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This Slow Cooker Italian Chicken and Quinoa Soup is the best of all worlds: it comes together quickly, it’s good for you, and it’s full of familiar flavors and ingredients that the entire family will love!

As a parent cooking for a family, one of your biggest challenges can be finding recipes that are easy and that everyone in the house will actually enjoy. Because let’s be honest: there’s nothing worse than spending a lot of time in the kitchen only to serve a dinner that your kids won’t eat! That’s why this Italian chicken soup is perfect!

A bowl of Italian chicken soup in a bowl with a spoon

Quinoa is one of those ingredients that you may have heard about, but it looks (and sounds) funny, you’re not sure how to pronounce it (keen-wah), and you’re not sure what to do with it! But don’t worry — this simple Crock Pot dinner is anything but intimidating.

A side shot of Italian Chicken Soup in a bowl with a spoon sitting on a wooden surface

My kids actually really like quinoa, probably because it’s a mild alternative to rice or couscous. But unlike rice or other similar grains, quinoa is not a grain at all — it’s a seed. That means that it’s gluten-free, easy to digest, and high in protein. All a good start when you’re trying to eat a healthier diet, right?

An overhead shot of Italian chicken soup in a bowl garnished with parsley

But a healthy dinner is useless if it leaves you feeling hungry or unsatisfied shortly after you finish your meal! That’s why I love the filling, nourishing ingredients in this quinoa soup, which make it a true one-pot meal. It’s loaded with protein, veggies, flavorful herbs, and a rich, thick broth for the ultimate healthy and satisfying supper.

A spoon scooping up some Italian chicken soup from a bowl

With only 5 minutes of prep, this easy Slow Cooker Italian Chicken and Quinoa Soup is a healthy dinner that the whole family will love! When cooked on low, it’s also a meal that can sit on your counter simmering all day, making it ideal for working parents who are out of the house for long stretches of time.

Enjoy, my friends!

Extra Tips For Making Italian Chicken Soup;

  • Want to Make it Vegetarian? Omit the chicken and replace the meat with 2 cans of drained and rinsed cannellini beans, garbanzo beans, or kidney beans. You can substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth, too!
  • Cooking for Just Two? You can easily cut the recipe in half, which will give you 4 servings of soup. It freezes nicely or keeps in the refrigerator for about a week, so you can enjoy the extra servings at a later date (with no grocery shopping or prep work necessary)!
  • Want to Prep Ahead? You can make this a slow cooker freezer meal by dumping all of the raw ingredients into a zip-top bag and freezing until ready to use. Before cooking, thaw the bag in the refrigerator overnight and then cook the next day as instructed. Alternatively, you can prepare a big batch of this soup over the weekend and store the extra cooked soup in your freezer for up to 3 months or in your refrigerator for about a week.

If you’ve tried this Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Soup or any other recipe on The Seasoned Mom then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest to see what I’m getting up to.

Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Soup

4.20 from 5 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 8 hours
Total: 8 hours 5 minutes
Servings 8 (2-cup servings)
Calories 266 kcal
A delicious, easy and comforting slow cooker Italian chicken soup with quinoa

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa rinsed well
  • 24 oz jar of marinara sauce I like to use a brand that doesn’t include any added sugar in the ingredient list
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 red bell peppers seeded and chopped
  • 3 large carrots peeled and sliced into rounds
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 14.5 ounce can petite-diced tomatoes, NOT drained
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Toppings:

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a large slow cooker.
  • Cover, and cook on “low” for about 7-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.
  • Remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Shred or dice the meat, return it to the pot, and season with salt and pepper.
  • Garnish with cheese and parsley and serve.

Notes

  • Want to Make it Vegetarian? Omit the chicken and replace the meat with 2 cans of drained and rinsed cannellini beans, garbanzo beans, or kidney beans. You can substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth, too!
  • Cooking for Just Two? You can easily cut the recipe in half, which will give you 4 servings of soup. It freezes nicely or keeps in the refrigerator for about a week, so you can enjoy the extra servings at a later date (with no grocery shopping or prep work necessary)!
  • Want to Prep Ahead? You can make this a slow cooker freezer meal by dumping all of the raw ingredients into a zip-top bag and freezing until ready to use. Before cooking, thaw the bag in the refrigerator overnight and then cook the next day as instructed. Alternatively, you can prepare a big batch of this soup over the weekend and store the extra cooked soup in your freezer for up to 3 months or in your refrigerator for about a week.

Nutrition

Calories: 266kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 29gFat: 4gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 1032mgPotassium: 1167mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 5215IUVitamin C: 60.6mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 3.2mg
Keyword: chicken soup, quinoa soup
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Author: The Seasoned Mom

 

 

blair

Hey, I’m Blair!

Welcome to my farmhouse kitchen in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Inspired by local traditions and seasonal fare, you’ll find plenty of easy, comforting recipes that bring your family together around the table. It’s down-home, country-style cooking!

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Comments

  1. I love quinoa! It’s my favorite ingredient for salads and casseroles, but I’ve never used it in a soup before. This slow cooker chicken soup looks amazing, Blair! I love the zesty flavors and how easy this is! Perfect for busy weeknights or lazy Sundays (aka my slow cooker day)! 🙂

    1. Thanks, Gayle! Quinoa is definitely delicious in salads and casseroles too. I hope that you give it a try in soup soon. It’s so easy!

  2. I’ve never tried quinoa before, but I love thick soups and am planning to try this over the weekend ? Sounds delicious!

      1. 2 stars
        Followed the recipe but after 3 hours on high the chicken was nowhere near cooked. Had to grab a portion of bolognaise out of the freezer as an alternative. I left it cooking for about 3 more hours then reheated it for lunch today. It had cooked through and thickened to a great consistency, I shredded the chicken portions and served it with fresh bread. I thought it was lovely, but can’t say the same for the rest of the family – sorry ?
        4 yr old just ate the bread, 8 yr old took one spoonful and declared he didn’t like it ☹️️ Hubby is always nice about my efforts, but I got the feeling he wasn’t too keen either.

  3. Mmmmm. I need to make this! It sounds similar to this amazing soup I had at a little cafe a few months ago! Love quinoa!! Yum!

    1. Oh, I hope that you’ll try it, Kelly! Quinoa in soup is so good because it makes it so thick and satisfying (no cream necessary)!

  4. This looks amaaazing! I need to save this recipe for when it gets cooler here as it includes so many of our favourite things!

  5. 5 stars
    This was ridiculously easy, very hearty and delicious! I added a little Italian Seasoning and dried parsley before starting the slow cooker. My two kids loved it also.

    1. Perfect! So glad that you liked it, Kate! 🙂 And thanks for stopping by the blog — hope you and your family are doing well!

  6. 4 stars
    That looks like something my whole family would love, and it’s healthy too! I’ll try it out this week for sure.

  7. Does the quinoa get overdone like rice does if you put it in the slow cooker too early? I have had some huge messes on my hands with both rice and pasta getting too done and basically breaking down by the time everything is done cooking. I just want to make sure I understand the directions. Put the quinoa in, in the morning with everything else? Thanks

    1. Hi, Holly! That’s a great question! I haven’t had any trouble with the quinoa getting over-cooked in the slow cooker for this recipe. I just dump everything in there together at the same time and it turns out perfectly at the end. That said, slow cookers have a HUGE range of temperatures that they cook at, so you might have a slow cooker that runs much hotter than others. If that’s the case, then you probably don’t need to cook your dishes for as long as a standard recipe suggests. Your best bet is to keep an eye on it (at least the first time) so that you generally know when the quinoa is finished and can turn it off. If you’re worried about making sure that the chicken cooks through in time, you can use small pieces of chicken that cook faster. Again, I’ve never had any trouble with this recipe, but that’s what I would suggest to avoid any issues. 🙂

  8. 5 stars
    Oh my gosh, this was SOOOO good. I made this last night, and it was a perfect supper for a chilly New England March day. My one-year-old gobbled it up with about a million saltine crackers. I also love quinoa in soup! I had never tried it before last night. It thickened things up to a nice, stewy, hearty consistency. Thanks for another amazing dinner!

    1. Awesome, Meredith! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! I agree — the quinoa thickens the soup so that it’s almost creamy. Love that! It’s so much more satisfying than just a broth-based soup!

  9. This sounds good, except I am allergic to bell peppers… is there a substitution you would suggest so the soup would not be too bland without them?

    1. Hi, Marley! You can add almost any veggie that you like to this soup. Maybe some zucchini or squash? An extra onion? More carrots? Another can of diced tomatoes? Some broccoli florets? Cauliflower, etc. Just about anything that’s cut small enough so that it has time to fully cook (or you can steam it a bit to get it partially cooked before adding it to the pot). Have fun with it and pick your favorites. You can’t mess it up too much. 🙂

  10. 5 stars
    My crock pot was too small for this recipe. I couldn’t add the extra water and I cut the quinoa a bit. Delicious with some parmesan cheese!

    1. We’re so glad it still turned out okay! If you plan on making it again, we’ve found the best way to adjust the recipe is to cut all the ingredients in half.