White Bean and Chicken Soup

As the weather turns to Fall, soups begin to show up as dinner in our house. This one is a first for us. And it turns out, it was very delicious! Even my kids ate it! In this recipe I used a garlic chicken sausage, but you can easily use diced chicken instead. I also really liked the simplicity of this soup. Ready in about 30 minutes. You may also cook this longer if you want the flavors to mesh more thoroughly and enhance the chicken broth. I served this with crackers and we, the parental figures, added a dollop of sour cream and grated Pepperjack Cheese. Mmmm...

White Bean and Chicken Soup

3 (15 oz.) can white beans, drained
6 cups chicken broth
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbls. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into 1/2" cubes
2 (4 oz.) cans whole green chilies
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teas. ground cumin
1 1/2 teas. dried oregano, crushed
1/4 teas. red pepper flakes, crushed
1 teas. salt
1/2 teas. black pepper

Place olive oil, chopped onions, garlic and cubed chicken into a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until onions are tender and chicken is longer pink. Transfer mixture to a stock pot or large soup pot. Add in green chilies, cumin, oregano and red pepper flakes. Cook until the smell of the spices have been released, about 1 minute. Add in chicken broth, then white beans, stir thoroughly. Add in salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 10-15 on medium high to combine all of the flavors. Turn off heat and serve warm.