30 Minute White Chicken and Bean Soup

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add chopped bacon. Cook until bacon is crispy and fat is rendered, then remove the bacon from the pan and let it drain on a paper towel.

Turn heat down to medium-low and add onions and leeks. Stir thoroughly to coat them in the bacon fat, then cook for 3 minutes. Add in mushrooms, stirring to coat and cook for 3 minutes more. Stir in pepper and paprika, then add in garlic and spinach. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until spinach wilts.

Add in the cooked chicken and toss with the other ingredients to coat. Add in beans, stock and water, then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Stir in Fontina and bacon. Season with salt if desired (I really didn’t feel that mine needed any with the bacon, stock and Fontina.) Serve with additional grated Fontina and crackers.

Note: as long as you have some cooked chicken on hand, this soup will take you under 30 minutes to prepare. If you have to cook the chicken, you’re looking at about 45 minutes.