This Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Soup is not only something that will nourish your family with an assortment of good for you vegetables, but it will fill your home with delicious aromas that will great you as soon as you open the door. It’s perfect for those times when you want to clear out your vegetable bin and is as easy as throwing everything into one big pot.

I’ll list a variety of vegetables I used but please keep in mind that you can use whatever veggies you like or have on hand. I also used brown rice because I had a bunch of it leftover but again, you can leave it out or use your favorite variety of rice or other grain like quinoa.

Ingredients

1 large onion – diced

3 stalks of celery – diced

2 cloves garlic – finely chopped

Pinch or two of crushed red pepper for heat (optional)

Pinch or two of herbs de province

1 lb (.45 kg) boneless chicken breast – diced

1 small butternut squash – diced

2  bell (or other peppers) peppers – diced

2 – 3 tomatoes – diced

2 cups (680 g) frozen peas

2 – 3 cups kale (or other green)

2 – 3 cups leftover rice (or other grain)

3 quarts (2.66 liters) chicken broth

Olive oil to cover the bottom of a medium sauce pan

Season with salt and pepper and top with grated parmesan

Instruction

Place a skillet (or the bowl of your slow cooker if it can go directly on the heat) add enough oil to lightly cover the bottom. Heat until hot but not smoking.

Add the onion and the celery and cook until they wilt. About 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and some crushed red pepper for a bit of heat (optional) and cook for about 30 seconds just until it begins to color. Remove the pan from the heat.

Set your slow cooker to high or low. Add the contents of the skillet.

Follow with all the ingredients except the kale (or other greens), the cooked rice (or other grain) and the frozen peas. Shortly before the soup is done (or when done) add the peas and the kale and cook just until the peas and rice warm and the kale wilts.

Serve and top with parmesan cheese (optional)