This Easy Greek Chicken and Bean Stew delivers cozy Mediterranean flavor, extra protein, and simple one-pot cooking — perfect for busy weeknights.
For more easy chicken recipes, check out our Mediterranean chicken, chicken gyros, chicken shawarma, and chicken piccata.
Simple Ingredients, Big Mediterranean Flavor
If you love cozy Mediterranean dinners, this Easy Greek Chicken and Bean Stew will be your new go-to. Louise and I make it often here in Todi when we want something simple, nourishing, and full of flavor — and it was inspired by the classic Greek fasolada. 🥄
It’s a one-pot weeknight meal — quick to prep, easy to clean up, and built mostly from pantry staples. To make it more fulfilling and more of a complete meal, I added rice and tender rotisserie chicken, which turn it into a protein-rich, fiber-rich bowl that fits right into a Mediterranean-style eating pattern.
This recipe is also great for meal prep and perfect for anyone looking for budget-friendly family dinners without sacrificing flavor. 🍋
In every bowl you get warm spices, creamy beans, and a bright squeeze of lemon — simple ingredients that still feel special. 🇬🇷
Nico Pallotta
Ingredients
For quantities, see recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Chicken: rotisserie chicken or sautéed chicken breasts both work. Swap with chicken thighs for extra tenderness or use turkey for a cozy twist often used in comforting winter soups.
- Olive oil: extra-virgin adds the best flavor. Avocado oil works in a pinch.
- Onion: yellow onion is classic. White or red onion works too.
- Carrots: give sweetness and body. Swap with parsnips or diced sweet potato.
- Celery: adds aroma. If you don’t have it, use extra carrots or a small fennel bulb.
- Garlic: fresh is best, but garlic powder works for quick pantry staple dinners.
- Tomato paste: gives depth. You can replace with a small splash of tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes.
- Oregano: dried or fresh. Substitute thyme or Italian seasoning.
- Paprika: sweet or smoked. Add chili flakes for heat.
- Cannellini beans: any white bean works. Try chickpeas for more texture.
- Chicken broth: vegetable broth works too if that's what you have.
- Bay leaves: optional but very Greek.
- Basmati rice: jasmine or long-grain rice works too.
- Spinach: kale or Swiss chard are great swaps.
- Lemon: fresh is key.
- Parmesan or feta: or try Pecorino or goat cheese on top for extra character in this protein-packed soup recipe.
How to Make Greek Chicken and Bean Stew
Step 1: Build the flavor base
If you’re using sliced chicken breasts, sauté them first in a large pot with little olive oil, salt, and pepper right in the pot, about 3 minutes per side, until lightly golden. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Add a little more olive oil if needed, then add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until the veggies start to soften. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, paprika, and chili flakes. Cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.
Step 2: Add the beans and broth
Add drained and rinsed cannellini beans, vegetable broth, bay leaves, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir well, bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for about 10 minutes. This is when it starts to taste like those cozy high-fiber soup recipes you love.
Step 3: Simmer with rice
Stir in the rice. Let the soup simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the rice does not stick to the bottom. If the soup gets too thick, add a splash more broth or water until you reach the texture you like.
Step 4: Add the greens
When the rice is tender, stir in the spinach. Cook for about 1 minute, just until the leaves wilt into the soup. Taste and adjust with more salt or pepper if needed.
Step 5: Add the chicken and serve
If your chicken is cold, stir it into the pot during the last 2 minutes so it can warm through. If it is already warm, you can ladle the soup into bowls and add the chicken on top. This is great for families with different eaters, because the soup without chicken is basically vegetarian.
Finish each bowl with a good squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of parmesan or feta. Leftovers keep well, which makes this one of our favorite meal prep chicken recipes for busy weeks.
Tips
- Sauté the chicken first for extra flavor: If you use raw chicken breasts, browning them in the pot adds a rich base before building the stew.
- Don’t rush the veggies: Let the onion, carrots, and celery soften fully. This is key for that cozy flavor you expect from Greek comfort food.
- Bloom the spices: Cooking the tomato paste, oregano, and paprika for 1 minute helps deepen the broth and gives the stew a warm Mediterranean taste.
- Watch the rice: Stir now and then so it doesn’t stick, and add more broth if it gets too thick. This keeps it in that sweet spot between soup and stew.
- Add the chicken at the end: Stir it in just long enough to warm through. This helps keep it tender and you can totally use leftover rotisserie chicken or turkey.
- Finish with lemon: A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the whole pot and turns simple pantry ingredients into a fresh, vibrant Mediterranean bean stew.
More Easy Mediterranean Dinners
- Mediterranean chicken, lentil and rice.
- Tuna sweet potato patties
- Mediterranean chicken kebab
- Creamy broccoli pasta with garlic and parmesan
- Creamy red lentil soup
- Greek eggplant pasta
- Three bean salad with tuna
- Italian tuna salad
Tried this Greek Chicken and Bean Stew recipe? We'd love to hear what you think! Leave a 🌟 star rating and drop a comment below—we read every single one. 💬💛
Recipe
Easy Greek Chicken and Bean Stew (Fasolada-Inspired Meal)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ shredded rotisserie chicken or 2 - 3 sliced chicken breasts (about 14 oz / 400 g)
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 4 carrots sliced into discs
- 1 rib celery chopped
- 2 cloves garlic grated or pressed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika + chili flakes to taste
- 2 cans cannellini beans 15 oz / 400 g each — drained and rinsed
- 6 cups chicken broth or more as needed
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup basmati rice uncooked
- ¾ teaspoon salt or more to taste + black pepper
- 3 handfuls spinach
- 1 lemon juiced + optional parmesan or feta for serving
Instructions
- Build the Flavor Base: If you’re using sliced chicken breasts, sear the chicken slices in a large pot with olive oil, salt and pepper, about 3 minutes per side, until cooked. Remove and set aside.Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil then cook 1 medium onion, 4 carrots, and 1 rib celery for 4–5 minutes until they start to soften.Stir in 2 cloves garlic (grated), 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon paprika, and chili flakes. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Beans and Broth: Add 2 cans cannellini beans (rinsed), 6 cups chicken broth, 2 bay leaves, ¾ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Stir, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook covered for about 10 minutes.
- Add the Rice: Stir in ½ cup basmati rice and let the soup simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks. Add a splash of broth or water if needed.
- Add Greens: When the rice is tender, stir in 3 handfuls spinach. Cook for about 1 minute, just until the leaves wilt. Taste and adjust.
- Add Chicken and Serve: If your chicken is cold, stir it into the pot during the last 2 minutes so it can warm through. If it is already warm, you can ladle the soup into bowls and add the chicken on top. This is great for families with different eaters, because the soup without chicken is vegetarian.Serve with a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil, and some parmesan or feta. Leftovers keep well.
Notes
- Chicken → Rotisserie or sautéed chicken breasts; chicken thighs for extra tenderness; turkey for a cozy winter-style swap.
- Olive oil → Extra-virgin for best flavor; avocado oil if you’re out.
- Onion → Yellow is classic; white or red both work.
- Carrots → Swap with parsnips or diced sweet potato.
- Celery → Use extra carrots or a small fennel bulb.
- Garlic → Fresh is best; garlic powder works in a pinch.
- Tomato paste → A splash of tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes.
- Oregano → Use thyme or Italian seasoning.
- Paprika → Sweet or smoked; add chili flakes for heat.
- Cannellini beans → Any white bean; chickpeas for more texture.
- Chicken broth → Vegetable broth works fine.
- Bay leaves → Optional but nice; skip if needed.
- Basmati rice → Jasmine or long-grain rice.
- Spinach → Kale or Swiss chard.
- Lemon → Fresh only for best flavor.
- Parmesan or feta → Pecorino or goat cheese for extra character.
- Sear the chicken first for a deeper, richer base.
- Give the veggies time to soften fully for that cozy Greek-style flavor.
- Bloom the spices by cooking the tomato paste and seasonings for 1 minute to deepen the broth.
- Stir the rice occasionally so it doesn’t stick, and add broth if the stew thickens too much.
- Add the chicken at the end just to warm it through and keep it tender—great for leftovers, too.
- Finish with lemon to brighten everything and make the stew taste fresh and vibrant.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.
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