Description
This bean soup is a savory mixture of healthy high-fiber beans, protein filled chicken, and vitamin rich baby spinach. This recipe is where delicious and healthy come together for a win-win meal!
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
- 8 ounces cooked chicken apple sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick
- 1 onion, minced
- 4–6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme roughly chopped or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 8 ounces (1 1/4 cups) dried 15-bean or 13-bean soup mix (just beans, discard any flavoring packets)
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook for about 3-5 minutes or until most pieces become spotty brown. Place the sliced sausage into a slow cooker.
- Return the pan to the burner and heat 2 more teaspoons of oil. Place minced onion in skillet and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Cook and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom until onion becomes translucent and begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for just 30 seconds. Pour 1/2 cup water into the skillet and scrape up all the brown bits off the bottom. Pour the liquid-onion mixture into the slow cooker over the sausage.
- Pour in the chicken broth, the remainder of the water, beans, bay leaves, thyme and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Give it a gentle stir and cover. Cook on low 8-10 hours.
- Remove the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the fresh spinach, and let the soup sit for about 5 minutes, then serve.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Amercian