This Slow Cooker Chicken Kale Soup is the perfect option to start soup season off with a bang! Grab your Crockpot and get ready to make this easy chicken soup that everyone in your family will love. The addition of kale to this mixture ups the nutrition easily. This makes a perfect new chicken soup recipe for those cold winter days when you just aren't feeling well.
Chicken Kale Soup
Fall weather always reminds me to bring out one of my favorite kitchen gadgets - the slow cooker! Honestly, if you don't have a CrockPot, you are missing out! Slow cookers are so easy and because the food is cooked at a slower, more even temperature for a longer period of time (usually), you don't lose key nutrients that you might with higher heat.
One of the first recipes I make each year is this chicken kale soup. I skip the traditional noodle and instead add in bigger chunks of carrots and throw kale into the mixture for a bit of extra nutrition. Even with added greens, everyone in the family loves seeing this on the meal plan.
Can I Add Pasta to This Chicken Soup?
You can definitely add pasta if you prefer. I recommend a nice whole-grain pasta as the healthiest option. You may also want to try out different gluten-free options. If going the gluten-free route, make sure you pop that pasta in just before you want to serve. Many of the gluten-free rice pasta I have tried in the past cook much faster than their traditional counterparts. Nobody wants mushy or dissolving noodles in their soup.
Can I use Different Vegetables in this Chicken Kale Soup?
I love this combination of vegetables, but know that not everyone likes green beans in their soup. So, yes, you can definitely change up the vegetables. Celery, carrots, and onion are the more traditional chicken soup veggies. You could even swap out the kale for spinach if you prefer a milder flavor.
Other options are to add diced squash, zucchini, cauliflower, or broccoli. That's one of the things I love most about this recipe. It is truly simple to adjust to your taste buds.
Can I Use Chicken Thighs instead of Breasts?
In general, chicken breasts are healthier than thighs. However, I do realize that many much prefer dark meat and the added richness it provides. Additionally, if you think that white meat turns out too dry when slow-cooked, you'll probably prefer thighs in this recipe. Just make sure you account for the changes in nutritional information if you substitute any ingredients listed.
How Should I Freeze This for Later?
I love soups for meal prep because they are so simple to freeze and reheat down the road. For this recipe, you can cook as directed, then allow the soup to cool completely. Once it has cooled, pour into freezer soup containers that have been dated and labeled. Make sure to leave at least 1" of room at the top of the containers as liquid expands when frozen.
This soup is good for 4 months in the freezer.
More Favorite Soup Recipes
If you love soups and chili as much as I do, then you will love the ones I have linked below. These are all excellent healthy clean eating options for your fall and winter menu.
- Easy Taco Soup with Ranch
- Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Turkey Black Bean Chili with Sweet Potatoes
- Bison Chili
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts
- Chicken broth
- Water
- Green beans
- Carrots
- Kale
- Onion
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt
This was originally published on October 5, 2014, and updated on October 22, 2019.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Kale Soup
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Slow Cooker Chicken Kale Soup is the perfect meal prep recipe for fast lunches all week! Loaded with tender chicken and hearty vegetables you will love it!
Ingredients
- 2 split chicken breasts, skin on
- 1 lbs frozen green beans
- 16 oz low-sodium, organic chicken broth
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 2 cups water
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 3 cups kale, broken into 2-3" pieces (can be done by hand)
- 1 TBSP garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 TBSP sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare vegetables accordingly
- Place all ingredients (except kale) in a large slow cooker and cook on low for approximately 8 hours or 4 hours on high
- With heat still on, remove CrockPot lid (Be careful!) and remove and discard the skin from the chicken breasts
- Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred chicken, removing the meat from the bone. Discard bones and return chicken to CrockPot.
- Add kale to slow cooker, replace lid and cook for an additional 1 hour on low, 30 minutes on high
Notes
Zero SmartPoints on WW FreeStyle
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
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