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A spoonful of creamy tuscan white bean soup with chicken is held above a bowl, with another bowl of soup, bread, and a small dish in the background.
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Tuscan White Bean Soup Recipe with Chicken

You're tired of the same five recipes. But this creamy cannellini bean soup with chicken, that's herbaceous and rich... This is the one you make twice in a month because the whole family loves it. 40 minutes. One pot. That's dinner.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian, Italian-American
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 396kcal
Author: Kita Roberts

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot
  • Wooden spoon
  • Chef’s knife and cutting board
  • Ladle

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1 ½ lbs boneless chicken breast or thighs cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 2 large carrots diced
  • 2 celery stalks diced
  • 1 large red bell pepper diced
  • 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning oregano, rosemary, thyme and basil
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 3 ½ cups cannellini beans drained
  • 7 - 8 sun dried tomatoes diced
  • 1 1/2 tsp tomato paste
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 cups chopped spinach or kale
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • fresh basil

Instructions

Brown the chicken:

  • Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot.
  • Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
  • When the oil is heated, add the chicken and cook until lightly browned on all sides.

Sauté the vegetables:

  • Add the onion, celery and carrot and sauté for 5 minutes, until veggies are softened.
  • Add the red bell pepper and cook for 2 more minutes.
  • Stir in the Italian seasoning and paprika and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Add the diced sun-dried tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir well, then add the white beans.
    A hand holds a measuring spoon with paprika over a pot of chopped chicken and vegetables on a marble countertop.
  • Slowly, pour in chicken broth a little at a time, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20–25 minutes.

Finish the soup:

  • In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream with a few tablespoons of hot soup liquid. This tempers the sour cream, which makes it smooth and creamy when you add it in.
    A person holds a white bowl showing sour cream being tempered with a little bit of broth and a fork over a white marble surface.
  • Stir the sour cream until smooth, then add it into the soup.
  • Mix until the soup has a creamy texture.
  • Stir in grated Parmesan cheese.
    A pot of creamy soup topped with shredded cheese sits on a white marble surface, with a metal ladle resting inside.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach, stir and allow it to wilt into the soup for one minute.
    A pot of soup with fresh spinach leaves on top being wilted in and a metal ladle, placed on a white marble surface.

Serve:

  • Serve hot, topped with extra Parmesan cheese and a fresh basil.
    A pot of creamy white bean soup with chicken and basil leaves, surrounded by sliced bread, grated cheese, red pepper flakes, and spoons on a marble surface.

Notes

  • For deeper flavor, use chicken thighs and brown them well before adding liquid.
  • Temper the sour cream with a little hot broth before stirring it in to prevent curdling.
  • Use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil — and drizzle in a teaspoon of that oil for bonus flavor.
  • Skip the pre-grated Parmesan; freshly grated melts properly.
  • Soup will thicken as it cools — add broth when reheating to loosen it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1540mg | Potassium: 803mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5466IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 329mg | Iron: 4mg