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This Hearty Chicken Soup Recipe is chock full of yummy grains, lentils, beans and veggies – plus a secret ingredient!
Hearty Chicken Soup Recipe – Perfect for Cold Nights!
There is soooo much goodness in this Hearty Chicken Soup Recipe. Just look at this picture below to see what's about to go down! I can't wait so here we go. 🙂
🍴 Menu Planning Note: You can also find this recipe in Week 2 of our Low Calorie Menu Plan Set!
What is the best chicken soup recipe?
This one of course!
This chicken soup recipe literally has it all. Grains, lentils, beans and fresh veggies are a few of the ingredients that make up this wholesome soup. Plus we've added in some picante sauce to kick things up a notch. It's not your average chicken soup but it's SO good (and perfect for a chilly night)!
How to Make Hearty Chicken Soup:
To start making this chicken soup recipe, you will need a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Then sauté the onion and barley in oil until the onion is tender. Throw in the garlic and cook another minute.
Next add the broth, water, lentils, picante sauce (which is our secret ingredient!), garbanzo beans and cilantro. You'll also add chicken at this point. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat. Cover that goodness up and simmer 25 minutes or until the barley and lentils are tender.
When everything is tender go ahead and remove the chicken and shred with two forks or whatever works for you. Just be sure to make the chicken into bite size pieces for the soup.
Add the spinach and chicken breast back to the soup. Simmer that just until the spinach is wilted. If you have people in your family that aren't spinach fans, you can reduce the amount. However, the spinach really gives a lot of flavor and bulk to this chicken soup recipe (plus it's SO good for you!).
Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve with some crusty bread for a nice comfort food meal!
This isn't the typical homemade chicken noodle soup that you see with egg noodles, but it will still hit the spot if you're feeling under the weather or just want a hearty soup.
What Can I Serve with Chicken Soup?
This hearty chicken soup recipe can definitely stand alone with no sides because it's packed full of so many nutrients, but that might not be acceptable to your hungry bunch so here are a few ideas. 🙂
- homemade bread
- side salad (make it a soup and salad night)
- crackers (saltine, club crackers, ritz, cheez-its) – all the crackers please!
- grilled cheese sandwiches
Hearty Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- ⅓ cup pearl barley
- 2 Tbsps canola oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (32 oz) cartons low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
- 16 oz jar picante sauce
- 15 oz can garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, minced
- 8 cups fresh spinach, chopped
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, sauté onion and barley in oil until onion is tender. Add garlic; cook for an additional minute. Add broth, water, chicken, lentils, picante sauce, garbanzo beans and cilantro. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 25 minutes or until barley and lentils are tender.
- Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add spinach and chicken to soup. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes or until spinach is wilted.
Nutrition
Looking for more delicious meals like this chicken soup recipe?
This recipe is from week two of our low calorie menu plans. Each menu plan set includes 60 AMAZING recipes (and 12 desserts too)! For the low calorie set, most recipes are well under 500 calories and 15 net carbs.
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Can this be made in a crock pot?
I would cook it for 1-2 hours on High or 4-6 hours on Low. Then remove the chicken and shred. Add the chicken and spinach to soup. Then cook on low for 10-15 min or until spinach is wilted. Hope this helps, Jackie!
Hey PPP – what’s the cook/time ratio if I’m using Mrs. Potts? I don’t have a Dutch Oven…yet (I’ve added to my Christmas List)
Thanks!!
I would cook it for 1-2 hours on High or 4-6 hours on Low. Then remove the chicken and shred. Add the chicken and spinach to soup. Then cook on low for 10-15 min or until spinach is wilted. Hope this helps, Jenni! You’re going to love your Dutch oven! What a great Christmas gift!
PPP- Thank you so much! We hope to find a GREAT deal on a good one! Any special brand recommendations for the Dutch oven?
This is the dutch oven Laurie has! 🙂 https://passionatepennypincher.com/martha-stewart-enameled-cast-iron-6-quart-round-casserole-4/
Has this recipe been tried with leftover turkey? Thinking this may be a good “leftover” soup when I need to disguise the turkey!