BY CHEF KATIE MIST

Chicken & White Bean Soup with Basil Almond Pesto

Cook Time: 20 - 30 minutes | Prep time: 10 minutes | Serves/Serving: Serves 4

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil for the pan

• 1 small onion, diced

• 2 large carrots, diced

• 2 large ribs celery, diced

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 cups collard greens, stems removed and chopped

• 2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained

• 4 cups shredded chicken

• 1⁄4 cup Italian parsley, chopped

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 6 cups chicken bone broth

• Basil Almond Pesto (recipe follows)

• 2 cups fresh basil, tightly packed

• 1⁄3 cup almonds

• 1 clove garlic

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat.

2. Add olive oil, the onion, carrot, celery and bay leaf.

3. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Cook until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally, about 6-8 minutes.

5. Add collards and cook for about 2-3 minutes, until bright green and wilted.|Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.

6. Stir in 5 cups of the chicken broth, 1 can of white beans, salt and pepper.

7. In a blender, combine the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth with the remaining 1 can of white beans and salt and pepper.

8. Blend until smooth.

9. Stir pureed beans, shredded chicken and parsley into the pot.

10. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

11. To serve, ladle soup into a bowl and top with a scoop of Basil Almond Pesto.

12. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

13. Store in an air tight container in the fridge for about a week.

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