The weather here has taken a turn for Fall, and so have my recipes!  This cool, dreary, and rainy weeks has called for big batches of soup to eat this week and to stash in my fridge and freezer for even cooler days ahead.

This chicken and kale soup is like an extra healthy version of chicken noodle soup. The original recipe notes that a cup and a half is estimated to provide around 40% of your daily value of vitamin A, 32% of vitamin C and 21% of your daily iron needs! It’s not surprising, as it’s loaded with some good stuff. Onions and garlic are softened in a heavy pot with oil, then the chicken is cooked. After that, it’s a matter of dumping in chicken broth, a can of rinsed garbanzo beans, and a can of diced tomatoes with the juice.  Once that comes to a boil, the pasta is cooked.  I used whole wheat rotini but the original recipe called for penne; use whatever you prefer. (I think the recipe would be extra cute with alphabet-shaped pastas!) Once the pasta is to your preferred level of doneness, cut the heat and add ribbons of kale.  As it sits, the heat of the soup will lightly cook the kale.

Click the title of this post to see the full recipe below.

Chicken and Kale Soup, via Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book: Celebrating the Promise, 14th Limited Edition “Pink Plaid”

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size chunks
1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 cup whole wheat rotini
2 cups dinosaur (Lacinato) kale, sliced into short ribbons

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large, heavy pot, cook onion and garlic in oil until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Add chicken, cook until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Stir in chicken stock, beans, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning, bring to boil.
4. Once boiling, add pasta and cook covered until tender, about 10 minutes.  (This may be longer or shorter if you substitute another kind of pasta.)
5.  Remove from heat and add kale.  Let sit 2 minutes before serving so kale wilts. Salt and pepper to taste.