Thick, Hearty Slow Cooker Soup

Playing with proportions, you can make it thick like a stew or thin like a soup.

Hey, y’all! Baseball season means that it’s slow cooker season, the time of year when meals need to be fully cooked and waiting when we arrive home from practice and games.

I’ve seen some recipes for chicken parmesan soup online, but as usual, I have my own version. I start the soup in the morning, and then shred the chicken right before we leave for practice. In my slow cooker, it takes about 10 times longer to cook through pasta (on low heat) than what the package indicates. So if the package says 9 minutes, expect to let it simmer for 90.

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Soup

Print recipe

Serves	8
Prep time	15 minutes
Cook time	8 hours
Total time	8 hours, 15 minutes
Allergy	Milk, Wheat
Meal type	Main Dish
Misc	Child Friendly, Serve Hot

This recipe is almost too easy. It tastes like chicken parmesan, but without any hands-on cooking time.

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
6 garlic cloves (peeled and smashed)
1 bell pepper (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
1 parmesan rind
4 cups chicken stock
1 can tomato paste
1 can crushed tomatoes (28 ounces)
.25 cup fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons dried oregano
red pepper flakes
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
4oz uncooked pasta
freshly grated parmesan (to garnish)

Note

Check the cooking time for your pasta and multiply by 10. (6 minute cook time = 60 in the slow cooker.) If you'll be gone for a while, choose a pasta with a longer cook time.

The pasta absorbs a lot of the liquid in the slow cooker. If you like a thick, almost stew-like consistency, leave the recipe as-is. For more liquid broth, add a cup or two of water or chicken stock.

Directions

Step 1
Put all ingredients except pasta in the slow cooker. Cook on low for at least 8 hours. It should seem very watery. You'll need that extra liquid to cook the pasta.
Step 2
One hour or more before serving, remove the chicken and shred with a fork. Return to the slow cooker. Add pasta and stir to combine. Adjust seasonings.
Step 3
Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Results

“I like this soup because it’s not all runny like most soup,” said The Assistant, who has never been a fan of broth. “It’s nice and thick and tastes like parmesan cheese. I love parmesan cheese.”