This healthy chicken vegetable soup is packed with tasty vegetables but no noodles. A delicious recipe that is easy to make in your crock pot that is low-fat and low-sodium.
Introduction
This super easy and tasty soup fits low-calorie, low-fat, and low sodium. So this soup has earned the term "healthy."
For the lower carb/keto diets, it is relatively low with most of the carbs from the corn, which you can cut back or change if you want to green beans.
I will not calculate anything to do with Weight Watcher's points. They kept changing it, so I gave up.
It was somewhat inspired by a food.com recipe with only a few minor changes. I cut what appeared to be some unnecessary butter and a few other minor changes.
My Rating
A very nice soup that is healthy enough to be a fundamental part of almost any diet and tasty enough even if you're not dieting.
🐓Ingredients for Chicken Vegetable Soup
The Chicken
To make a healthier soup, the obvious choice is skinless boneless chicken breast. They vary a lot in size but is it soup, a little more or a little less chicken is fine.
But these chicken breasts can be a bit low on taste due to the lack of skin, bones, and fat. You can use a soup base to give it that extra pop of chicken flavor if needed. Decide at the end of cooking if you want the extra taste.
Skinless chicken thighs are an excellent choice and will provide a nice moist chicken and great taste. Of course, they will have increased the fat in the final soup.
Precooked Rotisserie Chicken
Yes. Each chicken breasts produce 1 ½ to 2 cups of shredded chicken, so to substitute for two chicken breasts, you will need 3 to 4 cups of rotisserie chicken.
If using rotisserie chicken or other precooked chicken, cook everything else in the crock pot until the vegetables are tender. Then add the cooked chicken and continue to cook until the chicken is hot.
Vegetables
The usual soup vegetable of carrots, corn, and celery are used. If you want a lower carbohydrate soup, replace the corn with green beans.
You can add frozen peas near the end of cooking. And you can also add a large diced potato.
One can of undrained diced tomatoes may be substituted for a can of chicken broth. You may need to add a touch of salt and black pepper for the tomatoes.
For aromatic vegetables, the usual onion and garlic are recommended.
But this is soup, so load it up with the veggies you love.
There is no need to precook the vegetables.
Broth
Chicken broth or stock are good choices. Try to use low or sodium-free versions if you want low-sodium soup.
I do not suggest water or vegetable broth since more chicken taste is commonly needed if using chicken breasts.
Seasoning
I suggest only adding salt near the end of cooking if needed. Oregano and basil are recommended spices. But you may use Italian seasoning instead.
Other spices or fresh herbs can be added, like rosemary or a bay leaf.
👨🍳How to Cook Chicken Vegetable Soup in a Crock Pot
- Chop the carrots, celery and onion.
- Trim and cut the chicken breasts into 1 inch chunks.
- Add all ingredients to a smaller crock pot.
- Cook on low for 7-8 hours or 3-4 hours on high.
❓FAQs
As written, this recipe needs a 3 ½ quart or larger crock pot. A half recipe needs a 2-quart size.
3-4 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low. The raw chicken needs to be cooked to 165°, and the vegetables must be tender.
Yes, you can add noodles or other pasta if you wish.
If you want noodles, cook your pasta to al dente and add them at the end of cooking.
To make low sodium soup, use low sodium or sodium-free chicken broth. Also, don't add additional salt until you taste test the soup near the end of cooking.
❄️Storage of Chicken Vegetable Soup
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in a sealed container for 3-4 days. To freeze, the soup should be sealed in an airtight container and frozen for 3-4 months.
To reheat your soup, thaw if frozen first. Then reheat either in a stovetop pan or the microwave.
📖Healthier Chili and Soup Recipes
Low Fat High Taste Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
Healthy Southwest Chicken Chili
Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin Chili
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Use low sodium or sodium-free broth if you want low sodium soup.
Chop 2 peeled carrots, two ribs of celery, and one medium onion.
Trim and cut two medium skinless boneless chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes.
Add broth to the crock pot — 3 ½ quart size minimum for the full recipe.
Add veggies, 2-4 cloves minced garlic, 3 - 14 oz cans low-sodium chicken broth, 1 teaspoon oregano, and ½ teaspoon pepper. If you like thyme, add ½ teaspoon of thyme. Salt to taste. 16 oz package of frozen white corn or green beans for low carb. Add chicken and mix well.
Cook for 7-8 hrs on low or 3-4 hours on high. With about one hour left in cooking, the taste test. You can add a bit of salt if needed. If you want more "chicken taste," add some soup base or bouillon cubes.
📖Recipe
Healthy Crock Pot Chicken Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts - medium cut into 1 inch cubes
- 42 oz low-sodium chicken broth - 3 - 14 oz cans
- 1 pound frozen corn
- 1 onion - medium diced
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 carrots - peeled and diced
- 2 ribs celery - chopped
- 1 bay leaf - optional
- 1 teaspoon oregano - optional
- ½ teaspoon thyme - optional
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- salt to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoon Chicken soup base - or 2 bouillon cubes (Optional)
- 1 cup frozen peas - optional, add the last hour of cooking
- 2 cups froze green beans - optional
- 1 large russet potato - optional-peeled and diced
Instructions
- Use low sodium or sodium-free broth if you want low sodium soup.
- Chop 2 peeled carrots, two ribs of celery, and one medium onion.
- Trim and cut two medium skinless boneless chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes.
- Add veggies, 2-4 cloves minced garlic, 3 - 14 oz cans low-sodium chicken broth, 1 teaspoon oregano, and ½ teaspoon pepper. If you like thyme, add ½ teaspoon of thyme. Salt to taste. 16 oz package of frozen white corn or green beans for low carb. Add chicken and mix well.
- Add broth to the crock pot — 3 ½ quart size minimum for the full recipe.
- Cook for 7-8 hrs on low or 3-4 hours on high. With about one hour left in cooking, the taste test. You can add a bit of salt if needed. If you want more "chicken taste," add some soup base or bouillon cubes.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- This is low sodium as written, but also many will want to add a bit of salt at serving. I have not included that in the nutrition.
- The soup base or chicken bouillon cubes are at add extra chicken taste. It is optional, but I like it. You can wait to near the end of cooking to decide if you are adding it or not.
- Fill free to change up the veggies and spices if you want.
- As written, this makes about 11 cups of soup, and I'm suggesting a 2 cup serving size since it is "brothy."
- The crock pot needs to be 3.5 quarts or bigger as written. A half recipe will fit in a 2-quart crock pot.
- It is an easy recipe to cut in half and would fit well in a smaller crock pot but not smaller than 2 quarts.
- If you want lower carb or keto, then using green beans instead of corn will decrease the net carbs by 16 per serving.
- This is good refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen for 3-4 months.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor Note: This recipe was first published on October 14, 2012. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Melinda Snyder
I make this all the time. It is the best as is. However, I change it up throughout the winter. I grow fresh oregano and thyme during the summer and use it all winter just for this soup. If I’m feeding a crew I add egg yolk noodles, peas, green beans and Lima beans. It is the shop favorite.
For home healthy I use better than bullion chicken flavor, and a lower sodium vegetable stock with the extra veggies and no noodle.
if I’m in a rush and I don’t have time to prep chicken I get a rotisserie, pull it, and throw it in the last 15 minutes. All around the recipe is amazing. I love the flavors, and you can mix it up to keep it from feeling like the same old thing in the house.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Melinda,
Welcome to the blog and sorry for the delayed response.
I love basic healthy recipes like this that you can just move a few things around in it and have a different soup.
Glad it is working so well for you and love your changes.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Andrea
Hi! I just made this over night last night... it smells delicious and I am very excited to eat it...however there is a lot floating around in there...looks curdled, but I know that it is not as there is no dairy in there. I still want to eat it...is it OK to eat, and is this supposed to happen? Thank you!
DrDan
That is coagulated protein from the chicken breasts cooking. It seems to happen more with older or previously frozen chicken. It looks ugly but it is harmless and has almost not effect on taste. Skim it or ignore it.
DrDan
Kara
Good recipe! It's simple yet very tasty. The one thing I didn't like was that the residue of the chicken floats all over the soup. I'm not sure how to handle that. Maybe browning chicken before putting it in crock pot could help.
DrDan
Hi Kara,
My understanding is that it is protein from the cooking so unless you put it in totally cooked, it will probably be present. And that is not a good plan... taking cooked chicken and cooking another 8 hours.
Thanks for the note.
DrDan
Priscilla
I always use roast chicken leftover from another meals and add towards end of cooking time. I love recipes that keep it simple and the taste of the basics.
Jean
I'm trying this one.....YUMMY!!!!
Mikki Bolt
I am excited about learning some new recipes.
DrDan
Welcome and enjoy yourself.
DrDan
TrinaT
Hi!! Im new very new at crockpot cooking! Would there be a way to add wild rice into this? Thanks!!
DrDan
I have no good answer. I have never had good luck with rice other than a Minute Rice type. I plan to work with them more this winter ( I already have the rice, just no time yet). At 8 hours of cooking, I don't think it would do well though
Dan
Lisa Rusczyk
This is now I make it too! Yum!
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I'm definitely making this. If you like a little sweetness, you might try parsnips sometime. I just discovered them recently. If you've ever had really good pho...they remind me of its sweetness. Thanks for what looks like a tasty easy recipe that's pretty healthy.