Healthier Creamy Chicken Soup
In most cases, the base is heavy cream, a roux made of fat and flour, or both. I love a good stick-to-your ribs soup as much as the next person, but for this Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup, I wanted to lighten it up a bit and increase the protein, without adding loads of heavy cream or making a roux. To do that, I pureed a couple cans of cannellini beans. It gives the soup a creamy texture, without the extra step of cooking a roux or the heavy caloric load of heavy whipping cream. I do finish the soup with a little cream to add a velvety texture that only cream can provide, but you can leave that out if you’re dairy-free or just want to skip it.
What’s the Scoop on Cannellini Beans?
Beans are a great source of plant-based protein. One can of cannellini beans contains 28 grams of protein and 28 grams of dietary fiber. That’s the same amount of protein as one skinless chicken thigh! Regardless of the nutritional value of beans, I eat them because they are affordable, and they taste good. For this soup, they add just the body I wanted. The texture isn’t exactly that of soup made with cream, which is why I add a little at the end, but honestly, you don’t miss it.
What Does Apple Cider Vinegar Do?
I like to finish most of my soups with some kind of acid—usually vinegar, lime juice, or lemon juice. In this case, I use apple cider vinegar. Acid in soup brightens the other flavors similar to the role salt plays on flavor. All the flavors of pepper, bay, garlic, and chicken are there; vinegar just helps you notice them more.
Storing and Freezing Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
This soup will keep in the fridge for about five days. Just reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave. The soup will thicken as it sits, because the noodles will continue to absorb some of the liquid. You can freeze this soup for up to three months. I like to freeze it in individual containers and reheat it for my lunches. Just make sure you leave about half an inch of headspace for the soup to expand once frozen.
Looking for More Chicken Soup Ideas?
Quick Chicken Pho Cream of Chicken Soup Pressure Cooker Chicken Soup Chicken Tortilla Soup Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Slow Cooker Chicken Stock
If the thighs have skin, remove it and trim them of any excess fat. Add the thighs to the simmering stock and let it cook uncovered for 20 minutes. If any foam forms on the surface, just skim it off. Use tongs to remove the thighs from the soup, and transfer to a cutting board to cool. Bring the stock up to a boil, add the noodles and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente. Reduce the heat to medium low. Remove the meat from the bones.
