The Briny Lemon: Chicken Minestrone with Spring Vegetables

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This is the fastest minestrone you’ll ever make from scratch. Why? Because fresh spring vegetables don’t need much time to cook up to their natural, tender goodness. Leeks, asparagus, snap peas, chard, baby spinach—all hail the freshness of the season, and all turn a typically cold-weather dish into a light, refreshing green dinner loaded with flavor and nutrition.

Leeks, Asparagus, and Snap Peas

Rainbow Chard

Baby Spinach

Ok, I cheated with the artichokes and beans. Both are canned, but at least organic. You could also use frozen artichoke hearts, but avoid the brined hearts that usually come in a jar. Those are fine for a cold salad, but not so much for cooking.

Artichoke Hearts

Great Northern Beans

Once the vegetable preparation is done, the soup is ready in about 15 minutes.

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium leeks, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
1 cup canned organic quartered artichoke hearts, halved lengthwise
8 oz asparagus spears, cut into 1-inch pieces (thick ends removed)
4 oz snap peas, halved crosswise
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2/3 lb cooked chicken breast, shredded
1 small bunch rainbow chard, chopped (stems and thick ribs removed)
2 cups baby spinach (long stems removed)
1 cup canned great northern or cannelloni beans, rinsed
2/3 cup dry macaroni

Preparation

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the leek and sauté 2 minutes.
Stir in the artichoke hearts, asparagus, and snap peas. Add the chicken broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook 3 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium and bring to a simmer again. Add the cooked chicken, chard, spinach, cooked beans, and macaroni, and simmer until the pasta is tender, 7-8 minutes.