This slow cooker Chicken Kale Sweet Potato Soup is healthy and flavorful! It's made with chunky vegetables cooked in a savory tomato broth.
If your looking for a hearty meal with minimal effort, be sure to check out this Crockpot Chicken Sweet Potato Soup. It's easy to prepare and made with only a few simple ingredients.
The slow cooker is a great thing to have on hand if you're looking to create a tasty meal without spending the entire evening in the kitchen. Once all of the ingredients are prepared, the process of cooking a soup is relatively hands-off.
This recipe is made with split chicken breasts that are slow-cooked along with diced sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and kale. The chicken and veggies are simmered in a savory tomato broth that's flavored simply with garlic, onions, and Italian seasoning.
It's a no-fuss, no-frills dish that's great to serve on a cold winter evening with your favorite bread for dipping. This soup is naturally gluten free and dairy free, making it a healthy option suited for lots of diets.
This soup may be garnished with some grated Parmesan cheese for richness or finished with some freshly minced herbs such as parsley or chives extra color and flavor.
Jump to:
- How To Add Flavor To Slow Cooker Soup
- Ingredients For Chicken Kale Sweet Potato Soup
- Which Chicken Is Best For Slow Cooker Soup?
- How To Make Chicken Kale Sweet Potato Soup
- Do The Sweet Potatoes Need To Be Peeled First?
- How To Tell If Chicken Is Done Cooking
- How Long Does Slow Cooker Soup Take To Cook?
- What To Serve With Chicken Kale Sweet Potato Soup
- How Long Does Chicken Sweet Potato Soup Last In The Fridge?
- Can It Be Frozen?
- Chicken Kale Sweet Potato Soup (Slow Cooker)
How To Add Flavor To Slow Cooker Soup
The slow cooker is fantastic when it comes to creating healthy meals with minimal effort.
One of the challenges of slow cooker meals is that many times the ingredients are not sauteed first. This, along with the long cooking time at a steady temperature can lead to a flatness or overall lack of flavor.
There are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind when preparing slow cooker soups that will help to ensure a flavorful dish.
- Make sure to use plenty of aromatics, such as garlic and onions. Aromatics are one of the best ways to add flavor to just about any dish.
- It's important to season the soup properly. Make sure to add plenty of kosher salt and pepper for a more flavorful soup.
- I recommend using bone-in (also known as split) chicken breasts instead of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cooking meat on the bone always results in a more flavorful broth. Split chicken breasts are a bit higher in fat and fat creates more flavor.
- Add ingredients that are acidic, such as tomatoes, lemon juice, or vinegar. The acid helps to wake up all of the other ingredients.
- Garnishing the soup with fresh herbs is a great way to boost the color and flavor of a slow cooker meal.
- Grated cheese such as Parmesan or Asiago adds even more flavor and richness.
Ingredients For Chicken Kale Sweet Potato Soup
Here's what you'll need to make it.
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 1 Onion (any color) (can sub 2 shallots)
- 1 Bell Pepper (red, orange, or yellow bell pepper is best)
- 2-3 Sweet Potatoes (yields 4-5 cups chopped)
- 2 packed cups Kale (any variety)
- 2 - 2 ½ lbs. Split Chicken Breasts (also known as bone-in chicken breasts)
- 3 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 1 ½ cups Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp. each Kosher Salt and Pepper
- Fresh herbs such as Parsley or Chives for garnish (optional)
Which Chicken Is Best For Slow Cooker Soup?
When it comes to this chicken kale sweet potato soup, I prefer to use split chicken breasts (also known as bone-in chicken breasts).
Cooking chicken on the bone always means more flavor and that's important when making dishes in the slow cooker. The flavor from the chicken bones and fat from the bit of extra skin creates a more rich, decadent broth.
Split chicken breasts generally stay more moist and juicy during the cooking process and are less likely to dry out in the crockpot.
The other thing I love about split chicken breasts is that they are generally less expensive than boneless, skinless chicken breasts, making them an economical choice.
How To Make Chicken Kale Sweet Potato Soup
As far as soups go, this one is easy to prepare and made using only a few ingredients.
It starts off by removing the skin from the chicken breasts and then chopping the aromatics and vegetables. All of the components are then placed in the crockpot along with the liquid and spices.
The chicken is removed and shredded 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time and then added back to the slow cooker along with the chopped kale and extra tomato sauce. This helps to prevent the kale from getting soggy and brightens up the flavors.
Do The Sweet Potatoes Need To Be Peeled First?
When it comes to slow cooker soups, I recommend peeling the sweet potatoes first. The slow cooking process may cause the skins to separate from the sweet potatoes, resulting in an unpleasant texture.
- Start by removing the skin from 2 - 2 ½ lbs. of split (also known as bone-in) chicken breasts. Discard the chicken skin.
- Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color) (or 2 shallots). It's best to mince the onion finely, so that it softens and doesn't remail crunchy as the end of the cooking time.
- Dice 1 bell pepper (I recommend a sweeter variety of bell pepper such as red, yellow, or orange).
- Peel 2-3 sweet potatoes. Chop the sweet potatoes into chunks, making sure that they are relatively the same size so that they cook evenly (yields 4-5 cups chopped sweet potatoes).
- Roughly chop 2 packed cups of kale (or hearty greens of choice). Set aside until needed.
- Place the split chicken breasts into the slow cooker. Sprinkle 1 tsp. of Italian seasoning and ¾ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper over the chicken.
- Add the minced garlic, onions (or shallots), and bell peppers to the slow cooker.
- Add the chopped sweet potatoes to the slow cooker.
- Pour 3 cups of low sodium chicken broth into the slow cooker along with 1 cup of crushed tomatoes. Stir the crushed tomatoes into the broth, making sure that the ingredients are combined and just covered with the liquid.
- Place the lid securely on the slow cooker and cook for 4-5 hours on High or 5-7 hours on Low.
How To Tell If Chicken Is Done Cooking
The chicken is removed from the slow cooker 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time. It's then shredded and added back to the crockpot.
It's important that the chicken is fully cooked, but also not overcooked during the cooking process. If you have ever made chicken in the slow cooker that was dry and tough or rubbery, it was likely overcooked.
Make sure to keep an eye on the cooking time when making this soup. It's easy to think that chicken can't overcook in the slow cooker, but it definitely can and overcooked chicken results in an unpleasant texture.
The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit and can be checked using a food thermometer if you have any concerns.
How Long Does Slow Cooker Soup Take To Cook?
Cooking times vary when it comes to slow cookers. Generally, a soup like this one takes 4-5 hours on High or 6-8 hours on Low.
If you have a slow cooker that tends to cook a little more quickly, this soup will likely need less cooking time. Older slow cookers tend to cook a bit more slowly, so be sure to take this into account when preparing soups.
This soup is finished cooking when the chicken is cooked through and the sweet potatoes are tender, but not mushy.
The onions and bell peppers will also have softened at the end of the cooking time.
- 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the chicken breasts and place on a wooden cutting board. Shred the cooked chicken with two forks, removing it from the bones (make sure that all of the bones have been removed before adding it back into the crockpot). Discard the bones.
- Return the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker.
- Add the chopped kale (or hearty greens of choice) along with another ½ cup of crushed tomatoes and ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper.
- Stir all of these ingredients until completely combined.
- Place the lid firmly back on the slow cooker and cook for another 30 minutes.
Adding the extra crushed tomatoes, kosher salt and pepper helps to brighten up the overall flavor.
What To Serve With Chicken Kale Sweet Potato Soup
I love to garnish dishes like this one with some fresh herbs for extra color and flavor. Parsley or chives are both great options when it comes to this soup.
You can also add some grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese for extra richness.
This chicken sweet potato soup is hearty enough to be enjoyed on its own, but it's also great with some warm, crusty bread for dipping. Any type of French or Italian bread is perfect.
Hearty soups like this one are also delicious served with these savory cheddar herb scones or buttermilk biscuits.
Soup and sandwiches make for a nice pairing. This Italian mozzarella grilled cheese or Gouda grilled cheese sandwich a great choices.
A bright and tangy side salad like a fresh green salad, Caesar salad, Italian green bean salad, or Italian quinoa salad would complement the flavors of this soup.
Love soup? Check out these recipes!
- Fennel Sausage Soup
- Cannellini Bean, Kale, and Carrot Soup
- Sweet Potato Kale Soup
- Vegetable Orzo Soup
- Butternut Squash Sausage Soup
How Long Does Chicken Sweet Potato Soup Last In The Fridge?
Any leftover soup may be stored for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Make sure to allow the soup to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.
Can It Be Frozen?
How To Freeze
- Prepare the soup as directed and allow it to come to room temperature before freezing.
- Once cooled, place in heavy-duty freezer bags or freezer-safe food storage containers, label with the date, and freeze up to 3 months.
How To Thaw
- Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove top or in the microwave.
- Feel free to add more chicken broth to the soup if needed when reheating.
Love slow cooker recipes? Don't miss these!
- Slow Cooker Chicken Potato Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Soup
- Ground Beef Chili
- Slow Cooker Veggie Chili
- Crockpot Tortilla Soup
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
Looking For More Slow Cooker Soups? Don't Miss These!
Ham Bone Soup
Slow Cooker Chicken Posole
Slow Cooker Navy Bean Soup
Chicken Kale Sweet Potato Soup (Slow Cooker)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 onion any color, can sub 2 shallots
- 1 large bell pepper red, orange, or yellow
- 2-3 sweet potatoes yields 4-5 cups chopped
- 2 packed cups kale or hearty greens of choice
- 2 - 2 ½ lbs. split chicken breasts also known as bone-in chicken breasts
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups crushed tomatoes split
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. kosher salt split
- 1 tsp. pepper split
- fresh herbs such as parsley or chives for garnish optional
Instructions
- Remove and discard the skin from 2 - 2 ½ lbs. of split (also known as bone-in) chicken breasts.
- Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color). It's best to mince the onion finely, so that it softens and doesn't remail crunchy at the end of the cooking time.You can also sub 2 shallots in place of the onion.
- Dice 1 large bell pepper (I recommend a sweeter variety of bell pepper such as red, yellow, or orange).
- Peel 2-3 sweet potatoes. Chop the sweet potatoes into chunks, making sure that they are relatively the same size so that they cook evenly (yields 4-5 cups chopped sweet potatoes).
- Roughly chop 2 packed cups of kale (any variety) (or hearty greens of choice). Set aside until needed.
- Place the split chicken breasts into the slow cooker. Sprinkle 1 tsp. of Italian seasoning and ¾ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper over the chicken.
- Add the minced garlic, onions (or shallots), and bell peppers to the slow cooker.
- Add the chopped sweet potatoes to the slow cooker.
- Pour 3 cups of low sodium chicken broth into the slow cooker along with 1 cup of crushed tomatoes. Stir the crushed tomatoes into the broth, making sure that the ingredients are combined and just covered with the liquid.
- Place the lid securely on the slow cooker and cook for 4-5 hours on High or 5-7 hours on Low.
- 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the chicken breasts and place on a wooden cutting board. Shred the cooked chicken with two forks, removing it from the bones (make sure that all of the bones have been removed before adding it back into the crockpot). Discard the bones.Return the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker.
- Add the chopped kale (or hearty greens of choice) along with another ½ cup of crushed tomatoes and ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Stir all of these ingredients until completely combined.Place the lid firmly back on the slow cooker and cook for another 30 minutes.
- To Serve: Adjust salt and pepper levels as needed. Garnished with freshly minced herbs such as parsley or chives (optional) or grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese (optional).
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