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Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Soup

A cold winter’s day really only demands one thing – a warming bowl of chicken soup. My favourite word this week when describing soup was ‘restorative’ – exactly what this soup is. This is my mother’s Polish recipe for a soup called Rosół z Kury, a clear soup, usually served with homemade egg noodles or dumplings. It can be made on the stove, in which case it just needs to simmer very, very gently for up to two hours, but I discovered this week that it’s even easier to make slow cooker chicken soup, which needs hardly any babysitting at all. The trick to making a very clear stock soup is to never  let it boil rapidly, which is why it works so well in the calm and consistent heat of a slow cooker. Usually I make my own plain, poured noodles, or Lane Kluski, but this week I tried it with some tiny egg gnocchetti, similar to Spatzle, I found in the fresh pasta section of the shops.

Chicken Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken Soup

Ren Behan
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole chicken (that will fit into your slow cooker)
  • 1 large white onion, peeled and halved
  • 2 sticks celery, ends trimmed
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and halved
  • 1 parsnip, peeled and halved (optional)
  • Handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley (save some for serving)
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
  • 2 litres/8 cups made-up chicken stock or water

Instructions
 

  • Keep the chicken tied and put the whole bird into the slow cooker/crock pot.
  • Add the onion, celery, carrots, parsley, a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper and bay leaf, tuck down into the pot, around the chicken.
  • Pour over two litres of water or made up chicken stock making sure you add enough liquid to completely cover the chicken. Add cold water if you need to top it up – the chicken and veg should be covered.
  • Switch the slow cooker onto slow and cook for 5-6 hours. Open the lid every now and again and just skim the broth.
  • Once cooked, take out the chicken. Taste the soup to see if you need to add a sprinkle of fresh sea salt and more pepper. You can strain the soup if you want to at this stage.
  • Carve up the chicken, taking care of the bones. Place a few pieces of chicken into a soup bowl with a few pieces of the cooked vegetables.
  • Serve with egg noodles or angle hair pasta, with a few sprigs of fresh parsley over the top.
  • Note: You can use cut up pieces of chicken - add them to the slow cooker/crock pot in the same way.
  • If cooking the soup on the stove top, use a big pan, bring it to the boil gently, then turn it down to a simmer and cook for 2 hours.

Chicken Soup

Lots of you have been getting in touch to say that you’ve been trying my recipes – the Chorizo, Chicken and Chickpea Soup was a big hit, as was the Slow Cooked Beef Brisket. Keep letting me know how you’re getting on. I’d love to see you photos on my facebook page, too.

Happy slow cooking.

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15 Comments

  1. Love your blog and this recipe – delicious! I make a version myself – it’s always been a part of my life – growing up with Polish family. Wish I had some right now – it’s so cold and would be perfect 🙂

  2. This has gone on my list of must have. I will let you know how it turns out.

    1. Thanks Chrissie, have linked up to you

  3. The slow cooker was my best friend during winter months when I was working full time. Nowadays I have more time to prep dinner but this is such a hearty, warm soup that I might just unpack that slow cooker soon and make some. Lovely photos too x

    1. Aah thanks Jaim, I hope you do manage to make it one day.

  4. They serve Spatzle soup at the cafe in Coram’s fields, London – it’s lovely. this sounds equally warming and tasty.

    1. Ooh that sounds very nice indeed, my favourite type of egg noodles x

  5. This is a recipe I could never tire of . A good chicken soup always makes me happy. It has magical medicinal properties I think!

    1. It does indeed. More for us today!

  6. an absolute joy!… I adore chicken soup in any way, shape or form… this looks glorious wit those thick noodles… divine work!

  7. They say that chicken soup is the best food for convalescents. I almost feel like deliberately getting sick so that I can try your recipe!

    1. Another batch on the go today and we’re all perfectly well! I think perhaps the medicinal properties are preventative, too 🙂

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