High-Protein Chicken and White Bean Soup
Per serving (about 1.5 cups)
How I calculate this → Protein calculator →
9g of protein per 100 calories, more than 12 of the other 27 dinner recipes here.
I lean on ground chicken here instead of diced, since it cooks faster and takes the spices better. Cannellini beans do double duty: real protein and real fiber, and I mash a few against the side of the pot near the end to thicken the broth without any flour or cream. I usually mash more beans than I think I need because I like the broth on the thicker side. It gives the soup a much heartier texture without turning it into something heavy.
Why you'll love this
- 28g of protein and 6g of fiber per serving from ground chicken and cannellini beans
- Ready in about 35 minutes, mostly hands-off simmer time
- Mashing some of the beans thickens the broth with no flour or cream
Recipe
High-Protein Chicken and White Bean Soup
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until soft.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it apart with a spatula, for 5 to 7 minutes, until no longer pink.
- Stir in the cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and cayenne if using. Cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
- Add the cannellini beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Mash some of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon to thicken the broth slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve topped with fresh cilantro or parsley.
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
Notes
- I use ground chicken because it cooks fast and takes on the spice blend better than diced chicken breast does. Diced chicken thigh works too if that's what I have.
- I mash some of the beans right in the pot instead of pureeing part of the soup separately. It's less cleanup and still thickens the broth enough to feel like a finished soup, not a thin one.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 305 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 28g |
| Carbs | 20g |
| Fat | 13g |
| Fiber | 6g |
Where these numbers come from
I calculate every figure above from USDA FoodData Central, ingredient by ingredient, then divide by the servings the recipe makes. Each FDC number links to the exact USDA entry I used. How I calculate nutrition
- Olive oil: FDC #171413, 1 tbsp = 13.5g.
- Onion: FDC #170000 (Onions, raw), 1 medium = 110g.
- Garlic: FDC #169230 (Garlic, raw), 3 cloves = 9g.
- Ground chicken: FDC #171117 (Chicken, ground, crumbles, cooked, pan-browned), 1.5 lb raw (680g), scaled to a 75% cooked yield for ground meat = 510g cooked.
- Cumin: FDC #170923, 1 tsp = 2.1g. Oregano: FDC #171328, 1 tsp = 1g. Smoked paprika: FDC #171329, 1/2 tsp = 1.2g. Cayenne optional, not counted.
- Cannellini beans: FDC #2644287 (Beans, cannellini, canned, sodium added, drained and rinsed), 7.41g protein / 115 kcal / 1.17g fat / 18.8g carb per 100g. That Foundation entry has no fiber value, so fiber uses FDC #175203 (Beans, white, mature seeds, cooked, boiled), 6.3g per 100g. 2 cans (15 oz) drained and rinsed = about 3 cups (1.5 cups drained per 15 oz can) = 537g (FDC #175203: 1 cup = 179g).
- Chicken broth: FDC #174536 (Soup, chicken broth, ready-to-serve), 4 cups = 996g.
- Batch totals: 167.4g protein, 1,832 kcal, 78.3g fat, 120.9g carb, 37g fiber, about 2,180g; divided by 6.
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. The beans hold their texture well after freezing, better than most starchy soups do.
FAQ
Can I use canned chicken or rotisserie instead of ground?
Yes. Skip the browning step and stir in shredded cooked chicken along with the beans and broth, then simmer just until heated through.
Can I use a different bean?
Great Northern beans or navy beans both work the same way. Chickpeas hold their shape better if you want less of the broth-thickening effect from mashing.
Is this actually high-fiber?
Yes. Two cans of cannellini beans across six servings gives this soup a real fiber number per serving, not just a marketing label.
Looking for more high-fiber meals: the slow cooker beef and cabbage soup is another make-ahead soup, built around beef instead of chicken and beans.
Chicken and beans both show up in Foods High in Protein, with the protein per serving for each.
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