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Slow-Cooker Chicken and Garden Vegetable Soup

By Sara Mayer

Published on October 16, 2019

Time

2 to 3 hours on low

Yield

Serves 2

Slow cooker size

1½ to 7 quarts

Slow-Cooker Chicken and Garden Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

1 (12-ounce) split bone-in chicken breast, trimmedSalt and pepper 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 onion, chopped fine1 carrot, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried2 cups chicken broth, plus extra as needed1 bay leaf 1 small yellow summer squash (6 ounces), quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick½ cup frozen peas, thawed1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Before You Begin

You can substitute an equal amount of bone-in chicken thighs for the bone-in breast, if desired; increase the cooking time to 3 to 4 hours on low.

Instructions

  1. 1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown chicken, 3 to 4 minutes per side; transfer to plate and discard skin.
  2. Add onion, carrot, and ¼ teaspoon salt to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 cup broth, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.
  3. Stir remaining 1 cup broth and bay leaf into slow cooker. Nestle chicken into slow cooker, adding any accumulated juices. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 2 to 3 hours on low.
  4. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks; discard bones.
  5. Discard bay leaf. Stir squash into soup, cover, and cook on high until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir chicken and peas into soup and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Adjust consistency with extra hot broth as needed. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Slow-Cooker Chicken and Garden Vegetable Soup
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Elle Simone.

Slow-Cooker Chicken and Garden Vegetable Soup

Headshot of Sara Mayer
By Sara Mayer
4.5(18)
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Time

2 to 3 hours on low

Yield

Serves 2

Slow cooker size

1½ to 7 quarts

Ingredients

1 (12-ounce) split bone-in chicken breast, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 carrot, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
2 cups chicken broth, plus extra as needed
1 bay leaf
1 small yellow summer squash (6 ounces), quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Ingredients

1 (12-ounce) split bone-in chicken breast, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 carrot, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
2 cups chicken broth, plus extra as needed
1 bay leaf
1 small yellow summer squash (6 ounces), quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Ingredients

1 (12-ounce) split bone-in chicken breast, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 carrot, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
2 cups chicken broth, plus extra as needed
1 bay leaf
1 small yellow summer squash (6 ounces), quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Why This Recipe Works

We found that the trick to fresh flavor was adding the vegetables in stages. Onion, garlic, and carrot went in at the start so their flavors would deepen and meld into a richly flavored broth. We stirred in yellow squash and peas at the end of cooking so that they would turn tender but not mushy and dull-tasting. For a finishing touch of bright, herbal flavor, we stirred in fresh parsley just before serving. As with our other slow-cooker chicken soups, we chose a bone-in split breast. Although breast meat is lean, the bones helped protect the meat so it retained its moisture during cooking. We simply discarded the bones after shredding the cooked chicken, and then stirred the meat back into our soup, giving us juicy, flavorful bites of chicken to complement the soup's fresh vegetable flavor. 

Before You Begin

You can substitute an equal amount of bone-in chicken thighs for the bone-in breast, if desired; increase the cooking time to 3 to 4 hours on low.

Instructions

  1. 1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown chicken, 3 to 4 minutes per side; transfer to plate and discard skin.
  2. Add onion, carrot, and ¼ teaspoon salt to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 cup broth, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.
  3. Stir remaining 1 cup broth and bay leaf into slow cooker. Nestle chicken into slow cooker, adding any accumulated juices. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 2 to 3 hours on low.
  4. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks; discard bones.
  5. Discard bay leaf. Stir squash into soup, cover, and cook on high until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir chicken and peas into soup and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Adjust consistency with extra hot broth as needed. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

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