Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Soup
This slow cooker soup is cozy, practical, and full of tender chicken, potatoes, tomatoes, and vegetables. It is the kind of dinner you can start in the morning and finish with peas, spinach, and lemon right before eating
- Total time
- 380 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
Prep 20mCook 360mDinner
A slow cooker soup is a helpful recipe to keep in your back pocket for busy days. This one uses simple ingredients: chicken breast, broth, potatoes, carrots, celery, tomatoes, peas, and spinach.
The soup cooks gently until the chicken is tender enough to shred with two forks. Potatoes make it filling, while lemon juice added at the end keeps the broth bright instead of flat.
Use the low setting if you will be out for the day, or the high setting if you want dinner sooner. Either way, the last few minutes are just for stirring in quick-cooking vegetables and tasting for seasoning.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
17 items · 6 servings
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juices
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 packed cups baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Prep the vegetables
Dice the onion, slice the carrots and celery, mince the garlic, and cut the potatoes into small, even pieces. Even pieces help the vegetables cook at the same pace.
2. Fill the slow cooker
Add the olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken breast, potatoes, diced tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
3. Stir and cover
Stir the vegetables and broth around the chicken. The chicken does not need to be fully submerged, but it should be mostly surrounded by liquid. Cover with the lid.
4. Cook until tender
Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender. Tender means a fork slides into the potato without much pressure.
5. Shred the chicken
Move the chicken breast to a cutting board. Shred it with two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
6. Add the quick vegetables
Stir in the frozen peas and baby spinach. Cover and cook on high for 5 to 10 minutes, just until the peas are hot and the spinach has wilted.
7. Finish and taste
Stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Taste the soup and add a little more salt or pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve warm.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: Chop the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and potatoes up to 1 day ahead. Store the potatoes covered in cold water in the refrigerator so they do not brown. Drain before adding to the slow cooker.
- Storage: Refrigerate cooled soup in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until steaming hot.
- Freezing: Freeze for up to 3 months. The potatoes will soften a little after thawing, but the soup will still taste good. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Chicken swap: Boneless skinless chicken thighs work well and stay very juicy. Use the same weight and cooking time.
- Vegetable swaps: Green beans, corn, chopped kale, or zucchini can replace the peas or spinach. Add tender vegetables like zucchini during the last 20 to 30 minutes so they do not turn mushy.
- Broth note: If your broth is not low-sodium, start with 1/2 teaspoon salt and adjust at the end. Slow cooking can make salty flavors stronger as the soup sits.
Cook's note
Cook time is listed as 6 hours, the shorter end of the low setting. If your slow cooker runs cool or the chicken breasts are very thick, allow up to 8 hours on low. For food safety, chicken should reach 165°F in the thickest part before shredding.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
Can I put raw chicken in slow cooker soup?
Yes. Raw boneless skinless chicken breast is safe to cook in the slow cooker as long as it reaches 165°F. Keep the lid on during cooking so the slow cooker holds its heat.
Can I use cooked chicken instead?
Yes. Add about 3 cups shredded cooked chicken during the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking, just long enough to heat it through. The vegetables may still need the full cook time.
How do I keep the potatoes from getting mushy?
Cut them into 1/2-inch pieces and avoid cooking much longer than needed. Yukon Gold potatoes hold their shape better than russet potatoes in soup.
Can I make this soup vegetarian?
Yes. Leave out the chicken, use vegetable broth, and add one or two cans of drained beans, such as cannellini beans or chickpeas, during the last 30 minutes.
Why does my slow cooker soup taste bland?
It usually needs enough salt and a little acidity. Taste at the end, then add salt a pinch at a time and keep the lemon juice in the recipe. Fresh parsley also helps brighten the broth.
05Per serving
Nutrition facts
Nutrition Facts
6 servings
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
- Total Fat5 g
- 6%
- Saturated Fat1 g
- 5%
- Cholesterol55 mg
- 18%
- Sodium575 mg
- 25%
- Total Carbohydrate27 g
- 10%
- Dietary Fiber6 g
- 21%
- Total Sugars7 g
- Protein22 g
- 44%
- Vitamin D0.1 mcg
- 1%
- Calcium82 mg
- 6%
- Iron2.3 mg
- 13%
- Potassium1021 mg
- 22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
05Keep cooking
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