Chicken Minestrone Soup (with Rotisserie Chicken!)

This Chicken Minestrone Soup is sure to warm you from the inside out. It's packed full of fresh vegetables, like celery, carrots, and green beans, and made a bit more filling with the addition of kidney beans and shredded rotisserie chicken. You can whip it up in under 45 minutes to be served as your next favorite meal-prep friendly lunch or dinner!

Warm, comforting minestrone soup with a subtle twist!

Traditional Italian minestrone soup is classically tomato and vegetable-based. And for years, while I ate mostly plant-based, it was one of my favorite wintertime soups. So much so, that I created this bean-forward Vegan Minestrone Soup that I enjoyed for a long time.

However, as my eating habits changed and I incorporated more meats into my diet, I decided to experiment with adding chicken into some of my favorite recipes. Through some serious recipe testing, I can confidently say that this Chicken Minestrone Soup definitely rivals the original one I love so much.

With the vegan soup in mind, as well as the Fall Minestrone Soup that my mom and I included in our cookbook, Crowded Kitchen, we filled this recipe to the brim with nourishing ingredients (like the fresh vegetables) and stayed true to the inherent characteristics of minestrone (like the tomato-infused broth and flavorful Italian spices - a combination of thyme, oregano, basil, and parsley), but we also added our own flair with some pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.

Not only does the chicken help make this feel more like a complete meal, but because it's purchased already cooked, it saves you so much time and preparation compared to other chicken soups out there! And to really round out the meal, you can serve this with some homemade Italian breadsticks or our vegan garlic bread, which can easily be made with regular butter and parmesan cheese for those non-vegans, like me!

Key Ingredients Needed for Chicken Minestrone Soup

How to Make Minestrone Soup with Rotisserie Chicken

1. In a large soup pot over medium heat, add oil and onion, sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until softened.
2. Add garlic and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add celery and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, so nothing sticks to the bottom or burns.

4. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, and seasonings. Stir well and bring to a boil. 
5. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes on low. 
6. Add pasta, green beans, kidney beans, and shredded chicken. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes, or until pasta is tender.
7. Serve topped with chopped parsley, grated parmesan cheese, and more red pepper flakes.

Top Tips from the CK Test Kitchen!

• Use low-sodium chicken broth. This helps you remain in control of the saltiness of the soup! Adjust salt to your taste.
• Frozen green beans work well too. If you don't feel like using fresh green beans, feel free to measure out 1 cup of frozen green beans instead.
• If you're not eating the soup right away, cook the pasta for less time. The pasta will continue to cook in the warm broth. To avoid soggy noodles, you can cook the pasta for slightly less time than the recipe indicates.

More Veggie-Packed Soup Recipes You'll Love

We can't wait for you to cook up this Chicken Minestrone Soup in your own home! If you do, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @crowded_kitchen on Instagram. We can't wait to see what you're cooking!

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