This delicious chicken minestrone soup recipe makes a comforting soup, perfect to warm you up on those chilly winter days. It's loaded with fresh veggies and the addition of chicken makes it even more satisfying. With its delicious broth and hearty meal qualities, chicken minestrone soup can stand alone or be paired with garlic bread, breadsticks, or dinner rolls for an even more enjoyable experience. This fiber-rich soup aids digestion, supports immune health, and provides essential vitamins A, C, and K.
In this version, pasta is prepared on the side rather than in the soup for better storage of leftovers. In this version, pasta is prepared on the side rather than in the soup for better storage of leftovers.
Instructions to make this classic minestrone soup with chicken in the instant pot, slow cooker and on stove top are all included for your convenience. This chicken vegetable soup is sure to become a family favorite. It is certainly one of my favorite Italian soups.
Minestrone Soup with Chicken
Minestrone soup is a classic Italian favorite, renowned for its thick, hearty texture and abundance of fresh, seasonal vegetables. The name “minestrone” literally means “big soup,” and it lives up to its reputation by combining a medley of ingredients like cannellini beans, kidney beans, and small pasta shapes such as elbow macaroni or ditalini. The base of minestrone soup is typically a flavorful broth, either vegetable broth or chicken broth, seasoned with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and a splash of extra virgin olive oil. A great Italian minestrone soup typically includes diced tomatoes, aromatic garlic, and onions, which provide depth and richness. Adding green beans, sliced carrots, and zucchini brings color and nutrition. Grated parmesan cheese is often sprinkled on top for a savory finish.
This soup is endlessly adaptable, allowing you to use whatever seasonal vegetables you have on hand, making it a staple in many soup recipes and a comforting meal any time of year. In this recipe the addition of chicken to the soup, makes it heartier and a good source of protein. Whether you stick to the classic recipe or experiment with your favorite ingredients, chicken minestrone is a delicious way to enjoy the best of Italian soups.
How to Make Chicken Minestrone Soup
Learn how to make this healthy chicken minestrone soup in the Instant Pot. Stove top and Slow Cooker directions included below. Follow along here or jump down to the printable recipe card.
For stovetop preparation; use large soup pot to ensure even cooking and easy stirring of all the hearty ingredients. Be sure to stir occasionally during the cooking process to build flavor and prevent sticking.
The recipe makes 6 servings.
Prep Time: 15 mins Cooking Time: 20 mins Pressure Release: 10 mins
Soup Ingredients
Here is everything you need to make this healthy chicken minestrone soup.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large onions, peeled and diced (3 medium)
- 3 pieces of bacon chopped (regular or turkey bacon)
- 2 cups celery chopped
- 2 cups carrots chopped
- 1 medium zucchini or yellow squash, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup loosely packed fresh basil, minced
- 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 15 oz can white beans, drained (Cannellini beans, white kidney beans or Great Northern beans)
- 4 cups cooked rotisserie chicken, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- cooked pasta (optional) (such as elbow macaroni, shells, or ditalini)
Instructions
Heat your Instant Pot on saute mode with olive oil in the bottom of the pot.
Once oil is hot, add your diced onions and bacon and sauté for about five minutes, stirring often, until bacon is crispy and onions are tender.
Dump in the celery and carrots, and sauté for another five minutes covering between stirs to soften the veggies faster.
Add zucchini and saute for 2 minutes.
Add your tomato paste, garlic, and basil. Let it cook for two minutes, careful not to let the garlic burn.
Dump in the canned tomatoes and use a potato masher to mash them up.
Add drained white beans, chopped rotisserie chicken, parsley, and oregano to the pot and mix well.
Pour in the chicken stock. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cancel the saute mode, place the Instant Pot lid on and lock in to “sealing”. Select manual/high pressure and set the timer for 2 minutes.
Allow the Instant Pot to do a natural release for about 10 minutes, then place the valve on “venting” to release the rest of the pressure.
Make al dente pasta on the side to add to the bowls when serving. Elbow pasta, shells or ditalini pasta are popular choices.
Slow Cooker
To make the minestrone soup with chicken in a Crock Pot, perform steps 1-4 in a large skillet or Dutch oven unless you have a saute or sear feature on your slow cooker (add the minced garlic cloves along with the zucchini in step 4). Then transfer to the Crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.
Stove Top
Using a large soup pot such as a Dutch oven, is the traditional way to make a classic minestrone soup. To do so, simple sauté the veggies as shown in recipe over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium heat before adding the garlic, tomato pasta and basil. Add remaining ingredients as mentioned in main recipe. Reduce to simmer once soup starts to boil and cover. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Recipe Variations:
There are many ways to change things up in this classic Italian soup. Here are just a few suggestions.
- Exchange the regular chicken stock for reduced sodium or vegetable broth.
- To make with raw boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of already cooked chicken, use 1 pound of chicken diced into bite-size pieces and add along with the zucchini rather than later in the cooking process.
- Include a variety of leafy greens to boost fiber and antioxidant levels.
- Not in the mood for chicken, how about a vegetarian minestrone soup, my Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Recipe is actually vegan.
- Add a cup or two of cut green beans to the soup.
- To make the soup spicy add a few pinches of red pepper flakes.
- A adding sliced or ground Italian sausage or diced pepperoni can give the soup a robust, savory kick.
- If you’re looking for a gluten-free option, the soup itself is, so simply swap in gluten free pasta if you want that in your chicken minestrone soup.
- Use whatever beans you have on-hand, try garbanzo beans, navy beans, or pinto beans. Any will make a hearty soup.
Serving Minestrone Soup with Chicken
If you chose to make pasta on the side, add to bowls and stir in immediately while your minestrone chicken soup is nice and hot.
Sprinkle on grated parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread and a nice green salad to make it a hearty meal. May I suggest my Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks and some Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing or a Vinaigrette for the salad.
Chicken Minestrone Soup Recipe Tips
For the best chicken minestrone soup, start with high-quality, fresh vegetables and a flavorful chicken broth. Using canned diced tomatoes adds a rich, tangy base, while rotisserie chicken makes preparation quick and easy. To keep your soup tasting fresh, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl just before serving, this prevents the pasta from soaking up too much broth and becoming mushy. If you prefer a hands-off approach, the slow cooker is perfect for letting all the flavors meld together while you go about your day. Don’t forget to season your soup generously with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and finish with a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese and fresh parsley when serving. Feel free to customize your chicken minestrone with your favorite beans, and vegetables to make it well suited to your own family.
Storage
Properly storing your leftover soup is key to preserving its delicious flavors and ensuring that it remains safe to eat. To store your leftovers, transfer the cooled soup into an airtight container. Be sure to leave about an inch of space between the top of the soup and the lid of the container. The soup will be good for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
If you would like to store your chicken soup for longer periods of time pour into freezer safe containers or freezer bags. Frozen soup will last for up to 3 months.
Chicken Minestrone Soup
Equipment
- Instant Pot, Slow Cooker or Soup Pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large onions peeled and diced (3 medium)
- 3 pieces of bacon chopped regular or turkey bacon
- 2 cups celery chopped
- 2 cups carrots chopped
- 1 medium zucchini or yellow squash chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ cup loosely packed fresh basil minced
- 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes or your favorite crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 15 oz can white beans drained (Cannellini beans, white kidney beans or Great Northern beans)
- 4 cups cooked rotisserie chicken chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- al dente cooked pasta (such as elbow macaroni, shells, or ditalini) optional
Instructions
- Heat your Instant Pot on saute mode with olive oil in the bottom of the pot.
- When it’s nice and hot, add your diced onions and bacon and sauté for about five minutes, stirring often, until bacon is crispy and onions are tender.
- Add your celery and carrots, and sauté for another five minutes covering between stirs to soften the veggies faster.
- Add zucchini and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add your tomato paste, garlic, and basil. Let it cook for two minutes, careful not to let the garlic burn.
- Add the tomatoes and use a potato masher to mash them up.
- Add the chicken broth, drained white beans, rotisserie chicken, parsley, and oregano to the pot and mix well.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cancel the saute mode, place the Instant Pot lid on and lock in to “sealing”. Select manual/high pressure and set the timer for 2 minutes.
- When finished, allow the Instant Pot to do a natural release for about 10 minutes, then place the valve on “venting” to release the rest of the pressure.
- Serve with a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.
- Make pasta on the side to add to bowls when serving. Elbow pasta, shells or ditalini pasta are popular choices.
Notes
Recipe Variations:
- Exchange the regular chicken stock for reduced sodium or vegetable broth.
- To make with raw boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of shredded rotisserie chicken, use 1 pound of chicken diced into bite-size pieces and add along with the zucchini rather than later in the cooking process.
- Add a cup or two of cut green beans to the soup.
- To make the soup spicy add a few pinches of red pepper flakes.
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