This slow cooker chicken kale soup is the perfect choice to start soup season with a bang! Grab your Crockpot and get ready to make this easy chicken soup that everyone in your family will love. Adding kale to this mixture increases nutrition easily. This makes a perfect new chicken soup recipe for those cold winter days when you just don’t feel well.
Chicken kale soup
The fall weather always reminds me of pulling out one of my favorite kitchen appliances: the slow cooker! Honestly, if you don’t have a CrockPot, you’re missing out! Slow cookers are very easy and because food is cooked at a slower, more even temperature for a longer period of time (usually), it doesn’t lose key nutrients that you could lose with higher heat.
One of the first recipes I make every year is this chicken kale soup. I skip the traditional noodles and instead add larger pieces of carrots and add kale to the mix for some extra nutrition. Even with vegetables added, everyone in the family loves to see this in the meal plan.
Can I add pasta to this chicken soup?
You can definitely add pasta if you prefer. I recommend a good wholemeal pasta as the healthiest option. You may also want to try different gluten-free options. If you’re going the gluten-free route, be sure to place that paste just before serving. Many of the gluten-free rice pastas I’ve tried in the past cook much faster than their traditional counterparts. No one wants soft noodles or solvents in their soup.
Can I use different vegetables in this chicken kale soup?
I
love this combination of vegetables, but I know not everyone likes green beans in their soup. So, yes, you can definitely change the vegetables. Celery, carrots and onions are the most traditional chicken soup vegetables. You can even swap kale for spinach if you prefer a milder flavor.
Other options are to add diced pumpkin, zucchini, cauliflower, or broccoli. That’s one of the things I like most about this recipe. It’s really easy to adjust to your taste buds.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
In general, chicken breasts are healthier than thighs. However, I realize that many prefer dark meat and the added richness it provides. Also, if you think white meat gets too dry when cooked slowly, you probably prefer the thighs in this recipe. Just be sure to be aware of changes in nutrition information if you substitute any of the ingredients listed.
How should I freeze this for later?
I love meal preparation soups because they are so easy to freeze and reheat on the go. For this recipe, you can cook as directed, then let the soup cool completely. Once it has cooled, pour into containers of freezer soup that have been dated and labeled. Be sure to leave at least 1″ of space on top of the containers as the liquid expands when frozen.
This soup is good for 4 months in the freezer.
If
you love
soups and chili as much as I do, then you’ll love the ones I’ve linked to below. These are all great healthy, clean eating options for your fall and winter menu.
- Easy Taco
- Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Turkey Black Bean Chili with Sweet Potatoes Chili
- Bison
Soup with Ranch
Ingredients Chicken
- breasts
- Chicken broth
- Water
- Green beans
- Chotters Kale
- Garlic
- Onion
- powder Salt
Onion
powder
This was originally published on October 5, 2014
and updated on October 22, 2019.
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