There is something so comforting about a good chicken soup, especially when it gets cold out or you have the sniffles.
I love slow cooker recipes because my whole apartment smells delicious and they don't require a lot of attention. This recipe is especially great because it doesn't require a lot of prep and it's a great healthy option for dinner.
You can make this as spicy or as mild as you want it to be which is great if you love spicy food and want to take it up a notch. Or if you don't love the sinus clearing powers of spicy food or you have kids you don't like spicy food you can make this very mild.
Bonus: goes great with a quick quesadilla on the side. You'll already have green salsa for dipping! I don't have kids but I imagine this would be a good combo- like hey try a cup of soup but also here's a little quesadilla. My mom pulled this kinda bargaining tactic all the time when I was younger and IT WORKED.
I typically get bad fall allergies so I rely on spicy soup to clear my sinuses. The base recipe is not very spicy but you can add jalapenos or use spicy green chiles to add a kick. Also depending on the green salsa you use - it could be plenty spicy as is.
You're getting a lot of nutrition here from the cumin, chicken, chick peas, peppers, corn honey, and avocado. Throwing in quinoa would add some more substance. If you're using store bought green salsa, make sure it doesn't have a ton of sugar or sodium added. I like homemade better for this reason because you have more control over what's going in but I realize it takes a bit more time.
Add this recipe to your fall/winter rotation at home! It's sure to be a crowd pleaser.
You’ll need:
-1 large chicken breast, sliced in half
-1 carton low sodium chicken broth (32 oz)
-1⁄2 yellow onion, sliced
-3 tablespoons canned green chiles or diced fresh poblano pepper
-1⁄4 cup fresh green salsa (store bought or homemade, mild or spicy)
-1⁄2 cup frozen corn
-1⁄2 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
-1⁄2 - 1 cup quinoa or brown rice (optional)
-1 tablespoon honey (local is best)
-1 tablespoon garlic powder
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-1 teaspoon onion salt
-fresh ground pepper to taste
-cilantro, sour cream, avocado for serving
Instructions:
1. Add everything except for rice, chickpeas, and toppings to your
crockpot and stir to mix. Set on low for six hours.
2. Use forks to break up the chicken into shredded pieces. Add chickpeas and
cooked rice/quinoa and let cook another 30 min- 1 hour.
3. Split into bowls, top with cilantro, avocado and sour cream. Enjoy!
* You could make this in an instant pot as well- I have not so I don't have times tested but I would guess 12-15 min pressure cook, then add chickpeas and rice and slow cook until its time to eat. Add an extra cup of water for this method.
* I will add a link to my homemade green salsa recipe