Comforting Chicken, Bacon and Squash Soup

There are recipes that are just food—and then there are recipes that feel like a hug. This chicken, bacon, and squash soup is one of the latter. It’s simple, cozy, and hearty enough to fill your kitchen with warmth and comfort.

I first made this soup after my big breakup last fall, when I needed something grounding and familiar. I came back to it again after the fire this February, when I needed comfort more than ever. I could tell you how delicious it is—how could it not be, with bacon, butternut squash, and rotisserie chicken? I could tell you how easy it is—the perfect weeknight meal. But more than anything, this one’s for anyone who loves food that nourishes both the body and the soul. I hope it brings you the same comfort it always brings me.

Ingredients
1 pack bacon, cut into small pieces
1 yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried sage
5 cups butternut squash, cubed
1/2 delicata squash, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 cups chicken bone broth
4 cups cooked chicken (e.g., rotisserie), shredded
30 oz cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups fresh spinach
2 tbsp milk or cream (e.g., almond milk)

Instructions

1. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until it becomes crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, and leave about 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the pot.

2. Add the diced onion and celery to the pot, cooking them for about 5 minutes while stirring occasionally, until they soften.

3. Mix in the minced garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, thyme, sage and a bit of black pepper. Stir constantly for about a minute, letting the spices become fragrant.

4. Add the squash to the pot and pour in the chicken bone broth. Bring to a gentle simmer, lower the heat, cover the pot, and let it cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork.

5. Take off the lid and stir in the cooked bacon, shredded chicken, and cannellini beans. Let everything simmer together for another 5 minutes.

6. Add the spinach and cook until it wilts, about 3 minutes.

7. Remove the pot from the heat and pour in the milk or cream. Stir everything together thoroughly and serve warm.