Butternut squash soup with chicken is a one-pot recipe packed with lean protein, savory Italian sausage, tender butternut squash, kale, and white beans for a healthy meal.
ingredient
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ½ cup yellow onion, ¼-inch dice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 fresh Italian sausage
- 3 cups butternut squash, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 6 sprigs thyme
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
- 4 cups unsalted chicken stock
- 15 ounces cannellini beans, canned
- 4 cups kale, ribs removed, cut into ½-inch strips
Directions
- Place chicken in a large pot and add enough water to cover by 1-inch.
- Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat where bubbles start forming around the edge of the pot. Reduce to medium-low to keep the temperature constant, about 170 to 180°F.
- Cook until chicken is cooked, 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, 15 to 18 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to a heatproof bowl and strain the liquid over the chicken and let the chicken breasts cool. Once cool, shred chicken and reserve. Meanwhile, clean the pot and make the soup.
- In the same large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onions, stirring and cooking until onions are tender and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Add sausage and break into smaller pieces while cooking until no longer pink, 4 minutes. Add cubed butternut squash to the pot, stir, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper and chicken stock to the pot. Bring liquid to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook until butternut squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove the rosemary and thyme from the pot and discard. Add cannellini beans, shredded chicken and kale to the pot, stir to combine and cook until kale is tender and bright green, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Taste soup, season with more salt and pepper as desired.