Chicken Potato Soup (Crockpot)
Healthy Crockpot Potato Soup with Chicken is a thick and creamy, comforting potato soup with chunks of chicken and tons of vegetables. By combining tender potatoes with vibrant vegetables and cozy herbs, you can make a slow cooker potato soup that the whole family will love!
Why We Love This Chicken Potato Soup Recipe
Don’t you love meals that feel and taste super naughty, but aren’t? Today we’re sharing a Crockpot Potato Soup with Chicken that is so comforting, healthy, and so tasty too.
Potato soup has always been one of my favorite soups. It’s a hearty, low-cost, family-friendly dish my mother turned into an art form over the years. Making it always reminds me of her.
Today I’m sharing my Healthy Crockpot Potato Soup with Chicken, a variation of my mom’s soup.
Yes, chicken and potato soup is a carb-based dish. Yet it can still be made as a low-fat dinner, loaded with vitamins and minerals!
This healthy slow cooker soup recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, low fat (especially if you use turkey bacon), and packed with protein and veggies! Instead of adding dairy like heavy cream and butter, we rely on starchy potatoes to make this soup super creamy!
You can make this Crockpot Potato Soup recipe either in a crockpot as directed, or on the stovetop if you are short on time. Either way, you end up with a lovely rustic, yet silky, texture and a spectacular savory flavor.
Ingredients For Chicken Potato Soup
To make this healthy slow cooker chicken potato soup recipe get these ingredients or their substitutes!
- Bacon – To make this a little healthier use turkey bacon or low-sodium bacon.
- Onion – Delicious onion helps flavor the whole soup.
- Garlic – A fragrant and humble ingredient that helps the base flavor of the soup.
- Russet Potatoes – You can use other potatoes for this recipe but russet has the perfect amount of starchiness to thicken it up.
- Chicken Breast – Don’t add this if you want to make this soup vegetarian. If you want a faster version, add rotisserie chicken at the end instead.
- Carrots – These are full of beta carotene, an antioxidant our body transforms into vitamin A.
- Celery – This is full of fiber which aids in digestion.
- Chicken Broth – To make this healthier use low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth.
- Dried Thyme – A gentle flavor that blends perfectly into the soup.
- Chopped Parsley – For color and flavor.
- Salt and Pepper – For the best possible taste!
How to Make Slow Cooker Potato Soup
Place a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until brown, then add in the onions and garlic. Sauté to soften. (If using turkey bacon, cook in a nonstick skillet.) Pour the onion mixture into the crock of a large 6-quart slow cooker. If you are not using bacon, add a little butter to the skillet.
Place the chicken breast on top of the onions. Add the sliced potatoes, carrots, celery, chicken broth, thyme, salt, and black pepper.
Place the lid on the slow cooker. Turn on low and cook for 8-12 hours, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are extremely soft. (Check the chicken at 7 hours. If it’s cooked through, you can remove the chicken and refrigerate it until the potatoes are tender and breaking apart. If you happen to have a slow cooker, you do not want to overcook the chicken.)
Remove the chicken breast from the crockpot. Stir the potato soup vigorously to break up the potatoes and thicken the broth. (You can make it extra creamy by partially pureeing the soup with an immersion blender. Or place 1 1/2 cups of the soup in a regular blender, puree, and then stir back into the soup. Alternatively, you can use a potato masher to mash up some of the potatoes into smaller bits.)
Shred or chop the chicken and add it back to the slow cooker along with fresh parsley. Stir well. Serve warm topped with low-fat cheese and sliced green onions if desired!
Should I cook potato soup on the stovetop or in the crockpot?
This is a simple long slow cooker recipe.
It takes a lot of time for the potatoes to break down and thicken the broth in a crockpot. That means you really can leave this chicken potato soup in the crockpot bubbling all day, even up to 12 hours. Then come home to a wafting bacon and herb aroma that will make you smile!
On the flip side, the stovetop version takes less than an hour.
That makes our Crockpot Healthy Potato Soup with Chicken versatile enough for any night of the week.
How to Make Chicken Potato Soup on the Stovetop
Brown the bacon, onions, and garlic as directed above in a large sauce pot.
Add the chicken breast, sliced potatoes, carrots, celery, chicken broth, thyme, salt, and black pepper to the pot. However, increase the broth to 12 cups, and lower the salt to 1 teaspoon. Simmer on medium until the chicken has cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Remove the chicken and set it aside. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are extremely soft and thicken the broth, 30-40 minutes total.
Stir the potato soup vigorously to break up the potatoes and thicken the broth. (You can make it extra creamy by partially pureeing the soup with an immersion blender. Or place 1 1/2 cups of the soup in a regular blender, puree, then stir back into the soup.)
Shred or chop the chicken and add it back to the pot along with fresh parsley. Stir well.
Serve warm in a bowl topped with low-fat cheese if desired!
Check the Recipe Card Below to Learn How to Make Healthy Crock Pot Potato Soup with Chicken!
Crockpot Potato Soup Tips & Tricks
- To make a vegetarian potato soup, omit the bacon and chicken and use vegetable broth!
- Make sure to cut the potatoes into pretty thin pieces! This will make sure that they can become tender in the crockpot.
- If you don’t want this to take a super long time to cook, you can definitely cook it on the stovetop! The whole process would take about one hour.
- Serve with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crumbled bacon if you want some extra flavor!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This potato soup freezes well! The only thing to keep in mind is to thaw it very slowly so the potatoes don’t turn to mush. You can do this by thawing in your refrigerator and then reheating the next day. Freeze leftover soup for up to 3 months.
You can store this potato soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days!
Of course, you can use other types of potatoes, though the more starchy potatoes will help with the creamy texture. Those would be Russet, Idaho, and Yukon Gold potatoes. The starch in the potato helps give us the desired consistency of this creamy potato soup.
This soup recipe is meant to be a lean soup with a light, balanced flavor. You can kick up the zest by adding 4 teaspoons of chicken bouillon (as well as the chicken broth), 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Other spices like cumin, cayenne pepper, or chili powder also add a nice touch! (If you add the chicken bouillon, reduce the salt in half as it might get too salty with both.)
You can also add extra vegetables to crockpot soup recipes, like canned diced tomatoes, baby spinach, corn, or frozen green beans.
Serving Suggestions
Healthy crockpot potato soup is satisfying and filling on its own, but goes great with some sides too! Especially, if you are feeding a crowd, I recommend serving this soup with some of my favorite sides:
And don’t forget all of the best toppings! Potato soup is delicious with some shredded cheese, crumbled bacon bits, sour cream, fresh parsley, or chives!
Looking for Other Great Comfort Food Recipes or Crock-Pot Soup Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Fried Goat Cheese Green Salad
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Beef Stew
- Split Pea Soup
- White Chicken Chili
- Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Zuppa Toscana
- Healthy Chicken White Bean Soup
- Tuna Chickpea Kofta with Harissa Greek Yogurt Dip
- The Best Queso with Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Smoked Cheese Dip (Spread) with Sour Cream
Check the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information including carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, fiber, and vitamin c percentages as well as prep time and total time for this recipe.
Chicken Potato Soup (Crockpot)
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon chopped (could be low fat turkey bacon)
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 cups sliced carrots
- 2 cup sliced celery
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until brown, then add in the onions and garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes to soften. (If using turkey bacon, cook in a nonstick skillet.) Pour the onions mixture into the crock of a large 6-quart slow cooker.
- Place the chicken breast on top of the onions. Add the sliced potatoes, carrots, celery, chicken broth, thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker. Turn on low and cook for 8-12 hours, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are extremely soft. (Check the chicken at 7 hours. If it's cooked through, you can remove the chicken and refrigerate it until the potatoes are tender and breaking apart. If you happen to have a slow cooker, you do not want to overcook the chicken.)
- Remove the chicken breast from the crock. Stir the potato soup vigorously to break up the potatoes and thicken the broth. (You can make it extra creamy by partially pureeing the soup with an immersion blender. Or place 1 1/2 cups of the soup in a regular blender, puree, then stir back into the soup.)
- Shred or chop the chicken and add it back to the slow cooker along with fresh parsley. Stir well. Serve warm topped with low-fat cheese if desired!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I’m making this for dinner tonight. Is the timing correct? 8-12 hours?? Should that below on low? Thanks! I can’t wait to taste this!
Hi Brittany,
Yes, raw potatoes take a bit of time in the crockpot. You can dice them smaller to cook a little faster. :)
Looks absolutely delicious. Was running out of ideas on what to make next in my crockpot and this is it!
Cheers, Drew
I was looking at exactly this type of kitchen recipe and finally, I found here. I really appreciate your effort in writing such an amazing guide of healthy recipes.
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Thanks so much for sharing this recipe, Sommer! I absolutely love Crockpot soups, especially this time of year. I think I’ll make this for Super Bowl Sunday. I also can’t wait to try your Chicken Tortilla soup! :)
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Very tasty, great flavor. Will definitely make again. I used the suggested chicken bouillon and Italian seasoning. However, after nearly 10 hours in the crockpot the potatoes were not soft, so I transferred the soup to a pot and boiled it on the stove for about 45 more minutes. This worked well and the soup was delicious.
Tasted good and was very filling, BUT:
1. 3 lbs of potatoes?? I used a freaking 7 quart crockpot and I had to take out about two cups worth of potatoes or else it would have overflowed. I had to take out about a cup and a half of broth as well. Please note that I used Yukon gold instead of Russet and finely cubed them (1/2” wide) instead of sliced. I don’t have an immersion blender so I just went with the classic potato cube shape.
2. I was immediately wary of the cook time; 8-12 hours on high with boneless chicken breasts in there just felt like I was asking for something to go wrong. I decided to set a time for 6 hours and check in then. The chicken’s internal temp was 190° by five hours in and the potatoes were done. I’m glad I used my senses…
So yea, the overflowing ingredients really caught me off guard. When in doubt, check the chicken earlier than it says.
Yeah 3 pounds seems like way too many. I’ve looked at a lot of similar recipes today and they are like 3 large potatoes and 2 pounds of chicken. I will be cubbing as well since that’s how I typically do potatoes in soup. Really was just looking for a good base recipe to tweak to my liking based on what I have to use up in my fridge/cupboard lol.
Last December I made a very large slow cooker pot of this delicious potato chicken soup /stew for a Christmas gathering. Everyone loved it and went back for second and third servings. I loved how easy it was to make and how great it tastes. My husband asked me if I was going to make this again this year. So this week I am going to make a much smaller portion of this recipe for the two of us. Knowing there will be lots of great left overs that I can freeze.
Made this tonight in my Instant Pot and it was amazing! Got enthusiastic thumbs up from my son and husband! The best part of cooking this in the Instant Pot is browning the bacon on the saute function as the brown bits on the bottom of the pot lend so much flavour to the finished soup. I set my Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes and then I did a quick release. Highly recommend this soup in the Instant Pot!
Hi Amy! Did you follow the slow cooker instructions, except instead of cooking low 8-12 hours you did the high pressure for 10 minutes (with the potatoes, chicken, veggies, broth, etc.)? I’m newer to the Instant Pot but would love to try this method. TIA!
Not a fan of Thyme. Will fined adequate substitute.
Could this be made in the instant pot?
Hi Alissa,
Probably… Yet since I haven’t tried this method, I can’t give exact instructions. If you give it a try, please report back! :)
I made this as a stovetop version and it cooked much faster for me than the recipe says (which I appreciated on a busy Tuesday night!). Great fall/winter soup that I’ll be making again for sure.
Hi Sommer,
I had a quick question for you, in looking at the “Want to intensify the flavor?” I am wondering you suggest to add 4 teaspoons chicken bouillon, is that the chicken bouillon cubes, or “better than bouillon” jar?
Thank you! Making this in the slow cooker tomorrow!
Hi Alyssa,
1 teaspoon of bouillon paste is the same as 1 cube, so you can use either 4 teaspoons or 4 cubes. Hope this helps!
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Delicious! A new family favorite. Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely delicious!!