Quinoa, Kale, and Chicken Soup
Quinoa, kale, chicken, and white beans combine in a hearty soup that serves as a healthy remedy to this bitterly cold winter.
I know everyone is sick of hearing about how frigid it is this winter, so I’ll skip all the whining and jump straight in to talking about this soup. The soup contains all sorts of good-for-you ingredients, so there’s no guilt in indulging in a big bowl of it after shoveling the driveway for the third time in a week. Sorry, I said I wasn’t going to talk about the weather…
It’s no surprise at all that we loved this soup. In fact, I’ve made it the past two Sunday nights for us to have to take in our lunches throughout the week. While kale and quinoa are two of my favorite ingredients, our friend Michelle despises both. I wish we still lived in Boston so I could bring her a bowl of this and hopefully change her mind about quinoa and kale.
I adapted this from a crockpot recipe and just made it on the stovetop. If you want to see the crockpot version, be sure to click through to the original recipe.
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Quinoa, Kale, and Chicken Soup
Quinoa, kale, chicken, and white beans combine in a hearty soup that serves as a healthy remedy to this bitterly cold winter.
Yield: Serves 6-8
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
~1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 leeks, chopped and thoroughly washed
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 spring rosemary, chopped
4 cans chicken broth
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 can white beans (such as cannellini or great northern), drained and rinsed
1 bunch curly kale, chopped after removing ribs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1.5 Tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper for seasoning
shredded parmesan cheese for serving (optional)
bread for serving (optional)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degF.
Cut the chicken breasts in half and place on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
Put chicken in the oven and set the timer for 25 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, heat a tablespoon of oil in a dutch oven or stock pot. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, celery, and leeks. Cook until the vegetables start to soften, 5-7 minutes. Add the rosemary and garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the chicken broth, quinoa, and beans. Set heat on high and cover with a lid. When the soup begins to boil, reduce heat to med-low and continue to simmer.
When the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the oven and allow to cool a few minutes. Chop the chicken in to bite sized pieces.
Stir the chicken, kale, parsley, and lemon juice into the soup. Taste soup and season with salt and pepper if desired. Allow to cook another 2-3 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese. Serve with crusty bread.
Recipe from Beantown Baker, inspired by Cooking Classy
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
I love a good indian spiced dish – this looks great, and would be perfect to eat at lunchtime!
this sounds great- so quick and full of flavor, perfect for weekday lunches! hope things are going well in cinci!
beantownbaker — February 24th, 2013 @ 10:25 am
Thanks – things are starting to get settled here. We are closing on a house in a few weeks, so we’ll be moving again soon. Hope all is going well for you back in Boston!
I hope you are finding Ohio welcoming…even though it’s cold! These chickpeas seem like the perfect dish to help you feel warm and cozy.
beantownbaker — February 24th, 2013 @ 10:26 am
Thanks! We are finding Ohio welcoming. Everyone here is so nice (even if they can’t merge in to traffic to save their life…)
Chick peas and spinach – always make for a delicious and hearty meal! Definitely a good choice.
Is there a substitute for garam masala?
beantownbaker — February 24th, 2013 @ 10:28 am
Garam Masala has a unique flavor, but it is made from a combination of other spices so I’m sure you could find a substitute on the internet somewhere…
This is the perfect go-to recipe for a busy lifestyle…healthful, tasty and so easy to throw together! I hope things settle down for you and your hubs and your place begins feeling more warm and cozy! Meanwhile, you have a delicious satisfying recipe to comfort you!
beantownbaker — March 9th, 2013 @ 3:01 pm
So true!
Oh yum, this looks so warming and delicious!