Chicken and White Bean Soup With Braised, Shredded Thighs

The blended beans create a thick base, and a squeeze of lemon at the end keeps this soup from tasting heavy. If a bright, lemony broth is your thing, my Greek Chicken Soup with Lemon and Orzo is another one worth trying.

• ⏱️ Total Time: 35 minutes (15 min prep + 20 min cook)
• 🍽️ Yields: 4 servings
• 🍅 Cuisine Type: Mediterranean-inspired comfort food
• 🧅 Flavor Profile: Deeply savory with a smoky edge from toasted paprika, brightened by fresh lemon and balanced by a naturally thick, silky broth
• 🥛 Dietary Info: Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free as written, contains dairy only if you add the optional splash of heavy cream
• 📦 Storage Notes: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. Freeze for up to two months.
• ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Chicken thighs braise right in the broth and shred into every bite, and the soup thickens itself from blended beans, with no cream required

I have a few chicken soups worth making. My regular Chicken Soup takes a longer, slower route for a holiday table or weekday comfort soup. This bean soup gets there faster and also braises the chicken right in the broth. If you're a fan of white beans in soup, my Tuscan White Bean Soup is another one to try.

This bean soup is perfect for weeknight dinners or even for meal prepping lunches ahead of time. I like serving it with a hunk of crusty bread for dipping and a simple green salad. If you are building out your soup rotation, my Cauliflower Chicken Soup or Lentil Soup are two more worth trying.

You will need the following ingredients to make this soup with white beans and chicken:

• Chicken thighs - Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are what I tested with, and they are what I'd recommend if this is your first time making it. They braise directly in the broth, cook fast, and shred easily once tender. The extra fat keeps them from drying out the way breast meat can over a longer simmer. Chicken breasts work as a swap but they will be leaner and taste drier in the final bowl.
• Cannellini beans - Two cans of cannellini beans do double duty here. Most of the beans stay whole for texture and one cup gets blended with a bit of broth and stirred back in, which is what naturally thickens the soup without any cream or flour. It's a technique that fits how I like to cook Mediterranean-inspired food: real ingredients doing real work, not shortcuts standing in for flavor. Note that Great Northern beans will work in a pinch if you can't find cannellini beans.
• Tomato paste - A tablespoon of tomato paste, cooked until it darkens, is doing more work in this soup than its small quantity would suggest. Cook it a full two minutes and watch for the color shift from bright red to a deeper, brick-red tone. That's the raw edge of the tomato paste cooking out and the flavor concentrating, and it's a step that's easy to rush but shouldn't be.
• Smoked paprika - Smoked paprika, toasted briefly with the other dried spices, is what gives this soup its warmth and depth without leaning on a parmesan rind the way a lot of white bean soups do. It's a small ingredient with an outsized effect, and it's what keeps this soup from tasting like every other chicken and bean soup on the internet.

See the recipe card for quantities.

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• Bulk it up with root vegetables - Diced parsnip or sweet potato added with the carrots and celery makes this heartier for a cold night.
• Add a small pasta - Stir in ditalini or orzo during the last 10 minutes of simmering for a more filling, stick-to-your-ribs version.
• Turn up the heat - Extra red pepper flakes or a diced jalapeño added with the aromatics gives this a spicier edge.
• Stir in greens at the end - Kale or spinach, added in the last few minutes, adds color and a boost of vegetables without changing the flavor much.

Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with the exact ingredients are in the printable recipe card:

Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook for about 8 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook another 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and let it cook for a full 2 minutes.

Step 2: Add the thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Stir and let them toast for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the chicken thighs, both cans of beans, the heavy cream if you're using it, and the chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is fully tender.

Step 3: Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it with two forks. Meanwhile, scoop out about 1 cup of the beans along with some broth, blend until smooth, and stir it back into the pot. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir in the lemon juice.

Step 4: Taste and season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped kale, if using, and simmer for a few minutes. Remove the bay leaf before serving, and top with fresh parsley or thyme and a drizzle of olive oil.

• Shred the chicken while it's still warm, it comes apart much more easily than once it's cooled.
• Blend the beans with a bit of broth from the pot rather than water as it keeps the flavor concentrated instead of diluted.
• Taste and adjust the salt after the lemon juice goes in, not before, since the acidity changes how seasoned the broth tastes.
• If the soup thickens more than you'd like as it sits, a splash of extra broth when reheating brings it right back.

Don't rush the tomato paste. Cook the paste two full minutes in the pan, until it turns from bright red to brick-red. This removes the raw taste and gives this soup depth. Pulling it off the heat early is the most common way to end up with a flatter-tasting broth.

Yes. It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days and freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stove.

If it's thicker than you'd like, especially after storing, thin it with a splash of broth when reheating. If it's thinner than you'd like, blend a bit more of the beans and stir them back in.

You can, but you'll miss out on the flavor the raw chicken picks up from braising directly in the broth. If you go this route, stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken during the last few minutes just to warm it through.

It's what gives the soup its naturally thick, silky texture without any cream, so I'd recommend it. If you prefer a brothier soup, you can skip this step and leave all the beans whole.

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