Low Calorie, Healthy and Budget Friendly Chicken and Bean Soup
A Delicious Soup That Is Easy To Make And Is Easy On The Budget
Soup simmering on stove. The smell in here is making me hungry! Here is a healthy budget friendly chicken recipe….low calorie Chicken and Bean Soup… that takes little time to prepare.
You can have the older kids help out cutting up the carrots and potatoes.
While it cooks, you can play with the kids, relax, or read a good book.
For all you out there that follow the OAMC (Once A Month Cooking) methodology, this soup can be made in large batches and frozen. The recipe is easily doubled.
Tips On Cooking With Beans
It is easier to cook with beans if they are soaked overnight.
Pour the two cups of beans into a pan. Fill with water and be sure that the water covers the beans. Leave on the counter overnight. Most packages of beans come with directions too.
In the morning, drain the water from the beans. The beans will now cook a little faster than if you just started with raw beans.
Ingredients
- 4 oz chicken, cut into small pieces
- 1 medium sweet potato, cubed
- 2 cups white northern beans
- 3 small red potatoes, cubed
- 4 large carrots, sliced
- 2 large onions, sliced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- dash garlic powder, to taste
- dash onion powder, to taste
- dash pepper, to taste
- dash salt, to taste
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1 cup | |
| Calories 113 | Calories from Fat 9 |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Fat 1 g | 2% |
| Saturated fat 1 g | 5% |
| Unsaturated fat 0 g | |
| Carbohydrates 19 g | 6% |
| Sugar 3 g | |
| Fiber 6 g | 24% |
| Protein 8 g | 16% |
| Cholesterol 8 mg | 3% |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Instructions
- Bring water and chicken broth to a boil.
- Add white beans. Boil beans on high for 10 minutes.
- Turn heat to low-medium and cook beans for 2 hours.
- Add chicken, sweet potato, red potatoes, carrots and onions to the beans.
- Add spices to taste.
- Cook until potatoes, carrots, and onions are tender and the chicken are cooked. This will take about 30 minutes.
Cook Time
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time:2 hours 30 min
Ready in:
Spice Up Your Life
Like food hot and spicy, try adding a dash of cayenne, or hot chili powder.
Thai seasoning is also very delicious in the soup. Just use a pinch.
Be careful to add it a pinch at a time, and then let it cook for a bit. Cooking will strengthen the taste. You don’t want the soup to become too hot to eat. You can always add more, but it is tough to undo.
Soup In The Slow Cooker
This Chicken and Bean Soup Vegetable Soup is an excellent slow cooker, or crock pot meal. This makes it easier for busy Mom’s and Dad’s that are working. Shuffling work, sports, and making good delicious meals is not always easy. Put this in the crock in the morning, and it will be ready for you when you get home.
Soak the beans over night as per directions. Drain off the water. Add the water, chicken stock (or other soup stock), beans, chicken, veggies, and all the spices into the crock pot. You may to reduce broth by almost half. Just be sure that there is enough liquid in the crock pot so that is doesn’t burn.
Cook on low, or the lowest temperature your slow cooker can be set on.
Dinner will be ready when you get home!
Versatility Is Best…Variations You Can Try
This soup is so versatile, you can add most anything to it. Other ingredients you can add are:
- Green bell peppers.
- Yellow bell peppers
- Red bell peppers
- Mushrooms
- Green Beans
- Wax Beans
Peppers not only give it lots of flavor, but also lots of color too.
Other Variations
- Tomato Sauce- add one 16 oz can. Stir in well, and let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Tomato Paste- add one 8 oz can and stir in well. Tomato paste can help thicken soup.
- Brown Gravy Mix*
- Mushroom Gravy Mix*
- Onion Gravy Mix*
*If you are adding a gravy mix, follow the package directions. Depending on the volume of soup you are making, you may need more than one package. Look for low sodium gravy mixes when available, or reduce the amount of salt from recipe.
You can also use other kinds of meats for this soup. You can add beef or pork too. If you are adding beef, you can substitute the chicken broth for beef broth.
If you or a family member is a vegetarian, you can easily leave out the meat entirely, or add a meat substitute like tofu or veggie crumbles. For the broth, simply use vegetable stock or tomato stock.
Chicken and Bean Soup
Soup with a little garnish of spinach flakes, and a side of garlic bread.