A hearty, filling soup is the ultimate cozy meal to warm you up on a cold night, and this Sweet Potato, White Bean, and Kale Chicken Soup is packed with protein and fiber. Soups are one of my favorite ways to meal prep during the fall and winter months, especially ones like this that clean out the pantry. You can skip the chicken and double the beans for a vegetarian twist, or save time and swap for rotisserie chicken. This soup is part of my October done-in-one dinner plan featuring 5 one-pan meals that you can make from one $65 grocery haul. Comment below if you try it!

large bowl of Sweet Potato, White Bean, and Kale Chicken Soup

large pot of Sweet Potato, White Bean, and Kale Chicken Soup with a ladle

overhead shot of ingredients including sweet potato, kale, chicken, spices, tomato paste, onion, garlic, white beans, chicken broth, lemon, and coconut milk

Sweet Potato, White Bean, and Kale Chicken Soup Ingredient Notes:

Sweet potato: I love adding sweet potato to fall soups for a heartier, veggie-packed meal. You can also swap for russet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, or butternut squash for a seasonal twist. The smaller you dice the sweet potatoes, the quicker they will cook. Aim for quarter-inch cubes.

White beans: Beans add a boost of fiber and protein to the soup! If you don’t like the texture of a whole bean, you can also blend them with the coconut milk to form a thickening agent that brings another level of creaminess to the soup. You can use cannellini, navy, or great northern beans.

Kale: For even more hearty veggies, we’re adding Tuscan kale, which wilts down when added to the hot soup, but holds up well for meal prep. You can also swap for spinach or another kale of your choice, such as curly kale.

Tomato paste: The sweet potatoes and onions are cooked down in a mix of tomato paste and spices for maximum flavor. Tomato paste is more concentrated than crushed or diced tomatoes, so a little goes a long way.

Coconut milk: My favorite secret ingredient for achieving that “creamy” texture without the dairy. You can also swap for light cream or whole milk if you don’t have canned coconut milk on hand. Save money and use what you have!

spices mixed together in small bowl including dried thyme, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, and smoked paprika

chicken broth being added to dutch oven pot with chopped sweet potatoes and onions cooked down in spices

Sweet Potato, White Bean, and Kale Chicken Soup

Recipe by Jenn Lueke

5.0 from 1 vote

Servings

–

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cook time

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt, additional to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, additional to taste
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 pound chicken breast, butterflied or pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, diced (about 3/4 cup)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large sweet potato, or 2 medium, peeled and diced into 1/4 to 1/2-inch cubes (2 cups)
3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
one 15.5-ounce can cannellini, navy, or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
2 1/2 cups shredded curly or Tuscan kale, finely chopped (about 4 ounces)
3/4 cup full-fat canned coconut milk (about half a well-shaken 13.5-ounce can)
Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 ½ tablespoons)
Roughly chopped parsley leaves, for topping (optional)

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the thyme, oregano, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes (if using). Set aside.
Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and season both sides generously with salt and black pepper. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF and both sides are crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the pot and set aside on a plate. Cook in batches as needed.
Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and prepared spice mix and continue cooking until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and stir to incorporate into the onion and garlic mixture, about 1 minute. Add the sweet potatoes and mix well.
Add the chicken broth, 1 cup of water, and the white beans. Increase the heat to high to bring the liquid to a strong boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes. If your sweet potatoes are larger than 1/4-inch, they will take longer.
Meanwhile, dice the cooked chicken into small cubes.
Once the potatoes are tender, stir in the diced chicken, shredded kale, coconut milk, and lemon juice and continue simmering until the kale has wilted. Add additional salt and black pepper to taste, then simmer on low until serving.
To serve, divide among four bowls and top with chopped parsley (if using).

Notes

Store it: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat it: Microwave until warm, about 2 minutes, or return to a small saucepan over low heat and heat until warm, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. From frozen, thaw in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight, then follow microwave or stovetop instructions.
The smaller you dice the sweet potatoes, the quicker they will cook. Aim for quarter-inch cubes. Swap in diced russet potatoes or butternut squash for a seasonal variation.
Coconut milk: Swap for light cream or whole milk.