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30-Minute Harvest Chicken & Butternut Soup

A cozy one-pot harvest soup — tender chicken, sweet butternut squash, creamy white beans, and kale in a sage-thyme broth — ready in 30 minutes, about 29g protein per serving (estimated).
Print Recipe
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp rubbed sage or 2 tsp minced fresh sage
  • 1 (20 oz) bag pre-cubed butternut squash
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup apple cider or 1 extra cup chicken broth
  • 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
  • 3 cups chopped kale thick stems removed
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • Crusty bread for serving

Equipment

  • Large soup pot or Dutch oven (5–6 quart)
  • Wooden spoon or spatula
  • Potato masher

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken pieces dry, season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper, and sear in a single layer until golden on the outside, about 5 minutes. The chicken won't be cooked through yet — that's fine. Remove to a plate.
  2. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot; cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and sage; cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the chicken broth and apple cider, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the pre-cubed butternut squash and return the chicken (and any juices on the plate) to the pot. Bring to a lively simmer.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the squash is fork-tender and the chicken reaches 165°F internally, about 8 minutes.
  5. Uncover and stir in the cannellini beans and kale. Take the potato masher and give the pot 8–10 quick presses right in the pot — you're mashing some of the squash and beans, not all of them. This is what gives the broth its creamy body without any flour or roux. Cook 2–3 minutes more, until the kale is silky.
  6. Stir in the heavy cream and lemon juice. Taste and add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread.

Notes

Food safety: chicken must reach 165°F internally at its thickest point. Pre-cubed butternut squash is the 30-minute enabler — fresh squash adds 10–15 minutes of prep. Partial in-pot mash gives the broth its creamy body — no flour or roux. Leftovers 4 days refrigerated / 3 months frozen; reheat to 165°F. Protein ~29g/serving estimated from USDA FoodData Central; not lab-tested.