Description
This Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup combines tender chicken, fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and white beans in a rich and velvety broth flavored with garlic, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning. It’s a hearty, comforting soup perfect for chilly days, featuring a delicious Italian-inspired twist that’s naturally gluten-free and packed with protein.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 4 cups chicken broth
Creamy Components
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Vegetables and Beans
- 1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 3 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
Garnish
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the aromatics: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until the aroma is released.
- Cook the chicken: Add the bite-sized chicken breast pieces to the pot along with Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes if you like a bit of heat. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is lightly browned and almost fully cooked through.
- Add broth and simmer: Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the chicken to finish cooking.
- Incorporate creamy ingredients and veggies: Stir in the heavy cream, grated Parmesan, white beans, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and chopped fresh spinach. Continue simmering the soup for another 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted and the soup achieves a rich, creamy texture.
- Season and garnish: Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or pepper as desired. Remove from heat and ladle into bowls. Garnish with freshly chopped basil or parsley before serving to add freshness and color.
Notes
- For a dairy-free version, replace heavy cream with coconut cream and use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan cheese for a cheesy flavor.
- To save time, use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken; add it during the last 5 minutes of simmering instead of raw chicken.
- This soup pairs beautifully with crusty bread or a crisp side salad for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 33g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
