French-style chicken and vegetable soup with basil sauce (soupe de volaille Provencale)

Name: French-style chicken and vegetable soup with basil sauce (soupe de volaille Provencale)
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 500g chicken thigh fillets, cut in half then sliced 1cm thick; 1 brown onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 3 truss tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges; 1 brushed potato (350g), peeled and cut in 1.5cm dice; 200g green beans, trimmed and cut into 1.5cm pieces; 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (see note); 400g can borlotti beans, drained and rinsed (see note); 3 thyme sprigs; 1 bay leaf; 1½ tsp cooking salt; 1 litre salt-reduced vegetable stock

Swirl a vibrant basil sauce through this quick and easy chicken soup, and suddenly, you’re in Provence.

RecipeTin Eats

September 12, 2023

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4

At first glance, the ingredients in this chicken and vegetable soup don’t look much different to your usual version. But quickly blitzing up a basil sauce and stirring it into the soup for a splash of colour and fresh flavour is all it takes to take this from “fine” to “wow, am I in Provence?!”

SOS checklist

Fewer than 12 ingredients (excluding oil, salt, pepper and water) ✔
Less than $20 for 4 servings (depending on the price of basil) ✔
Less than 30 minutes ✔

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
500g chicken thigh fillets, cut in half then sliced 1cm thick
1 brown onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 truss tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges
1 brushed potato (350g), peeled and cut in 1.5cm dice
200g green beans, trimmed and cut into 1.5cm pieces
400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (see note)
400g can borlotti beans, drained and rinsed (see note)
3 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1½ tsp cooking salt
1 litre salt-reduced vegetable stock

Basil sauce

leaves from 1 large bunch basil (about 75g or 6 lightly packed cups)
1 large garlic clove
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

Step 1
Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 4-5 minutes until they change from pink to white, with light patches of gold, but still raw inside. Scoop them out of the pot using a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.
Step 2
Turn the heat down to medium-high. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes until soft. Add the chicken back to the pot, with the remaining soup ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
Step 3
Meanwhile, make the basil sauce by blending the basil, garlic and olive oil together in a tall, narrow container using a stick blender until smooth. Set aside.
Step 4
Ladle the soup into bowls. Stir a dollop of basil sauce into each bowl and enjoy.