ROTISSERIE CHICKEN, WHITE BEAN AND FARRO SOUP

Rotisserie Chicken, White Bean and Farro Soup image

A rotisserie chicken is such a great grocery store purchase for meal prep. Not only does it provide a delicious product that saves you time, but you can use all the parts of the chicken in a variety of ways. In this recipe, I'll show you how to make a broth out of the bones and then use that broth and the shredded meat to make a simple yet delicious soup that keeps well in the fridge or freezer. Make sure to store the soup in portions that work for you or your family, so you can easily defrost the amount you need at any one time. I also use my big batch farro recipe to add a grain to the soup without a lot of extra effort.

Provided by Food Network

Time 1h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

One 1 1/2-pound rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded and carcass reserved (see Cook's Note)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1medium yellow onion, quartered
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley stems and leaves, roughly chopped
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch dice
Kosher salt
4 packed cups roughly chopped escarole
8 cups chicken broth (the full chicken broth recipe from above or store-bought)
2 1/2 cups reserved shredded rotisserie chicken meat
One 15.5-ounce can great Northern beans, drained
1 1/2 cups cooked farro
Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Steps:

For the chicken broth: Add the chicken carcass, thyme, rosemary, oregano, onion, 10 cups cold or room-temperature water, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to a 4 1/2-quart Dutch oven or large saucepan. Bring the water to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the broth has a rich chicken flavor, about 15 minutes. Strain the mixture, making sure to remove all bones and large pieces; it is okay if some of the dried spices go through your strainer. Either use the broth immediately to make this soup or cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
For the rotisserie chicken, white bean and farro soup: Heat the olive oil in a 4 1/2-quart Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the parsley and zucchini and cook until the zucchini is softened and just beginning to brown in parts, about 5 minutes; season with salt. Add the escarole, stirring to fold it in evenly with the zucchini to help it cook down. Continue to cook, stirring, until the escarole is completely wilted and any excess water from it has cooked off, about 5 minutes; season with salt.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer; this will take different amounts of time depending on if you are using broth from the refrigerator or if you are immediately using the broth after making it. Either way, warm the broth through before stirring in the shredded chicken, white beans and farro. Continue to simmer to warm through the last ingredients, about 5 minutes; add salt to taste. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with Parmesan.