You know when it's soup season. You can almost smell it in the air. The cold, that is, not the soup. Well, not just yet. Enter Chicken, Kale, and Potato Soup. Inspired by that OG "soupa" most of us have tasted at one time or another, I swapped out the Italian sausage for Italian chicken sausage.
This hearty bowl doubles down on the staple Italian sausage seasoning, fennel, by adding an entire fresh bulb in addition to the seeds flavoring the sausage. Imparting a savory sweetness not unlike corn chowder, the combination of fennel bulb, carrot, and lots of butter plays with your tastebuds, calling you to bring back bite after bite until the whole bowl is gone!
I've been making a similar soup in the restaurant for several years, and it never ceases to amaze me at how quickly this gluten-free fare comes together. It really only needs to simmer long enough to cook the potatoes, so the soup is ready as soon as the ingredients are no longer raw! I won't pretend some of the ingredients aren't a tad scary. Kale? Fennel bulb?? Really??? I encourage you to take the leap and try it out! You will be amazed at how quickly this soup fills your heart.
Read on for all the loving details to make Chicken, Kale, and Potato Soup
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Featured Ingredients
Read below about a few of the ingredients used to make Chicken, Kale, and Potato Soup.
Italian chicken sausage - I like to use ground Italian sausage (NOT ground chicken with Italian seasonings) rather than sliced links for the best texture. The sausage has a higher fat content, which helps keep the meat tender longer in the hot soup and holds up better to reheating.
Fennel - This bulb vegetable has a texture like an onion but the subtle sweet flavor of licorice. It compliments the fennel seed seasoning in the Italian chicken sausage.
Kale - You can use any style of kale for this recipe. Be sure to give it a good rinse ahead of time; dirt can get lost in the curls and curves of the leaves. I often chop it first, then rinse it through a salad spinner. Frozen kale is ok, too!
See recipe card for quantities.
Tools for the job
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sharp knife (paid link) and cutting board
- 4+ qt pot or Dutch oven
- Stirring spoon
- Dish or plate to hold the cooked sausage
How to Make Chicken, Kale, and Potato Soup
Start by preparing your vegetables. Dice the onion, fennel, carrot, garlic, and potatoes. Wash the kale before using it, as the curly leaves can hide dirt and sand. After removing the ribs, I like to do a rough chop and use a salad spinner to wash the kale. Then, slice it down into smaller pieces. See how to dice fennel next.
Dicing fennel
- Most of the preparation is straightforward, but if you've never used fennel before, here is a quick tutorial on how to dice a fennel bulb.
Slice the fennel in half through the core, then remove the core with a small sharp knife (paid link).
Slice each half longways.
Chop each slice into diced fennel.
Making the soup
- Warm a large pot on the stove over medium heat. Add the Italian chicken sausage and cook until it has fully browned. Remove the sausage from the pot with a slotted spoon, leaving any fat or grease behind.
- Melt 1 stick of unsalted butter in the pot and add the diced onion, fennel, carrot, and garlic. Season with one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and started to brown.
- Add in the potatoes and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a heavy simmer for 10 minutes, then add the kale and simmer for 5 more minutes.
- NOTE on broth: I listed a range for the broth depending on how "brothy" you like your soup. I tend to go for 6-7 cups total.
- When the potatoes are soft enough to pierce with a fork, stir in the heavy whipping cream and taste for salt, seasoning with more if needed. I added two teaspoons of salt in total.
Brown the chicken sausage and remove it from the pan. No need to drain the fat.
Saute the vegetables in lots of butter, then add the potatoes and broth.
After cooking the potatoes, add the kale and cream and simmer.
Substitutions for Chicken, Kale, and Potato Soup
- Kale - instead of kale, use fresh baby spinach. Stir it in at the very end after the soup no longer boils. Spinach cooks quickly.
- Sausage - Use any type of Italian sausage in this recipe.
- Vegetarian - Omit the sausage and substitute a vegetarian link-style Italian sausage. Slice and saute it first, then remove it from the pot. Cook the rest of the recipe, stirring the vegetarian sausage back into the soup just before serving.
Storage
To keep leftover soup, pour into an airtight container and cool on the counter for 20-30 minutes before covering and refrigerating. It will keep refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for 3-4 months.
FAQ
Kale definitely has a reputation for tasting bitter and earthy. However, I often find that adding it to soup has a tendency to mellow out that flavor profile. In this chicken kale soup recipe, the added sweetness from fennel, carrots, and butter balances out the bitterness of the kale perfectly.
Common curly kale is probably the best for soup as it's generally a bit heartier and is the easiest to source. Also worth noting, this is a great soup to use up some wilting kale you may have bought but forgot to use.
Food safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
More recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Chicken, Kale, and Potato Soup
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Try a bowl of this hearty chicken, kale, and potato soup with savory Italian chicken sausage, fresh fennel, and a buttery creamy broth.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian chicken sausage
- 4 ounces unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 head of fennel, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1.5 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, 4-5 potatoes, large dice
- 1 ½ to 2 quarts chicken broth/stock (SEE NOTE)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3-4 ounces chopped kale, about half a bundle
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Warm a large pot on the stove over medium heat. Add the Italian chicken sausage and cook until it has fully browned. Remove the sausage from the pot with a slotted spoon, leaving any fat or grease behind.
- Melt 1 stick (4 ounces/1/2 cup) of unsalted butter in the pot and add the diced onion, fennel, carrot, and garlic. Season with one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and started to brown.
- Add in the potatoes and chicken broth (SEE NOTE) and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a heavy simmer for 10 minutes, then add the kale and simmer for 5 more minutes.
- When the potatoes are soft enough to pierce with a fork, stir in the heavy whipping cream and taste for salt, seasoning with more if needed. (I added two teaspoons of salt in total.)
- Serve immediately with a crunchy green salad or a hunk of buttered bread.
Notes
Chicken broth - Depending on the size/amount of diced potatoes and your personal preferences, you can use more or less broth. I like a brothy soup so I tend to add 6-7 cups total.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove-top
- Cuisine: American
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