This nutrient-dense soup is so comforting and will give you a serious dose of calcium and iron-rich greens. The combo of beans and chicken pack in 40g protein and you’re getting tons of fiber from the veggies and beans. Top it off with a lemony feta topping for a cozy, satiating dinner!
Ingredient highlight
Dark leafy greens! These include kale, chard, broccoli (and all other dark leafy veg). They are rich in calcium, iron, vitamin K, and vitamin C, to name a few.
Servings 4 (10-11 cups)
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 25 minutes Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 3 cups frozen kale or spinach (or use 4 cups fresh)
- 4 cups (~10 oz) frozen broccoli (or use fresh, chopped small)
- 2 cups loosely packed parsley
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 8 cups water, divided
- 8 oz short pasta shape (shells, cavatelli, penne, elbows, etc…)
- 8 oz boneless skinless chicken breast*
- 1 (15 oz) can of beans, drained and rinsed (any bean works)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Feta topping:**
- 1 cup crumbled feta**
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- Zest from 1 lemon
- Black pepper
- *If you are just adding one very thick breast, I suggest cutting it in half lengthwise so it cooks more evenly.
- **Alternatively, just top with plain crumbled feta or goat cheese. Goat cheese and parm combo are delicious on top! You want lots of salty cheese to add saltiness and richness to the soup!
- Note: ~ you can mix in some chopped walnuts into the topping for crunch. This is nice for leftovers since the pasta can get mushy.
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the greens, broccoli, herbs, garlic, fennel, red pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour in 4 cups water, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until the broccoli is fork tender. Transfer everything from the pot into a (large) high-speed blender and blend on high until smooth, allowing steam to escape (if you have a smaller blender, do it in two batches or try with an immersion blender). Pour back into the pot.
- Stir in the remaining 4 cups water, pasta, chicken, beans, soy sauce, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, give it a stir, then reduce the heat to medium to maintain a rapid simmer for 10-15 minutes (check the chicken after 8 minutes) or until the chicken and pasta are cooked through, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- When the chicken is done (155-160F), transfer it to a cutting board. If the pasta is not cooked and the water level is too low or too thick, add in some more water and keep cooking (pasta cook times vary a lot).
- Shred up the chicken and stir it back into the pot along with the lemon juice. Taste and add more salt or lemon, if you think it needs something.
- In a small bowl, mix together the feta, parsley, lemon zest and black pepper.
- Serve topped with the feta topping or cheese of choice and a generous drizzle of good olive oil.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Chop 1 yellow onion
- Chop 4 cups loosely packed kale or spinach (or use 3 cups frozen)
- Chop 4 cups broccoli into small pieces (or use frozen)
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, skip the chicken and use two cans of beans and add an extra tablespoon of soy sauce.
- To make vegan, see above + use a salty vegan cheese or top with toasted walnuts and a generous sprinkling of salt.
- To make gluten-free, use a gluten-free pasta (Jovial Foods brown rice pasta is my favorite option).
- Skip the beans and add an extra 8 oz chicken.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- The pasta will inevitably soak up a lot of that liquid and get mushy as leftovers. My favorite thing to do is turn it into a lasagna (eee below). You can also just reheat in the microwave or on the stove until warmed through, stirring often. Season with a bit more salt and lemon. Top with lots of your cheesy topping of choice (see recipe note about walnuts).
- Turn it into a lasagna! Pour leftovers into an oven-proof skillet, drizzle olive oil on top, and broil it until the liquid is bubbling and noodles are beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and top with ricotta and/or goat cheese, shredded melty cheese, and/or parmesan. Broil on high until that cheese is melted and bubbling, about 1-2 minutes.
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