Chicken & White Bean Ribollita | Market Basket Series Week 4

This recipe is part of our Market Basket Series — Week 4: Italian Comfort. It uses the ribollita portion of shredded chicken set aside after Night 1. Read the Week 4 post for the full shopping list, chicken allocation strategy, and all five dinners. A soul-warming Tuscan-inspired soup of shredded chicken, cannellini beans, and wilted spinach in a slow-simmered tomato broth — better the next day, and deeply satisfying tonight. About This Recipe Ribollita is one of Tuscany’s most beloved peasant dishes, traditionally built on whatever vegetables, beans, and stale bread are on hand. This version uses the shredded chicken from Night 1’s roast to add body and protein, while cannellini beans thicken the broth naturally as they cook. A Parmesan rind simmered in the pot adds a quiet depth that is hard to place but impossible to miss. The result is a soup that feels like it has been cooking all day — even though it comes together in under 40 minutes. Ingredients 1½ cups shredded chicken (from Night 1 ribollita portion) 1 can cannellini beans (15 oz), drained and rinsed 1 can whole peeled tomatoes (28 oz), crushed by hand 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 medium yellow onion, diced 1 large carrot, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups fresh baby spinach 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve 1 teaspoon dried oregano 2 bay leaves Salt, black pepper, and chilli flakes to taste Parmesan rind (optional, adds depth) Crusty bread for serving Instructions Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add garlic, oregano, and chilli flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes, broth, bay leaves, and Parmesan rind if using. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer for 15 minutes. Add cannellini beans and shredded chicken. Simmer for a further 10 minutes. Mash a few beans against the side of the pot if you’d like a thicker broth. Stir in spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted. Remove bay leaves and Parmesan rind. Season generously with salt, pepper, and chilli flakes. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with good olive oil, and serve with crusty bread alongside. Recipe Details Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Servings: 4 Difficulty: Easy Dietary Info: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free (omit Parmesan rind) Tips & Variations This soup is even better the next day as the flavours deepen overnight — make it ahead if you can Mash a few beans against the side of the pot to thicken the broth naturally without adding anything extra Ribollita traditionally includes stale bread simmered directly into the soup — this streamlined version keeps the broth lighter, but add a chunk of crusty bread to the pot if you’d like a thicker, more traditional result Use kale or cavolo nero in place of spinach for a more authentic Tuscan version A Parmesan rind from the block used elsewhere this week is ideal here — save it rather than discarding it Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 4 days and freeze beautifully

Item added to your cart

Member Access Only

Country/region

Language

Member Access Only