This healthy crock pot soup is loaded with chicken, vegetables, and beans, ready with about 15 minutes of prep and the slow cooker doing the rest. A comforting, hands-off dinner.
There’s a specific kind of relief that comes from walking in the door on a cold day to a house that already smells like dinner. This soup is why I keep my crockpot out on the counter instead of buried in a cabinet most of the fall and winter. Fifteen minutes in the morning, and by dinner it’s done without me having to think about it again.
Chicken, a mix of vegetables, beans for some extra heartiness, and enough seasoning that it doesn’t taste like plain broth with stuff floating in it. Everything goes in the pot more or less raw, and the slow cooking does the work that would normally take a lot more attention on the stovetop.
I make big batches of this specifically because it holds up so well in the fridge and freezer. A pot on Sunday usually covers lunches for most of the week, plus a few containers for the freezer for whenever I don’t feel like cooking at all.
➡️ You should try this recipe next: Ground Turkey Skillet Recipe (One Pan, 25 Minutes)
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Just 15 minutes of hands-on prep
- Hearty, filling, and loaded with vegetables
- Naturally gluten free and dairy free
- Great for meal prep and freezes really well
- Hard to mess up, very forgiving recipe
- Perfect for cold weather and busy weeks
What You Need
Chicken breasts or thighs. Boneless works best for the crockpot since it shreds easily once cooked. Thighs stay a little juicier over the long cook time, but breasts work fine too.
Chicken broth. The base of the soup. Low sodium gives you more control over the final seasoning, since you can always add more salt but can’t take it out.
Carrots and celery. The classic soup vegetable base. Dice them into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly over the long simmer.
Onion and garlic. Build a lot of the savory depth here. Dice the onion small so it mostly melts into the broth by the time the soup is done.
Diced tomatoes. Canned diced tomatoes add body and a little acidity that balances out the richness of the broth and chicken.
White beans or chickpeas. Adds fiber, protein, and heartiness, turning this from a light soup into something that actually holds you over as a full meal.
Dried thyme and bay leaf. A simple herb combination that gives the soup a classic, comforting flavor without needing anything fancy.
Salt and black pepper. Season toward the end of cooking, since flavors concentrate as the soup simmers and it’s easier to adjust once everything’s mostly done.
Fresh spinach or kale. Stirred in near the end, since leafy greens only need a few minutes to wilt and don’t hold up well to hours of cooking.
Lemon juice. A small splash stirred in right before serving brightens up the whole pot and keeps it from tasting flat after hours of slow cooking.
For serving. Crusty bread on the side, or a sprinkle of parmesan over the top if you’re not keeping it dairy free.
How to Make Healthy Crock pot Soup
Load the Crock pot
Add the chicken, chicken broth, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, beans, thyme, and bay leaf to the crockpot. Stir gently to combine.
Cook and Finish
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and the vegetables are tender.
Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot. Discard the bay leaf.
Stir in the fresh spinach or kale and let it wilt for a few minutes. Add lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve warm, with bread on the side if you’d like.
This is a good one to have on hand alongside the ground turkey skillet for a week where you want something warm and hands-off in the rotation without repeating the same dinner every night.
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Tips
Add leafy greens near the end, not the beginning. Spinach or kale added at the start of cooking turns limp and loses most of its color and texture over several hours. Stir it in during the last 10 to 15 minutes instead.
Season at the end, not the beginning. Flavors concentrate as the soup simmers for hours, so it’s easier to get the seasoning right by adjusting salt and pepper toward the end rather than guessing upfront.
Shred the chicken instead of dicing it raw. Cooking the chicken whole and shredding it after keeps it more tender than dicing it small before adding it to the pot, since smaller pieces can dry out over a long cook time.
Don’t skip the lemon juice at the end. A small splash right before serving brightens up the whole pot and keeps hours of slow cooking from tasting one-note or flat.
Cut vegetables to a similar size. This keeps everything cooking at roughly the same rate so you don’t end up with mushy carrots and undercooked celery in the same bowl.
Variations
Make it spicy. Add a diced jalapeño or a pinch of crushed red pepper for some heat.
Add pasta or rice. Stir in cooked small pasta or rice near the end for a heartier, more filling soup, since adding raw grains at the start can turn mushy over a long cook time.
Make it a Tuscan-style soup. Add Italian seasoning instead of thyme, and stir in kale and white beans for a heartier, more herb-forward version.
Swap the protein. Ground turkey or Italian sausage, browned first, work well in place of chicken breasts if you want a different flavor direction.
Make it creamy. Stir in a splash of coconut milk or heavy cream near the end for a richer, creamier version, keeping in mind this will no longer be dairy free if using cream.
Substitutions
Chicken breasts can be replaced with chicken thighs, which stay a bit juicier over a long cook time, or with ground turkey, browned first before adding to the pot.
White beans can be replaced with chickpeas, black beans, or left out entirely if you prefer a soup without beans.
Fresh spinach can be replaced with kale, chopped, though kale may need a few extra minutes to soften compared to spinach.
Diced tomatoes can be replaced with tomato paste for a less chunky, more concentrated tomato flavor, using about 2 tablespoons.
Dried thyme can be replaced with Italian seasoning or a mix of dried oregano and basil for a slightly different flavor direction.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavor often improves the next day once everything has had more time to sit together.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through, or in the microwave in 1 to 2 minute intervals, stirring in between.
This freezes really well for up to 3 months, making it a great option to batch cook. Cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers, leaving a little room at the top for expansion. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cook this on high instead of low?
Yes, cook on high for 3 to 4 hours instead of low for 6 to 7 hours if you’re short on time. The chicken and vegetables will still turn out tender, though the low and slow method does develop slightly more depth of flavor.
Do I need to cook the chicken before adding it to the crockpot?
No, raw chicken can go straight into the crockpot with everything else. It cooks fully during the long simmer and shreds easily once done.
Can I add the vegetables and greens all at once at the start?
Sturdier vegetables like carrots and celery hold up fine cooking the whole time, but leafy greens like spinach or kale should be added near the end so they don’t turn limp and overcooked.
Is this soup freezer friendly?
Yes, it freezes really well for up to 3 months, which makes it a great option to make in a big batch and portion out for busy weeks ahead.
Can I make this soup on the stovetop instead of in a crockpot?
Yes, simmer everything except the greens and lemon juice in a large pot over low heat for about an hour, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, then finish the same way with the shredded chicken, greens, and lemon juice.
Healthy Crock Pot Soup Recipe (Easy, Hands-Off Dinner)
Description
This healthy crockpot soup is loaded with chicken, vegetables, and beans, ready with about 15 minutes of prep and the slow cooker doing the rest. A comforting, hands-off dinner.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add chicken, broth, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, tomatoes, beans, thyme, and bay leaf to the crockpot. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
- Remove the chicken, shred with two forks, and return to the pot. Discard the bay leaf.
- Stir in spinach or kale and let wilt for a few minutes.
- Add lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and serve warm.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 280kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 6g10%
- Saturated Fat 2g10%
- Cholesterol 75mg25%
- Sodium 620mg26%
- Total Carbohydrate 22g8%
- Dietary Fiber 6g24%
- Sugars 4g
- Protein 32g64%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Add leafy greens near the end of cooking so they don't turn limp over several hours.
Season with salt and pepper toward the end, since flavors concentrate as the soup simmers.
Shred the chicken after cooking rather than dicing it raw, for a more tender result.
