This Chicken Minestrone Soup is a quick, comforting weeknight meal that takes about 20 minutes but tastes like it has simmered all day—perfect for busy school nights.
Using canned vegetables, beans, and cooked chicken makes it easy to assemble flavorful soups and stews in minutes. One of our family’s favorites is this Chicken Minestrone Soup—hearty, satisfying, and kid-approved.
How to make Chicken Minestrone Soup
Start with a large pot and pour in a jar of Prego® Italian Sauce.
Next add one can of Campbell’s® Condensed Tomato Soup—its richness blends beautifully with the Italian sauce and builds a flavorful base.
Drain canned vegetables and add them to the pot. I usually choose sliced carrots and diced potatoes since my kids prefer those, but you can use any drained canned vegetables you like.
Drain and rinse the canned Swanson® Premium Chicken, shred it a bit, then add it to the pot. It’s already cooked, which makes this soup especially quick to prepare.
Add a can of Italian-style diced tomatoes—do not drain the tomatoes so they contribute their juices to the broth.
Drain and rinse the kidney beans and cannellini beans before adding them to the pot for extra texture and protein.
Wash and chop a fresh zucchini and add it in with the beans. If you’re short on time, frozen mixed squash or zucchini works well as a substitute.
Turn the heat to high and pour in 48 ounces of chicken broth. Add 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1 tablespoon minced garlic.
When the soup reaches a rolling boil, stir in 1 cup of elbow macaroni or small shells. Let the soup simmer on high for about 8–10 minutes while the pasta cooks.
When the pasta is tender, stir in about 2 cups of fresh baby spinach. The heat will wilt the spinach quickly—turn off the heat immediately after adding it.
Ladle the soup into bowls and finish each serving with a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. The cheese melts into the hot soup and rounds out the flavors.
This minestrone feels like it’s been simmering for hours but comes together in under 20 minutes. It’s warming, filling, and consistently hits the spot on chilly evenings or hectic weeknights.
Ingredients
- 1 jar Prego Italian Sauce
- 1 can Campbell’s Condensed Tomato Soup
- 1 can sliced carrots, drained
- 1 can diced potatoes, drained
- 1 can Italian-style diced tomatoes (undrained)
- 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 can Swanson Premium Chicken, drained, rinsed, and shredded
- 48 oz chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup elbow macaroni or small pasta
- 2 cups baby spinach
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, pour in the jar of Prego® Italian Sauce.
- Add the Campbell’s® Condensed Tomato Soup and the drained canned carrots and potatoes.
- Add the Italian-style diced tomatoes without draining.
- Drain, rinse, and shred the canned chicken; add it to the pot.
- Drain and rinse the kidney beans and cannellini beans, then add them.
- Add the chopped zucchini.
- Turn the heat to high and pour in the chicken broth. Stir in Italian seasoning and minced garlic.
- Bring the soup to a rolling boil, then add the pasta. Cook for about 8–10 minutes, until pasta is tender.
- Stir in the baby spinach until wilted, then remove the pot from the heat.
- Serve hot with a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
More Soups & Stews
- Creamy Chicken Alfredo Tortellini Soup
- Easy Italian Wedding Soup
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Tomato Beef Stew
- Hearty Country French Stew inspired by The Nightingale