Lemon Chicken, White Bean & Spinach Soup

2 cans cannellini or great northern beans, 15 ounces each, drained and rinsed 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small yellow onion, diced 2 medium carrots, sliced into thin rounds or half-moons 2 celery stalks, sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 3 cups chicken broth, plus extra if needed; low-sodium preferred 2 cups fully cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works well) 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 2 generous handfuls fresh spinach (about 2 packed cups) Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon, added to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Prepare the ingredients. Drain and rinse both cans of beans. Dice the onion, thinly slice the carrots and celery, and mince the garlic. Shred the cooked chicken into bite-size pieces. Rinse the spinach if needed. Juice half the lemon into a small bowl and remove any seeds. 2. Soften the vegetables (8–10 minutes). Heat the olive oil in a 4‑quart pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and becomes translucent; lower the heat if the vegetables brown heavily. 3. Add the garlic and thyme (30 seconds). Stir in the minced garlic and dried thyme; cook just until fragrant, stirring constantly so the garlic does not burn. 4. Add beans and broth; simmer (about 15 minutes). Pour in 3 cups chicken broth and add the beans. Stir, then bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low and partially cover. You want occasional small bubbles, not a rolling boil. Check and stir every 3–5 minutes. Cook until a fork slides easily into a carrot slice. 5. Optional: Make the broth creamier. Before adding chicken, mash a few spoonfuls of beans against the side of the pot and stir them back into the broth; leave most beans whole. 6. Warm the chicken and wilt the spinach (4–6 minutes). Stir in the fully cooked shredded chicken and heat until hot throughout. Add spinach a handful at a time and stir 1–2 minutes, just until wilted. Avoid prolonged boiling. 7. Finish with lemon and seasoning. Turn off the heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice, taste, then add more a teaspoon at a time until pleasantly bright. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper after adding the lemon.