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When the onion, carrots, and celery have softened in the Dutch oven, the soup already smells like something worth sitting down for. This High Protein White Bean Soup builds that savory base first, then lets boneless chicken breasts cook right in the broth with thyme and a bay leaf. The chicken and cannellini beans make each bowl hearty without needing cream or a separate pot.

I like the way the beans do double duty here: some stay whole, while a portion gets mashed to give the broth a little body. Baby spinach wilts in at the end, and a spoonful of lemon juice keeps the finished soup bright rather than heavy. You get tender chicken, soft vegetables, and plenty of beans in a bowl that still tastes clean and brothy.

The gentle simmer is what keeps the chicken tender in this bean soup

Chicken breasts are lean, so a hard, rolling boil can make them tighten up before the center is cooked through. Bring the broth to a gentle boil first, then lower the heat until it stays at a steady simmer. You want small, occasional bubbles, not a pot that’s churning and splashing. That calmer heat gives the chicken time to cook while the broth stays pleasant to eat.

Keep the pot uncovered and check the thickest part of each breast rather than judging by color alone. Chicken breasts can vary in size, so one may reach the right temperature before another. The thermometer tells you when each piece is ready; the simmer does the rest of the work without turning the broth into a vigorous boil. This gentle approach also leaves the chicken easy to shred into the soup instead of tough little chunks.

The ingredients that give this soup its hearty, brothy character

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts — They cook directly in the broth and shred cleanly for a lean, substantial soup. The boneless, skinless cut saves you from picking out bones or dealing with skin in the finished bowl.
• Cannellini beans — Their tender, creamy centers work especially well in soup. Drain and rinse the canned beans before using them; one cup gets mashed to thicken the broth, while the rest stay whole for bites of bean in every spoonful.
• Low-sodium chicken broth — It gives the soup a savory base while leaving room for the measured kosher salt. Regular-sodium broth can make the finished soup saltier, so low-sodium is the better match here.
• Yellow onion, carrots, and celery — These vegetables make the aromatic base. Dice them so they soften evenly in the pot; ordinary grocery-store produce is all you need.
• Garlic, dried thyme, and bay leaf — Garlic and thyme bring warmth to the broth, and the bay leaf adds a quiet herbal note as the chicken cooks. Mince the garlic before it goes into the pot so it can cook briefly without delaying the next step.
• Baby spinach and lemon juice — Baby spinach wilts quickly into the hot soup, and lemon juice gives the beans and chicken a fresh finish. Add both near the end so the greens don’t spend the whole simmer in the pot.
• Olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper — The oil helps soften the vegetables, while salt and pepper season the base. Since the broth is low-sodium, the measured salt has room to season the whole pot.

Building the soup in stages, from softened vegetables to wilted spinach

Soften the vegetables before adding the broth

Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery, then cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened. They should look glossy and tender, not browned or crisp. If they’re still firm, give them a little longer before moving on so the broth starts with a properly softened base.

Wake up the garlic and thyme

Stir in the minced garlic, dried thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook for 30 seconds, just until the garlic smells fragrant. Stay close: garlic can turn from aromatic to scorched quickly if it sits on the hot pot too long. Add the broth as soon as that fragrant smell comes through.

Simmer the chicken gently in the broth

Add the chicken broth, chicken breasts, and bay leaf to the pot, then bring the liquid to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 to 22 minutes, until the thickest part of each breast reaches 165°F. Keep the bubbles calm rather than letting the soup boil hard. Transfer the chicken to a plate, remove and discard the bay leaf, and let the chicken rest.

Thicken with beans, then finish with chicken and greens

Mash 1 cup of the drained and rinsed beans with a fork, then stir them into the pot with the remaining whole beans. Simmer for 5 minutes so the mashed beans disperse through the broth. Shred the chicken with two forks and stir it back into the soup with the baby spinach and lemon juice. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the spinach has wilted into the soup.

Two ways to change the bean texture without changing the ingredients

Questions that come up while making white bean soup

High Protein White Bean Soup

High protein white bean soup simmers chicken breasts, cannellini beans, and vegetables in chicken broth for a hearty, protein-rich meal. Mashed beans give the broth a creamy texture, while spinach and lemon juice add a fresh finish.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 39 minutes mins

Resting 5 minutes mins

Total Time 59 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Calories: 300

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion medium, diced
• 2 carrots medium, diced
• 2 celery ribs diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 can (15 oz) cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Equipment

• 1 6-quart Dutch oven or soup pot

Method

 

1. Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, then add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
2. Stir in the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
3. Add the broth, chicken breasts, and bay leaf, then bring to a gentle boil.
4. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 to 22 minutes, until the thickest part of each chicken breast reaches 165°F.
5. Transfer the chicken to a plate and remove and discard the bay leaf.
6. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes.
7. Mash 1 cup of the beans with a fork, then stir the mashed beans and remaining whole beans into the pot and simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Shred the chicken with two forks, then stir it into the soup with the spinach and lemon juice and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the spinach is wilted.

Notes

Mash the beans well to help thicken the broth. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 3 months. For a gluten-free version, use certified gluten-free chicken broth.