Creamy Chicken and Sweet Potato Soup with brown rice, white beans, baby spinach, and a rich broth. This hearty soup recipe makes the ultimate comfort food for a cold day!
Meals lately have looked a lot like tossing anything that sounds good into a pot and calling it soup.
I was having a hankering for the chicken and sweet potato combo, was in need of some greens, and felt a craving for something creamy, which is precisely how I concocted this easy soup recipe.
Ideal for those who can’t get enough of soup and are constantly looking for new and creative recipes, this one is here to serve quality nutrients and comfort the belly.
If you love nutritious soup recipes like this, I also recommend my Immunity-Boosting Turmeric Chicken Soup and my Hearty Ground Turkey Soup with Vegetables.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for this wholesome soup recipe!
Ingredients for Creamy Chicken and Sweet Potato Soup:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: Our protein of choice, chicken thighs add a filling heartiness to the soup.
I prefer using thighs because they stay nice and tender through the cooking process, whereas chicken breasts can be a bit more finicky in the sense that they can become dry and chalky.
Sweet Potatoes: Bringing Vitamin C, Potassium, antioxidants, and complex carbohydrates to the soup, sweet potatoes also add a subtle sweet flavor.
Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk: The creaminess comes from a can of full-fat coconut milk, which adds richness and silky texture to the broth. For a lower fat option, you can use light canned coconut milk.
Chicken Broth: We need additional liquid for the rice to absorb and to ensure out soup is soupy enough, and chicken stock is here for that task. I use chicken bone broth for added collagen.
Onion and Garlic: Providing a nice canvas of flavor, onion and garlic add robust flavor to the soup.
Avocado Oil: We need some form of cooking oil to sauté the onion and garlic. I love using avocado oil, but olive oil works too.
Brown Rice: More complex carbs to make it extra hearty and satisfying! You can also use white rice, quinoa, or wild rice. When using wild rice, you will need to cook the soup longer, as it requires more time to prepare.
Baby Spinach: Adds vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and iron! I love adding spinach to all sorts of warm foods because it disappears and blends in with the flavor, yet boosts the meal with extra nutrients.
White Beans: Adding a big dose of dietary fiber and some extra plant-based protein, white beans are mostly here for their fun soft squishiness, which we all love so dearly in soups. Swap them out for black beans or chickpeas if you prefer.
Sea Salt and Black Pepper: Season the soup to your personal taste using salt and pepper.
Recipe Customizations:
- If you aren’t dairy-free, you can replace the canned coconut milk with 1 ⅔ cups of half & half or heavy cream.
- For a thicker consistency, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of tapioca flour, gluten-free all-purpose flour, or make a cornstarch slurry with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water.
- Add extra veggies to the soup. Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery, bok choy, bell peppers, and diced tomatoes are all great options.
- Get creative with the seasonings. Add 1 tablespoon of curry powder, 2 tablespoons of red curry paste or green curry paste, or add a dash of chili powder or red pepper flakes to spice it up. Warm spices like ground cumin or even a touch of cinnamon or nutmeg work well here too. Toss in some Italian seasoning if you like it.
- Drizzle in some fresh lime juice or lemon juice for a little acidic pop to offset the richness.
Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredients for sweet potato chicken soup, let’s make it!
How to Make Creamy Chicken and Sweet Potato Soup:
Heat the avocado oil in a large pot (such as a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until it has softened and turned golden brown. Stir in the garlic and uncooked brown rice and continue cooking for another 3 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant.
Pour the chicken broth into the pot, cover, and bring to a full boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low heat and cook covered for 15 minutes.
Add in the chopped chicken thighs, chopped sweet potatoes and coconut milk.
Return to a controlled boil and cook for 10-15 minutes uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the sweet potatoes have softened to your liking.
Stir in the beans and spinach, and cook for 5 minutes, until the spinach has wilted. Taste the soup for flavor and add sea salt and black pepper to your personal taste.
Serve soup in large bowls with crusty bread and a side salad for a complete meal!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Recipe Tips:
- To save time, use rotisserie chicken or any kind of leftover pre-cooked chicken instead of raw chicken thighs.
- Rather than cooking the onion and garlic in oil, you can chop up 3 to 6 strips of thick-cut bacon and render the fat for cooking oil. Be sure to leave in the cooked bacon too for extra flavor!
- Feel free to add in any fresh herbs or dried herbs like dried oregano for a rustic vibe.
- For those who love cooking with wine, adding a splash of white wine is always encouraged.
The next time you’re craving chicken soup with a twist, whip up this easy delight!
The tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and heartiness of the soup make it a great option for my fellow health nuts. Not to mention, it is a lovely meal prep recipe for soup season!
If you love making homemade soup recipes, also try these gems!
More Soup Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
- Dairy-Free Creamy Mushroom Soup
- Pasta e Fagiloi Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Ramen
- Easy Elk Chili
Enjoy this easy
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes. The flavor is very subtle because the chicken flavor shines through the most, but you can detect a subtle coconut flavor. If you aren’t a fan of coconut, I recommend sticking with the dairy option, or omitting the milk altogether.
Yes! Any kind of potatoes work here, including russet potatoes, red potatoes, and yukon gold potatoes. Feel free to make the swap.
I recommend your favorite kind of crusty bread for dipping in soup, such as a baguette, garlic bread, or corn bread. I also love this soup with a side salad like my Italian Salad or my Blueberry Avocado Sunflower Seed Chopped Salad.
Yes! Simply omit the chicken and add an extra can of beans. Change the soup base from chicken broth to vegetable broth. You’ll be left with a hearty vegetarian version that will keep you feeling satisfied due to its plant-based protein content.
Creamy Chicken and Sweet Potato Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 large cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup dry uncooked brown rice or quinoa
- 32 ounces chicken broth
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs chopped into bite sized pieces
- 2 small sweet potatoes chopped (4 cups worth)
- 1 (15-oz) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 (15-oz) can white beans
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- ½ tsp sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the avocado oil in a large pot (such as a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until it has softened and turned golden brown. Stir in the garlic and uncooked brown rice and continue cooking for another 3 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Pour the chicken broth into the pot, cover, and bring to a full boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low heat and cook covered for 15 minutes.
- Add in the chopped chicken thighs, chopped sweet potatoes and coconut milk. Return to a controlled boil and cook for 10-15 minutes uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the sweet potatoes have softened to your liking.
- Stir in the beans and spinach, and cook for 5 minutes, until the spinach has wilted. Taste the soup for flavor and add sea salt and black pepper to your personal taste.
- Serve soup in large bowls with crusty bread and a side salad for a complete meal!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
