Chicken, White Bean and Kale Minestrone

This started out as a pasta dish and somehow morphed into a soup.

Mainly because I like food with volume and I like the comfortably full feeling, not stuffed, just not hungry.  Alternatively, I like to look pretty good in my bathing suit in the summer and to do this I can't eat the amount of pasta I would like to eat.

So here is my compromise.

Soup with pasta in it.  And lots o' fresh kale.  And a bit of parm.

Chicken, White Bean and Kale Minestrone

About 6 (1 1/2 cup) servings

***6 very filling WW Pts Plus
Printable Recipe

Ingredients (Assume all ingredients organic)


1 small free range, organic chicken breast
4 tsp extra virgin olive oil, I used some parmesan olive oil from Williams Sonoma
1 or 2 glugs white wine
4 cups chicken broth
1 14oz can cannellini beans, drained
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, chopped
4 ounces whole wheat shell pasta
2 cup water
2 bay leaves
2 tsp Italian seasoning, such as Emeril's
Fresh ground pepper and garlic powder, to taste
Optional Parmesan


Directions


1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Season chicken with 1 tsp Italian seasoning, fresh ground pepper and garlic powder.  Sear on first side until chicken releases, about 2 to 3 minutes or until browned. If oil begins to smoke too much add a bit of white whine.  Flip once and sear on second side until chicken releases again, an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until cooked through.  Remove chicken from pot to rest.  Deglaze pan with white wine. 


2. Add onion and garlic.  Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add chicken broth, water, bay leaves, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, garlic powder and pepper, bring to a boil.  Add pasta and cook until lower side of package directions.  (Mine stated 7 to 9 minutes so I cooked to 7 minutes).  With 5 minutes remaining on pasta cook time add kale and white beans.  Chop chicken breast and stir in cubes.  Top each serving with parmesan if desired.

**Note:  When I state that "chicken releases" I mean that the chicken doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. You can easily flip it.




Nutrition Facts (does not include parmesan cheese)
About 6 (1 1/2cup) Servings


Calories 246.6
Total Fat 4.2 g
Saturated Fat 1.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.2 g
Cholesterol 26.1 mg
Sodium 693.4 mg
Potassium 633.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 36.6 g
Dietary Fiber 9.0 g
Sugars 1.8 g
Protein 18.8 g


Vitamin A 236.6 %
Vitamin B-12 8.1 %
Vitamin B-6 20.9 %
Vitamin C 63.6 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 6.2 %
Calcium 8.8 %
Copper 17.3 %
Folate 6.3 %
Iron 17.7 %
Magnesium 8.7 %
Manganese 40.1 %
Niacin 43.1 %
Pantothenic Acid 4.7 %
Phosphorus 21.3 %
Riboflavin 10.7 %
Selenium 17.0 %
Thiamin 6.5 %
Zinc 6.2 %