Spring Minestrone Soup
We crave lighter fare when spring arrives, but the weather can be fickle this time of year—balmy one day and chilly the next, when a warming bowl of soup is just what you need. In place of the heartier soups of winter, we’ve lightened up this nourishing minestrone for the new season. It’s chock-full of fennel, tender peas, chunks of chicken and fresh dill. If you’d like a more substantial version, stir in some ditalini, a very short, tube-shape pasta whose name means “little thimbles.” Serve toasted country bread alongside.
Ingredients:
- 3 Tbs. avocado oil
- 1 fennel bulb, top trimmed, bulb diced and fronds reserved
- 1 leek, white portion only, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb. (500 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 cups (2 l) chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 cups (15 oz./470 g) frozen or fresh peas, fava beans or lima beans, or a combination
- 1/2 cup (3/4 oz./20 g) chopped fresh dill, plus dill fronds for garnish
- Juice of 2 small lemons
- 2 cups (8 oz./250 g) grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 lb. (250 g) ditalini pasta, cooked until tender, drained and tossed with a little avocado oil (optional)
- Chili crisp or chili oil for garnish (optional)
Directions:
In a 7-quart (7-l) Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the avocado oil. Add the fennel, leek, celery, a pinch of salt and a few grindings of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and broth, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chicken breast registers 160°F (71°C), 12 to 15 minutes. The temperature will rise to 165°F (74°C) as the chicken rests.
Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest until cool enough to handle, then shred or cut into cubes.
Meanwhile, keep the soup at a low simmer and skim the fat off the broth. Stir in the peas and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the fennel fronds, chopped dill, lemon juice and Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and lots of pepper.
Add the chicken and stir to combine, then stir in the pasta, if using.
Ladle the soup into individual bowls. Drizzle with chili crisp, if using, and garnish with dill fronds and Parmesan. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen
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