
Updated Jan. 8, 2025

3 ratings
Jump to recipe

This Chicken White Bean Soup is incredibly easy, healthy, and delicious. Chock full of nutritious ingredients to keep your eaters fueled and happy. Gluten-free and dairy-free, it’s a healthy bowl of delicious comfort.

A bowl of Chicken White Bean Soup containing shredded chicken, white beans, kale, carrots, and rice, with a spoon on the side. — This Chicken White Bean Soup is a wonderfully humble, cozy, and healthy bowl of natural deliciousness!

Why This Recipe Stands Out

We all love a good chicken soup recipe, and this Chicken White Bean Soup is something special. Here are a few reasons why we adore it:

Natural Ingredients: This soup is packed with healthy, natural ingredients like chicken, kale, and white beans.
Quick and Easy: It comes together in less than an hour, making it the perfect weeknight dinner, just like our Stuffed Pepper Soup.
Gluten-Free: Like this Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup, this tasty soup is gluten-free. It also happens to be dairy-free.
Incredibly Flavorful: The combination of the savory broth and seasonings creates a flavor that’s out of this world.
Tasty Leftovers: Leftovers are fantastically awesome the next day, which makes this soup a great option for meal prep, like this Ham Bone Soup.

Key Recipe Ingredients

White Beans – We use canned white beans to make this recipe super easy. They add a creamy texture and are a good source of protein and fiber.
Chicken Stock – We love using homemade chicken stock for the best flavor, but a high-quality store-bought version works well too. It is the base of the soup and provides a rich, savory flavor.
Chicken – You can use cooked and shredded rotisserie chicken for a quick and easy option. It adds a hearty, meaty element to the soup.
Kale – It adds a nutritional punch and a beautiful pop of green to the soup.

Substitutions And Variations

Here are a few of our favorite variations and substitutions:

Beans: Feel free to use any type of beans you have on hand. Cannellini, great Northern beans, or chickpeas would work well in this recipe.
Greens: Try swapping kale with spinach, Swiss chard, or bok choy. Most hearty greens will work well.
Protein: Try using turkey or shredded rotisserie turkey instead of chicken. For a vegetarian option, replace the chicken with tofu or add extra beans.
Grains: In place of rice, you can use cooked quinoa or rice noodles, cooked according to their packages.

Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven and sauté onions until translucent. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Add carrots and stir for a few minutes. Then, add white beans, oregano, salt, pepper, stock, and shredded chicken.
Bring the soup to a boil, then cover and simmer until the carrots are tender. Add kale and simmer for a few more minutes.
Ladle soup and a scoop of rice into individual bowls.

For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.

How To Prep Ahead

Take a look at our best prep-ahead tips for this recipe:

Chop the Veggies: Feel free to chop the onion, garlic, and carrots in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Pre Shred the Chicken: Precook and shred chicken up to 3 days beforehand, or shred store-bought rotisserie chicken in advance.
Make It a Freezer Meal: This soup is freezer-friendly, so you can make a big batch and freeze it for later. Simply prepare the soup as instructed, let it cool completely, then transfer it to airtight containers or resealable bags. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Overhead shot of bowl of Chicken White Bean Soup featuring shredded chicken, white beans, kale, carrots, and rice. — This scrumptious Chicken Kale White Bean Soup will be on your dinner table in well under an hour.

What To Serve With Chicken White Bean Soup

Breads

Rice already makes this soup more filling, but you can also serve it alongside a crusty baguette or a slice of your favorite artisan bread.
You also can’t go wrong with some Olive Garden Breadsticks or Rosemary Garlic Bread.

Salads

Soups and salads go great together, and this soup is no exception. Try it with our Kale Brussel Sprouts Salad.
You can also go with a heartier salad like this Rotisserie Chicken Salad or our Southwestern Barley Salad.

Main Dishes

Go with classic dishes that will make the entire family happy. We love our Easy Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie.

Commonly Asked Questions

What type of chicken is best for this soup?

We recommend using cooked and shredded rotisserie chicken for this recipe. It’s convenient and gives the soup a delicious flavor. You can also use any leftover roasted or grilled chicken you have. Otherwise, bake or boil raw chicken breasts until just-cooked and shred it for soup.

What kind of stock should I use?

You can use either homemade chicken stock or high-quality store-bought chicken stock. Using a good stock is important as it forms the base of the soup.

How can I tell when the soup is ready?

The soup is ready when the carrots are tender. This usually takes about 15-25 minutes of simmering time.

How long does chicken white bean soup keep?

This soup can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Make sure to store it in an airtight container. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!