Crockpot Chicken Quinoa Soup

• portions: 6 servings
• temps actif: 10 minutes
• temps total: 4 hours 10 minutes

Ingrédients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup diced yellow onion

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced carrots

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and pepper

2 small (12 ounces or 3/4 a pound) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (each breast cut into 3–5 pieces)

2 (14.5-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes (undrained)

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa (see note 1)

2 bay leaves

6 cups chicken stock

2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach (optional)

Serving suggestions (see note 2)

Instructions

Cook Mirepoix

In a cast-iron pot or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add in diced onion, diced carrots, and diced celery. Cook and stir for 7–9 minutes. Add minced garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, and red pepper flakes, if using. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until fragrant and combined, another 1–3 minutes. Transfer all this mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker.

Combine

Remove any fat from the chicken breasts and cut into chunks—about 3–5 per breast. (This ensures it will cook in the same time.) Place in the slow cooker along with the undrained fire-roasted diced tomatoes, uncooked quinoa (see note 1), bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir together.

Cook

Cover and cook on high for 3–5 hours or until quinoa has “popped” and chicken shreds easily. I don’t recommend cooking on low (see note 3). Once chicken shreds easily, remove from the slow cooker into a separate bowl or plate and shred with two forks. Return to the soup and stir. Remove bay leaves and discard. If desired, add coarsely chopped baby spinach and stir gently to wilt. Taste soup and season with any additional salt or pepper as needed.

Serve

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh basil and lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy with a side of warm, hearty bread.

Nutrition

• Calories: 176 kcal
• Lipides Totaux: 7.7 g
• Cholestérol: 7.9 mg
• Sodium: 260.6 mg
• Glucides Totaux: 20.6 g
• Fibres Diététiques: 3.6 g
• Sucres Totaux: 5.3 g
• Protéines: 7.1 g