Chicken Kale and Bean Soup

Kale has a great reputation for its enormous health benefits, and rightly so. But kale is a difficult vegetable to chew and digest, and the raw taste is rather strong to add to your salads. Cooking your kale is the answer to help your stomach break it down and reduce its bitterness. I also love the added color it brings to the soup. Remember, digestion begins with your eyes.

My mise en place never fails!

Recipe

2 tbsp cooking oil – avocado, grapeseed, or coconut
1 large yellow onion – chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb boneless chicken breast – chopped small
4 garlic cloves – chopped
2 tsp dry oregano
2 cups beans – pinto or black, either pre-cooked or canned – rinse
4 cups kale leaves – finely chopped
5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
½ fresh lemon – squeezed

Instructions

• In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat

• Add onions and cook for 3-5 minutes or until softened and translucent

• Season with salt and pepper

• Add chicken and garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes or until cooked through

• Season with oregano, add a little more salt and pepper, and cook for another minute

• Add beans, kale, and broth (or water) to the pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the kale is completely wilted

• Add freshly squeezed lemon juice and season with a little more salt and pepper to taste

• Divide evenly between bowls and enjoy this highly nutritious and yummy soup – one serving is equal to approximately 2 cups

Genia’s Spoon Me Tips

Cooking kale is the only way I can handle its toughness. You can sauté, steam, or even bake your kale into chips. But if you do want to eat kale raw, here’s an idea: massage your kale. You heard me right – add oil, lemon juice, and salt to the kale leaves and massage them with your hands to tenderize the fibers. It’s an experience, indeed.

This soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. It can also be kept warm in my trusty thermos, which I always take with me on the go.

I’m totally cool with using water in my soups instead of vegetable broth, but if you have homemade bone broth around, that can really add more flavor. Of course, you can add more veggies to your soup too – celery, carrots, squash – chef’s choice!

Much love, green, and protein,
Genia