A steaming bowl of soup piled with vegetables, chicken, beans, and a creamy broth is high on my list of comfort foods. I can’t get enough this time of year, which is why this creamy minestrone finds its way to my stovetop every other week! I love that it uses autumn veggies at the peak of their season and has a cozy, satisfying creaminess that compiments the herbs so beautifully. Feel free to use whatever veggies you have (or that your kids like!) to make it your own. OH, and don’t forget some buttered bread to really make it a meal ;)
Ingredients:
Makes one big pot of soup ;)
2 tablespoons butter
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 sweet onion, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon salt
handful of fresh thyme stems
2-3 sprigs of rosemary
1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 bunch of kale, stems removed and thinly sliced
1 can of white beans
1 cup marinara sauce (this is my favorite!)
32 ounces of chicken broth
1 pound chicken breasts
1 cup half and half
Directions:
Grab a large dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid. Heat over low heat and melt the butter. Add the garlic and onions and let them cook and get fragrant. I like to chop a veg and add it to the pot, layering the flavors as I go rather than chopping everything at once before cooking! Add the celery, carrots, and salt and give it a good stir. Let the veggies soften and slightly brown. Next, add the whole sprigs of thyme and rosemary (keep them big because you’ll need to fish them out before serving!), the diced squash, the sliced kale, the drained beans, and the marinara sauce. Give it a good stir. Next pour the broth over top until it covers the veggies by about 2 inches. Take your chicken breasts and nestle them down in the soup until they’re totally submerged. We’re going to poach the chicken right in the soup! Put the lid on and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. Take the chicken breasts out and chop them into bite sized peices and add back to the pot. Let simmer for another hour or so. Add the half and half to the broth and stir though. Taste it for seasoning, I always need to add more salt! Fish out the herb stems and serve it up, my dear.
