Dump and cook chicken soup (slow cooker recipe)
Freezer friendly, hearty crock pot chicken soup loaded with veggies and your choice of starch.
This week, I’m thrilled to share this “dump and cook” chicken soup recipe. It’s incredibly simple—after just a bit of prep and measuring, it cooks itself.
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It’s January, and I find that people at this time of year are either ultra-motivated to cook and try new recipes, or struggling with post-holiday exhaustion (I’m in the latter camp 😅). In either scenario, an easy, balanced meal is always a win. This soup has been my go-to for the past few months—not just because it’s tasty, warm, and comforting, but also because it’s SO easy.
I named this soup “Dump and Cook Chicken Soup” because it’s literally that. You add most of the ingredients to a slow cooker. Set the timer, and let it do its thing. I love a good slow cooker meal for an easy weeknight dinner. While it takes a few extra minutes in the morning that you wouldn’t otherwise spend on prepping dinner (don’t worry, I’ve included some night-before steps to make this as simple as possible!), you’ll appreciate it when you walk through your door at the end of your workday to a home-cooked, ready-to-eat-meal.
So grab your ingredients, throw them in your slow cooker, and while you're at work, take a moment to think about how at this very moment your dinner is cooking itself—and enjoy the feeling of having it allll figured out 😉.
Recipe Notes
Protein:
Chicken breast is the protein source in this recipe. There’s no prep required - add them to your slow cooker with the remaining ingredients and let everything cook together. Before serving, remove the chicken and shred it (it will fall apart easily).
Vegetables:
We’re using plenty of veggies in this recipe. First, a solid base of onion, celery, and carrot—the foundation of most soup recipes. We’ll also add some frozen peas toward the end, but you can substitute a few handfuls of spinach if you have that lying around instead.
Starch:
There are two starch options here. One, a wild brown rice mix. If you’re going this route, add the rice during prep with the other ingredients. Alternatively, you can add cooked noodles just before serving.
If you need to leave your soup cooking longer than the recipe calls for (for example, if you’re cooking this on a workday and will be out of your home for 10 hours), I suggest going the noodle route as the rice will eventually break down if it cooks too long. When I cook this meal on a weekday I typically choose the noodle option, and rice on the weekend for this reason.
Equipment needed:
Cutting board and chef’s knife
Garlic press or Microplane
Measuring cups and spoons
Slow cooker
Medium pot to cook pasta (optional)
Grocery List:
Fresh items:
Onion, about 1 medium
2-3 medium-large stalks of celery
2-3 medium-large carrots
2 cups diced tomato (fresh or canned)
1 garlic clove
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast
Fresh spinach (optional)
Pantry items you may already have on hand:
Parsley flakes
Dried thyme
Dried rosemary
Black pepper
Chicken broth
Long-grain brown and wild rice mix OR pasta
Frozen peas (optional, you can also used canned)
If you’re short on time in the morning, complete the following prep steps the night before so that you can simply dump your ingredients into the slow cooker and set the timer in the morning. Place the ingredients in bowls, cover, and refrigerate until you’re ready to toss everything together in the morning.
Dice 1 medium onion (about 1 cup diced).
Slice 2-3 medium-large celery stalks (about 2 cups sliced).
Peel and slice 2-3 medium-large carrots (about 2 cups sliced).
Measure 2 cups of diced canned tomatoes or dice 2 cups-worth of fresh tomatoes.
Mince 1 garlic clove.
Measure spices into a small bowl: 2 tsp parsley flakes, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, 1/4 tsp pepper.
Measure 1/2 cup of long-grain brown and wild rice (if using) and set aside.
In the morning, follow the recipe below to add the ingredients to the slow cooker.
Dump and Cook Chicken Soup
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 7-8 hours
Ingredients:
2 cups sliced carrots (about 2-3 medium-large carrots)
2 cups sliced celery (about 2-3 medium-large stalks)
1 cup diced yellow onion (about 1 medium)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups diced tomato (fresh or canned)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup long-grain brown and wild rice mix (optional)
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
To add at the end:
1 cup frozen peas or a few handfuls of fresh spinach
2 cups dried pasta, cooked (optional, instead of rice)
How to make it:
Add the first 11 ingredients to your slow cooker (including rice, if using).
Pour 6 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of water over the ingredients.
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours (or high for 3-4 hours).
Additional vegetables:
If using peas: add them with about 30 minutes remaining in the cooking time. If you prefer your peas with a softer consistency, consider thawing them in the microwave before adding them to the soup.
If using spinach: add it just before serving, stirring to wilt.
If using pasta instead of rice, cook it according to instructions. Add the cooked noodles to the slow cooker just before serving.
Before serving, remove the chicken breasts and transfer them to a cutting board or large bowl. Shred the chicken using two forks; it will fall apart easily. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker, stirring to combine.
Enjoy!
I would love to hear from you! Let me know if you tried the recipe. You can message me via the button below or the Substack app.
~Brittany
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“The Grocery Edit” is written by Brittany Raftis, MScFN, RD. She works as a Registered Dietitian and is passionate about helping people sort through the confusion of ingredients and nutrition facts to reduce stress surrounding daily food choices. She uses an evidence-based approach to clear up misinformation about nutrition and help people select the right products to support their health and enjoyment of food.