Easy Bread Soup Recipe With Chicken and Spinach
Don't throw out that stale bread! Turn it into a warm, hearty bread soup with chicken, spinach, onion, and broth. This easy, budget-friendly recipe is ready in about 25 minutes and is simple to customize with vegetables, herbs, cheese, or whatever you have on hand. Save this recipe for an easy lunch, cozy dinner, or practical way to use leftover bread.
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 117kcal
Cost: Varies
Equipment
- cutting board We love our cutting boards from Virginia Boys Kitchens.
- knife
- Large Soup Pot I love cooking with enameled cast iron for these types of recipes.
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread stale
- ¼ onion diced
- 1 cup chicken cubed or shredded
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil or butter, lard, etc.
- 1 quart chicken broth Homemade chicken bone broth makes all the difference here.
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Take bread scraps out of the freezer and cube the bread.
- Pull pre-cooked chicken out and shred it.
- Dice a whole onion.
- Place a pot on the stove over medium heat and put 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in the pan.
- Transfer the diced onions to the pot and saute until the onion is translucent.
- Add chicken and spinach to the pot. Let the spinach wilt down slowly.
- Add chicken broth and throw the bread cubes into the soup. The bread will start breaking down and thicken the soup right up.
- While the bread is breaking down, continue occasionally stirring with the spatula so it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan.
- Bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Once the soup comes to a boil, take it off the burner and serve. Top it with parmesan or cheddar cheese if desired.
Notes
Tips and Troubleshooting:
My bread soup is too thick. What should I do?
Add more broth, a little at a time, until you reach the consistency you like. Bread continues absorbing liquid as it sits, so don't be surprised if leftovers are considerably thicker the next day.
My bread soup is too thin.
Give it another few minutes to cook and soften. You can also add another small handful of bread cubes and let them absorb some of the excess broth.
Can I use fresh bread instead of stale bread?
Yes. Stale bread is especially useful because this recipe gives it another purpose, but fresh bread can still work. Depending on the type of bread, it may soften and break down more quickly.
Collect pieces of bread in a bag and store them in the freezer until you have enough to make a quick and easy bread soup lunch.
What if I don't have chicken?
You can still make bread soup. Remember, the simplest versions of bread soup were built around bread and liquid. Use a flavorful broth and add whatever vegetables, herbs, beans, or other suitable ingredients you have available.
You can cook, shred and freeze chicken meat for quick and easy meals like this. Simply add your frozen chicken to the pot and heat until warmed through.
Can I make bread soup gluten-free?
Yes. Use your favorite gluten-free bread and make sure your broth and any additional ingredients are gluten-free as well.
The big thing to remember is that this recipe is forgiving. Don't worry about making it look exactly like somebody else's bowl of soup. Taste it. Adjust it. Add a little broth if it needs it.
Good enough is perfect.
Serving Bread Soup:
I think bread soup is at its best served steaming hot, right out of the pot, especially on one of those cool days when you want something substantial without spending the whole afternoon in the kitchen.
A generous sprinkle of Parmesan is wonderful on top. Cheddar gives you something richer and creamier, and red pepper flakes add just enough warmth if you like a little heat.
If the garden is producing, add fresh herbs just before serving. A handful of chopped basil or parsley can brighten the whole bowl.
And because this soup already contains bread, chicken, vegetables, and broth, you really don't need to make a complicated meal around it. Put the pot on the table, add whatever toppings you have, and call everyone in.
Simple food can still be very, very good food.
Storage Instructions:
Allow leftover bread soup to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate promptly. Enjoy refrigerated leftovers within three to four days.
The bread will continue absorbing broth during storage, so the soup will probably be thicker when you come back to it.
That's easy to fix.
Transfer the soup to a saucepan, add a splash or two of broth, and gently reheat it until it's hot throughout and has returned to the consistency you like.
You can also freeze bread soup, although the texture of the bread and spinach may change after thawing. For the best texture, I prefer making the amount we'll eat fresh or within a few days.
Nutrition
Calories: 117kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 960mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 727IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg
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