Slow cooker Tuscan Chicken Soup

Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Soup has earned a place in my heart this winter. It's really easy to make and is full of all the flavors I love.

I've taken up learning Italian and I got a thick Italian cookbook for my birthday, so Italy has been on my mind lately. I'll confess right here and now that this recipe isn't really Tuscan or Italian, it's just what I started calling it when 'Italian flavored chicken soup' didn't roll off the tongue.

I created this slow cooker chicken soup while I was daydreamy and raiding the pantry. I wanted artichokes, and beans, and green olives and Parmesan to all come together in a soup. So I let my imagination go wild.

That first soup was good but it needed more so I tweaked it a bit and added more veggies for good measure. The resulting soup has been made several times already this winter and I'm sure I'll make it again before spring hits.

For this slow cooker chicken soup to really shine use my slow cooker recipe to make the stock. It gives so much flavor and rich broth depth, and is totally worth it. I make it almost weekly once the weather turns cold.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• It's very flavorful and will quickly become your new favorite soup for a cold evening
• Cooking soup in the Crockpot means easier clean up
• You only have to cook the chicken then dump everything in and let the Crockpot do the hard work for you
• Soup is a wonderful comfort food to serve on those cold winter nights during soup season and this one will surely warm you right up

Ingredients Needed

See more info on the ingredients in this delicious soup in the recipe card at the bottom.

• Olive oil
• Chicken breasts
• Small Onion
• Cloves of Garlic
• Green Olives- these are softer, and have a less pungent flavor when compared to black olives bu still bring plenty of flavor to the hearty soup
• Cannellini beans - you can trade these out for other white beans
• Marinated artichoke hearts
• Marinade from artichoke hearts
• Collard greens or Kale - these are interchangeable, use whichever your store has in stock and in better quality
• Celery stalks
• Carrots
• Dried Rosemary
• Mushroom Powder
• Ground Sage
• Chili flakes
• Chicken stock

TOPPINGS

• Parmesan cheese
• Bunch of Italian Parsley

How to Make Tuscan Chicken Soup

1. Set up a slow cooker and turn on to high.
2. Place a large non-stick skillet over a med-high burner. Once hot add in half the olive oil and half the raw chicken breast. Let this brown on all sides then dump into the slow cooker and repeat with remaining oil and chicken.
3. Now dump everything else in the slow cooker (except the toppings). Put the lid on it and cook on high for 1 ½ to 2 hours, till it's hot and bubbly. Serve with Parmesan cheese and Italian parsley.

Storage

Be sure to let your soup cool down to room temperature before transefring it to an airtight container and refrigerating leftover soup. You can keep the soup for 4-5 days in the fridge.

Additionally, you can freeze soup in a freezer safe container or a freezer safe bag for up to 2-3 months. This is a great way to have dinner ready to go in the future, just need to thaw and reheat.

Perfect for meal prep.

Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stovetop until warmed through. Don't forget to give it a good stir.

Tips and Variations

• If you don't have cannellini beans, you can use other white beans in its place.
• Out of chicken stock? You can try chicken broth, the soup just won't have as much depth of flavor as it would with the stock.
• Make it a little creamy by adding in some heavy cream to the soup and stirring right before you serve it.
• Don't hesitate to add any other spices that you love. Italian seasoning and fresh basil would go great with this soup.
• Don't have time to cook the chicken? You can use leftover tender chicken or rotisserie chicken instead.
• Add some more flavor by adding in some sun-dried tomatoes and then a handful of fresh spinach at the last few minutes of cooking for a punch of flavor.
• Serve this Tuscan Chicken Soup recipe with your favorite crusty bread.

Where do you buy Mushroom Powder?

While you can make your own by dehydrating your mushrooms and then adding them to a food processor to process and turn into a powder, you can also buy some at the grocery store.

Most stores sell it in the wellness aisle. Ask your local grocery store attendant if they know where to find it. You can check the spices section, but it's not always there.

You may also need to venture to a health food store rather than a common grocery chain. And if all else fails, there are plenty of places to buy it online.

More Delicious Recipes with Great Flavors

If you love delicious meals and easy soup recipes like this Crock Pot Tuscan Chicken Soup, here are a few more you may enjoy any time of year:

• Roasted Pepper and Potato Soup
• Loaded Potato Soup
• Potato Leek Soup
• French Onion Soup (gluten free recipe)
• Zuppa Toscana Soup (gluten free recipe)

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