Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Soup with Quinoa
Posted: 11/07/2016
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This slow cooker creamy chicken soup is healthy, hearty, and so very easy to make. You’ll love its fall flavors and nutritious ingredients.
I’m not stopping with the fall soup recipes. Although it has been unseasonably warm in Michigan lately (not complaining!), these warm and cozy soups still warm and comfort me as I look out the window and see leaves of orange, red, and yellow falling gently onto the grass.
You know what else is comforting? Putting dinner in the slow cooker and not having to think about it again until I’m happily shoveling it into my mouth.
This creamy chicken soup couldn’t be easier to make (especially if you use frozen cubed butternut squash like I did!). All the ingredients go into the slow cooker uncooked — raw chicken, uncooked quinoa, raw onion, uncooked squash — your slow cooker does all the magic work here.
When it’s finished cooking, all that’s left to do is shred the chicken, add the half and half, season with salt and pepper, and then enjoy a delicious bowl of slow cooker creamy chicken soup!
Serve a bowl of steaming soup with a slice of this homemade no-knead whole wheat bread. Your house will smell so good, warm bread baking and delicious soup simmering. You’ll probably attract the neighbors and have guests for dinner!
Creamy soups sometimes get a bad reputation for being high in calories but it’s not necessarily true (and my readers certainly can’t get enough of the creamy chicken and wild rice soup on Rachel Cooks). A little half and half (with cornstarch stirred into it) mixed into this slow cooker creamy chicken soup is all it takes to give this soup a creamy, silky consistency. You guys are going to love it!
More Soup Recipes
- Crockpot Pumpkin Soup — so easy and creamy!
- Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon
- Copycat Panera Squash Soup
- Chicken Barley Soup with Squash and Kale
- Creamy Turkey Soup with Quinoa
- Slow Cooker 5 Ingredient Green Enchilada Soup
- Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup with Tortellini
- Chicken Tortellini Soup with Kale and Pesto
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
servings
This slow cooker creamy chicken soup is healthy, hearty, and so very easy to make. You’ll love its fall flavors and nutritious ingredients.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 3/4 cup)
- 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 4-5 cups diced butternut squash (20 ounces), fresh or frozen
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper (more to taste)
- 4 cups (32 ounces) chicken stock, no salt added
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine chicken, onion, quinoa, squash, sage, pepper, and chicken stock in a 6 or 7 quart slow cooker.
- Cook for four hours on high. Remove chicken, shred, and return to soup.
- In a small bowl, mix together half and half and cornstarch. Slowly stir into soup, cover and cook for 30 minutes longer. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Notes
- In an effort to make this recipe as easy as possible, I used frozen butternut squash cubes when testing the recipe. If you use fresh, you might find that the cubes hold their shape better. The frozen squash cubes disintegrate and become part of the broth/base which thickens the soup and makes it slightly sweet.
- If you’d prefer, you can use heavy cream for a richer soup instead of half & half.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1of 8, Calories: 539kcal, Carbohydrates: 71g, Protein: 46g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 111mg, Sodium: 405mg, Fiber: 18g, Sugar: 14g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Disclosure: I have been compensated by Milk Means More for my time to develop this recipe and write this post. All opinions are as always, my own. Find out more about why Milk Means More on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.
Kara Plantinga says
This was so quick and easy to make – especially because I used frozen squash cubes. It is a great fall soup. Delicious, filling and healthy.
Rachel Gurk says
Great shortcut! Glad you liked it!
Ericka says
So glad I came across this recipe! I’ve been looking for easy meals that I can freeze and reheat when I’m too tired to cook after my baby girl arrives. I think this will be one of those meals! I used full-fat coconut milk instead of half and half for a dairy-free alternative.
DessertForTwo says
I’m so into this!
Megan @ MegUnprocessed says
That squash looks delicious – great photo!
Lane & Holly @ With Two Spoons says
This looks so good and hearty! Can’t wait to try it!
Liz says
Such a wonderful autumnal soup! I love that you added quinoa, too!
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
Looks so good! Can’t wait to try it!
Sues says
What a glorious soup! Sometimes I feel pretty “meh” about soup, but when they’re packed full of goodies like this one is, I am totally on board.