Soup with beans and chicken

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you cook a delicious bean and chicken soup? It's very simple. First, gather the ingredients from the list. You can make the soup with dried beans, the way I do, or with canned. Using canned beans cuts the cooking time dramatically. Feel free to add to or swap out the vegetables to suit your taste, and use whatever fresh herbs you like.

2. Step 2:

   

   Rinse the beans and soak them overnight in cold water. Any variety of bean will work; I'm using white beans. Drain the swollen beans in a colander and rinse them well under running water.

3. Step 3:

   

   Take a suitable pot, add the beans, pour in 1.5 quarts (1.5 L) of cold water, and set it over medium heat. Cook the beans until tender, anywhere from 1 to 1.5 hours. The exact time depends on the size and variety of the beans. It took me a little over an hour. After an hour of cooking, you can lightly salt the water—it speeds the process along. The finished beans should be soft but not falling apart.

4. Step 4:

   

   Drain the cooked beans in a colander and let them dry.

5. Step 5:

   

   Spoon part of the beans into a separate bowl and mash them to a puree. This makes the soup thicker and gives it a bright, beany flavor.

6. Step 6:

   

   Wash the chicken breast, pat it dry, and cut it into small, bite-sized pieces. You can use bone-in meat instead—broth cooked on the bone comes out richer.

7. Step 7:

   

   In a pot, bring 1.5 quarts (1.5 L) of water to a boil over medium heat. Add the chicken and the whole peeled onion and cook, skimming off the foam and stirring now and then, for about 20 minutes. If you're using bone-in meat, cook for at least 30 minutes.

8. Step 8:

   

   While the chicken cooks, prep the rest of the vegetables. Peel the carrot and cut it into small cubes.

9. Step 9:

   

   Finely chop the garlic.

10. Step 10:

    

    Finely chop the parsley too. Besides parsley, you can use other herbs: dill, cilantro, spinach, and so on.

11. Step 11:

    

    Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the carrot and fry, stirring, for 4 minutes.

12. Step 12:

    

    Add the garlic and fry for 1 more minute, until it's fragrant.

13. Step 13:

    

    Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the pot of soup. Next, add both the mashed and the whole beans. Season everything with salt and pepper and stir.

14. Step 14:

    

    Simmer the soup for another 5–7 minutes at a gentle boil. Right at the end, remove the cooked-down onion. Take the pot off the heat and let the soup rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

15. Step 15:

    

    Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with chopped herbs, and serve. Enjoy your meal!