Oct 17

Chicken and White Bean Soup6 Comments

I never really liked soup and definitely thought some of my college roommates were crazy calling soup a full meal. Growing up soup was not really a dish that was on the menu or it was my mom just catering to us four kids, and purposely leaving it off. Now that I am older I find myself craving soup and looking for many different recipes to try. As soon as that first fall chill was in the air a few weeks ago, I have placed a new soup on the menu each week. This was the first one to make an appearance on the menu. It was featured back in the summertime in Cooking Light, I had ripped it out saving for a time when I wanted a one pot meal on a chilly night. The flavors were very rustic and the bacon adds a nice smokiness to the broth. The vinegar added some tanginess and I loved the addition of orzo or big rice (as Blair called them). As a added bonus it comes together fairly quickly and is very easy to make. We served ours with a salad and some crusty ciabatta. I think I might just be becoming a soup lover, and I have two more recipes to share with you soon!

Chicken and White Bean Soup
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:
2 smoked bacon slices, chopped
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup chopped plum tomato
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups water
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
1 (15-ounce) can organic white beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

What you’ll do:

Begin by chopping your ingredients. In a large saucepan over medium heat cook bacon for about 7 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan; set bacon aside. Add chicken to drippings in pan; sauté for about 6 minutes. Remove chicken from pan.

Add onion and garlic to pan; cook 4 minutes or until tender. Add tomato, oregano, and pepper; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Return bacon and chicken to pan. Stir in 2 cups water and chicken broth, scrape the pan to loosen any browned bits. Bring the water and the broth to a boil. Add orzo, and cook for 9 minutes or until al dente. Add the beans to the mixture, cook 2 minutes or until heated. Remove from heat. Finally stir in parsley, vinegar, and salt.

Source: Cooking Light, June 2011