Description
A comforting bowl of Pesto Chicken Soup infused with vibrant flavors of basil and creamy goodness, perfect for chilly evenings and gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 cup fresh pesto (store-bought or homemade)
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté chopped onions and minced garlic until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the chicken to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown on all sides, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Incorporate the diced vegetables into the pot and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Pour in the broth and let everything gently simmer. Optionally add a bay leaf and let it simmer for about 20 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Stir in the pesto and cream, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Finish with lemon juice and garnish with fresh basil. Serve hot!
Notes
For a vegetarian twist, replace chicken with chickpeas or white beans and use vegetable broth. This soup is highly adaptable with various vegetables.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: pesto, chicken soup, comfort food, Italian soup, easy recipes, healthy soup, family recipes