Recipe
Marry Me Chicken Crockpot Soup
Creamy, sun-dried tomato and parmesan soup that cooks itself while you are somewhere else.
Why I love this one
This is my answer to the 4 p.m. panic. Everything goes into the crockpot before I leave the house, and dinner is waiting when we come through the door with backpacks and a permission slip somebody forgot to mention.
It tastes like something that took real effort — creamy, a little tangy from the sun-dried tomatoes, salty with parmesan — and it stretches beautifully with a loaf of sourdough on the side. My middle child asks for it by name, which in this house is the highest possible review.
Marry Me Chicken Crockpot Soup — Recipe Card
Prep 15 minutes · Cook 6 hours on low · Total About 6 hours 20 minutes · Serves 6
Ingredients
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup small pasta such as ditalini or small shells
- 1 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 4 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, for serving
Instructions
- 1.Load the crockpot: Add the chicken, broth, onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir once.
- 2.Slow cook: Cover and cook on low 6 hours or high 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the chicken shreds easily with a fork.
- 3.Shred: Lift the chicken out onto a plate, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot.
- 4.Pasta: Stir in the dry pasta, cover, and cook on high 20–25 minutes, until just tender.
- 5.Make it creamy: Turn the heat to low. Stir in the cream cheese cubes until melted, then the heavy cream and parmesan. Stir gently until smooth.
- 6.Greens: Add the spinach and stir 3–4 minutes, until wilted.
- 7.Taste and serve: Adjust salt and pepper, ladle into bowls, and top with fresh basil and more parmesan. Serve with crusty bread.
Kitchen notes
- Add the dairy at the very end and keep the heat on low; boiling cream will make the soup grainy.
- Cook the pasta separately and add it per bowl if you want leftovers that do not go soft.
- For a lighter version, swap the heavy cream for evaporated milk and use half the parmesan.