Chicken Soup with Rabe, Tomato, and White Beans

So, this weekend, I roasted a chicken. I love roasting a whole chicken, and usually do it is once or twice a month, especially during the cold weather months...The great thing about roasting a chicken is that it not only gives you tons of succulent meaty morsels and an excuse to drown a plate of rich food in homemade gravy, but it also gives you loads of opportunity to create delicious soups!

I went to the market tonight with the hubby and with no real plan, we ended up grabbing some

• rabe
• 2 cans of canellini beans
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes

which all turned out to be phenomenal ingredients for a really tasty and light soup. I also grabbed an extra can of chicken stock, just in case the soup needed extra fluid.

Stock: (Made the night prior)

• Prep time - 5 mins
• Simmer time - 1 - 3 hours
  

1. Place chicken carcass and drippings from bake pan into a large pot.
2. Fill nearly to the top of the carcass with water.
3. Add a half an onion, a carrot, and one sprig of celery.
4. Cover top of water with a sprinkling of basil, oregano, rosemary, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
5. Simmer for 1 - 3 hours and taste for flavor.
6. Let cool and then strain out bones and vegetables.
   

Soup:

• Prep time - 10 mins
• Cook time - 20 mins

1. Turn stove on to medium high to high heat.
   
2. Add the diced tomatoes to the chicken stock.
3. Clean the rabe (I just used a single bunch from the market - a comfortable hand grip full) and chop rustically into chunky, bite size pieces.
4. Place rabe into stock and bring to a boil.
5. Here I added some extra chicken broth (only one can, and not at all necessary if your soup has a good ratio)
   
6. Add beans at boil and turn pot to simmer.
7. Serve with fresh grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!