I Heart This Hearty Soup!
The weather is turning, slowly, but steadily. Soon I believe we may actually have just a hint of autumn here in Southern California. That means that the days are still plenty hot (96º today)🥵, but fortunately the evenings cool down and it’s soup season again 🥣. This Tuscan Bean Soup with Chicken and Leeks is so tasty, healthy and hearty.
The combination of flavors is so perfectly delish. I really love the flavor of herbs de Provence and I suggest no substitution, unless you make your own (see notes section for the make-your-own combination).
Making and eating soup is just like a big warm hug!
I actually make this very thick, much more like a stew than a soup. It’s a pot full of comforting fall flavors, tons of veggies, but also plenty of healthy carbs too. Listen, when I pull out my great big red dutch oven, It means some serious soup business is about to happen!
As the hectic work week starts, it’s nice to have something you can go to for a few meals. When I make a pot of soup, I want to get at least a few dinners from it and even, maybe freeze some for another time. This is a big ol’ pot of soup, at least 10 nice size servings. It’s also a really great way to stretch your budget. I use just two boneless chicken breasts! I also add extra delicious texture with a bit of orzo pasta and 3 cans of cannellini beans. The combination is really great and helps thicken the soup.
Preparing the Leeks
I use a lot of leeks in this recipe, at least 4 large leeks, or 6 medium sized leeks.
This is about 8-10 cups of sliced leeks. I clean leeks very well, first trimming the ends, then slicing to about 1/8 inch thick. I put all the leeks into a large bowl of cold water and swish them around a bit with my hands and then just let them sit for a few minutes. This will help any sand and dirt fall off into the water.
Using a slotted spoon or your hands, gently remove the onions from the top of the bowl and let them drain in a large colander or sieve.
Tuscan Bean Soup with Chicken and Leeks
Into a large, heavy bottomed pot, such as a dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil with 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add 2 cups each of chopped carrots and celery. Add 1 tablespoon of herbs de Provence and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Let the veggies cook, about 5 minutes. Add 8-10 cloves of finely chopped garlic and cook about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the well drained/dry leeks to the pot and stir to combine. Cook about 5 minutes until the leeks have wilted down and are translucent. Add 2 cups of chopped, fresh zucchini.
Sprinkle the top of the pot with 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and add 3 tablespoons of butter. Mix to combine and allow the butter to mix and the vegetables to become gummy from the flour, about 4 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and top with 8 cups of chicken stock or broth. Add the cubed chicken and let the mixture simmer, about 15 minutes, then add 1 cup orzo rice, stirring to combine. Simmer another 10-15 minutes.
Add 3 15.5 ounce cans drained and rinsed cannellini beans. Simmer a few more minutes, then test seasoning and add a bit more salt or some extra herbs de Provence if needed. Add two bunches of fresh kale, stems removed, large leaves chopped.
Then add the zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon, mix to combine. Let the soup simmer about 30 minutes until the kale is wilted and soft. Serve piping hot with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese!
Soups On! Enjoy!
Tuscan Bean Soup with Chicken and Leeks
Notes
Herbs De Provence is a special blend of herbs distinctive to French cooking and all are plentiful in the region of Provence. You can make your own blend, but it's one of those blends that has such a number of herbs, it's easy to easier to purchase premade. If you want to make your own, here's a typical blend: 4 tablespoons thyme, 3 tablespoons marjoram 3 tablespoons summer savory, 2 tablespoons rosemary, 1 tablespoon tarragon, 1 tablespoon basil, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon mint, 1 teaspoon chervil, 1 teaspoon lavender flowers.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons butter (divided)
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 2 cups chopped zucchini
- 4 large leeks, trimmed and rinsed, dried and sliced about 1/8 inch thick
- 8 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon herbs de Provence
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
- 2 boneless, skinless breasts of chicken, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 8 cups chicken stock/broth
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 3 15.5 ounce cans cannellini beans
- 2 bunches fresh kale, washed, stems removed
- zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Garnish:
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Into a large, heavy bottomed pot, such as a dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil with 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat.
- Add 2 cups each of chopped carrots and celery.
- Add 1 tablespoon of herbs de Provence and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Let the veggies cook, about 5 minutes.
- Add 8-10 cloves of finely chopped garlic and cook about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the well drained/dry leeks to the pot and stir to combine.
- Cook about 5 minutes until the leeks have wilted down and are translucent, add the zucchini.
- Sprinkle the top of the pot with 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and add 3 tablespoons of butter.
- Mix to combine and allow the butter to mix and the vegetables to become gummy from the flour, about 4 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and top with 8 cups of chicken stock or broth.
- Add the cubed chicken and let the mixture simmer, about 15 minutes, then add 1 cup orzo rice, stirring to combine.
- Simmer another 10-15 minutes.
- Add 3 15.5 ounce cans drained and rinsed cannellini beans.
- Simmer a few more minutes, then test seasoning and add a bit more salt or some extra herbs de Provence if needed.
- Add the kale and the zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon, mix to combine. Let simmer on low about 30 minutes until the kale is wilted.
- To serve, top with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Enjoy!
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