Grandma’s Chicken White Bean Escarole Soup
Published on January 30, 2026 by Jennifer
Chicken White Bean Escarole Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large whole chicken, cleaned and cut into pieces
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 2 heads of escarole, chopped (using only the green stems) and chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 chicken bouillon
- 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 block of Parmesan rind
- 1 Chunk of Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Make the Homemade Broth
- In a large pot, add the whole chicken, carrots, celery, and onion. Cover with water.
- Season generously with poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and a rich broth forms.
- Remove Chicken & Vegetables
- Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool.
- Remove the carrots and celery from the broth, roughly chop them, and set aside.
- Prepare the Escarole
- In a separate pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Add the escarole (green stems only) and cook until fully wilted.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the Soup
- Shred the cooled chicken, discarding bones and skin.
- Add the shredded chicken back into the broth along with:
- Chopped carrots and celery
- Cannellini beans
- Sautéed escarole and garlic
- Parmesan rind
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Simmer
- Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 45 minutes, allowing the flavors to fully develop.
- Serve
- Finely chop a chunk of Parmesan cheese and place it in the bottom of each bowl, then ladle the hot soup over the cheese so it softens and melts slightly.
Equipment
- 1 Large Stock pot
