Chicken Soup with White Beans and Kale | Tried and True Recipes (2025)

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This chicken soup with white beans and kale is a weeknight wonder. This one-pot chicken soup with kale requires very little fussing over the stove, and it can even be made in a crockpot if you like!

There are nights when I don’t feel like cooking and when that happens, I turn to simple, one-pot recipes. This easy chicken and white bean soup with kale is a perfect cure for those nights when you just need a break.

You need just a handful of ingredients, but you can modify this soup endlessly. Here’s what you need to make the basic recipe:

• Protein: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs and white beans.
• Veggies: Onion, red potatoes, and kale; try it with spinach or escarole!
• Spices: Garlic pepper and crushed red pepper; I recommend Greenpoint Trading’s roasted garlic pepper, but you can also use lemon pepper.
• Finishing touches: A little cream, lemon juice, and fresh parsley round out this one-pot chicken soup’s flavors!

How to make this chicken soup with white beans and kale:

You’ve gathered you’re ingredients and now you’re ready to start cooking! When I tell you this recipe comes together in a jiff, I mean it. Here’s what you’ll do:

Step 1: Brown up the chicken quickly! You just want to get a little Maillard reaction going on the chicken, so you only need to go 5 minutes on the first side. Tip: Make sure you pat the chicken dry and season it with salt and pepper first!

Step 2: Throw in those onions and potatoes and season all over with your garlic pepper, crushed red pepper, and more salt and pepper.

Step 3: Simmer it up! Add the beans and water or veggie stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 45 minutes until you can shred the chicken.

Step 4: Shred the chicken. You can do this straight in the pot, or you can transfer the chicken to a bowl first. The pieces need not be super small; just break the chicken apart into bite-sized strips.

Step 5: Finish the soup! Add the shredded chicken back in, along with the kale and heavy cream. As soon as the kale wilts, add in the lemon juice and parsley.

Can I make this in a crockpot?

YES. This one-pot chicken soup with kale is super amenable to being made in a crockpot. Throw everything except the kale and cream in the crockpot. Cook it on high for 3–4 hours or low for 7–8 hours. Stir in the kale halfway through cooking. Right before serving, stir in the cream.