Chicken and Vegetable Bean Soup

By Tonya_Speed

NUTRITION per serving: 277 Calories; 2g Fat; 36g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 46mg Cholesterol; 532mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain (Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable. Points: 5

Ingredients

• DO-AHEAD TIP: Sort, rinse and soak beans overnight.
• 1/3 cup dried Great Northern beans, sorted, rinsed and soaked overnight
• 2 cups water
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 small fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces (optional; if you can't find it or don't like fennel, that's fine)
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 2/3 clove garlic, pressed
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/3 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/3 teaspoon dried marjoram
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 2/3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes*
• 5 ounces canned diced tomatoes (low sodium, if available), un-drained
• LEANNE’S NOTE: Partially freeze chicken for ease in cutting.

Preparation

Step 1

Soak dried beans overnight in the 2 cups of water; drain and rinse.
In a slow cooker, place onion, fennel, carrot, garlic, parsley, thyme, marjoram and salt and pepper to taste. Place beans and chicken on top; pour chicken broth over all.
Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high setting for 4 to 5 hours. During the last 30 minutes of cooking time, raise heat setting to high and add the un-drained diced tomatoes. Cover and cook for 30 minutes; serve.