Healthy Recipes Soup Chicken Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto 4.8 (45) 44 Reviews This fragrant, Italian-flavored soup takes advantage of quick-cooking ingredients—boneless, skinless chicken breast, bagged baby spinach and canned beans. It features a simple homemade basil pesto, which is swirled in at the end to add a fresh herb flavor. If you are very pressed for time, you can substitute 3 to 4 tablespoons of a store-bought basil pesto. By Nancy Baggett Nancy Baggett Nancy Baggett is a James Beard Award–nominated cookbook author and expert on culinary lavender. She is the author of nearly 20 cookbooks, including The Art of Cooking with Lavender, The All-American Cookie Cookbook and The International Chocolate Cookbook. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 8, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD Reviewed by Dietitian Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD Christa Brown is a registered dietitian and business owner with a practice focus on diabetes management and content development for brands and fitness influencers. She is a licensed dietitian with a Master of Science in Nutrition Education and a certification in gut health by the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Cook Time: 30 mins Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 5 Yield: 5 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each Nutrition Profile: Diabetes-Friendly Healthy Aging Healthy Immunity Low-Sodium High-Fiber Heart-Healthy High-Protein Low-Calorie Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe Nutrition Notes Chicken breast is an excellent source of lean protein. It also provides other vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins and choline, a nutrient necessary for proper nervous system functioning. Spinach is a green leafy vegetable that is rich in many nutrients—which become even greater when the spinach is cooked. Spinach provides vitamins A, C and K, fiber, folate, calcium, potassium and iron. The antioxidants and other nutrients in spinach support eye, bone and skin health and naturally lower blood pressure. Pesto is a blend of olive oil, basil, garlic, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese—all ingredients that will add to your nutritional bottom line. You can find pesto made with various herbs and nuts and even some without cheese if you're looking for a vegan variety. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided ½ cup carrot or diced red bell pepper 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 8 ounces), cut into quarters 1 large clove garlic, minced 5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 ½ teaspoons dried marjoram 6 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans or great northern beans, rinsed ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese ⅓ cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves Freshly ground pepper, to taste ¾ cup plain or herbed multigrain croutons for garnish (optional) Directions Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add carrot (or bell pepper) and chicken; cook, turning the chicken and stirring frequently, until the chicken begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Stir in broth and marjoram; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken pieces to a clean cutting board to cool. Add spinach and beans to the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. To make a pesto, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, Parmesan and basil in a food processor (a mini processor works well). Process until a coarse paste forms, adding a little water and scraping down the sides as necessary. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Stir the chicken and pesto into the pot. Season with pepper. Heat until hot. Garnish with croutons, if desired. Equipment Food processor or mini chopper Frequently Asked Questions Can I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of the boneless, skinless chicken breast? Absolutely, but keep in mind that chicken breasts cook faster than chicken thighs, so you may need to add a little more time. How long can you store fresh pesto? If you want to make extra pesto and store it for other uses, like pasta or sandwiches, place it in an airtight container (labeled with a use-by date) and store it in the refrigerator for no longer than three days, according to The National Center for Home Food Preservation. You can freeze pesto for up to six months in containers meant for freezing. Be sure to label the container and allow for a half-inch headspace for any expansion of contents. Is this a soup I can make now and freeze for later? Absolutely. It's always best to freeze soup the day you make it; however, you can freeze it within three days. For best results, store it in an airtight container made for the freezer (label it with a use-by date). It should be good for two to three months, but the sooner you use it, the fresher it will taste Originally appeared: EatingWell Soups Special Issue April 2016 Save Rate Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 227 Calories 9g Fat 18g Carbs 19g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 5 Serving Size about 1 1/2 cups Calories 227 % Daily Value * Total Carbohydrate 18g 7% Dietary Fiber 6g 21% Total Sugars 2g Protein 19g 39% Total Fat 9g 12% Saturated Fat 2g 10% Cholesterol 29mg 10% Vitamin A 3866IU 77% Vitamin C 29mg 33% Folate 77mcg 19% Sodium 211mg 9% Calcium 93mg 7% Iron 2mg 12% Magnesium 44mg 10% Potassium 525mg 11% Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate. * Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.) (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs. Additional reporting by Carrie Myers, M.S. Carrie Myers, M.S. Carrie Myers is a portfolio entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in the health and wellness space. As a writer and editor, Carrie has worked for both consumer and trade print and online publications. She's been quoted in several articles as a health and fitness expert. Carrie is also a certified life and wellness coach and exercise physiologist, and the founder of CarrieMichele Co., a lifestyle company that helps women create lives they love where they can be authentic. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines and Linda Frahm Linda Frahm Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines