Comfort Food Soup and Stew #SundaySupper...Featuring Slow Cooker Smoky Chicken-Potato Soup #fallfood #comfortfood #soup

It's late October...and Fall is in the air. Here in Texas, it's not terribly cool yet...but the worst of our heat is over for another year and evenings can be cool. That means one thing...soup weather! This week, #SundaySupper is focusing on comforting soup and stew recipes. I'm sharing a comforting Slow Cooker Smoky Chicken-Potato Soup that's hearty, without being overly heavy. It's a perfect weekend meal, because the slow cooker does most of the work. That leaves you time to take care of other stuff around the house...or maybe watch the Astros play World Series baseball!

Boneless skinless chicken thighs, aromatic veggies, and creamy baby potatoes are healthy additions to this chunky soup. This hearty soup is definitely a meal on its own, but I added garlic toast on the side. A simple green salad would be a perfect healthy accompaniment too!

Smoky Slow Cooker Chicken-Potato Soup 

adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients (makes 4 servings):

• 2 slices lean bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1.25 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tbs. olive oil
• 1 tbs. poultry seasoning + 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 large shallot, sliced into 1/4/-inch rings
• 1 cup sliced carrot
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 9 small potatoes -- gold or red -- cut in half
• 1.5 cups baby spinach, chopped
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Step 1: Add the olive oil to the slow cooker's insert on Brown/Sear mode. Combine the poultry seasoning and garlic powder, and season both sides of the chicken thighs with the mixture. Sear the chicken thighs on both sides. If your slow cooker does not have a Brown setting, brown the the thights in a skillet on your stove top and transfer to the slow cooker. Top the chicken thighs with the shallot, carrot, celery, and thyme. 

Step 2: Pour the chicken stock over the chicken thighs and vegetables, then add the crumbled bacon. Stir to combine, then cover and cook the soup on Low heat for 2 hours.

Step 3: After the soup has cooked for 2 hours, uncover and add the potatoes. Cover and cook the soup and additional 2 hours. Remove the chicken thighs with tongs and chop. Stir in the chicken and chopped spinach. Cook another minute or two, until the spinach is wilted. Ladle the finished soup into deep bowls.

This soup is perfect for Fall evenings -- it's chock full of juicy chicken meat and healthy veggies. The potatoes are a nice change of pace from noodles, and the crumbled bacon adds a mild smokiness in the background. I loved this soup, and the leftovers froze perfectly -- which means we have dinner in the freezer for later in the week!

If you're like me, you can never have enough soup recipes in your back pocket for the cooler months. You're in luck! This week's #SundaySupper participants are sharing tons of fabulous soup and stew recipes for you to add to your repertoire. Simply check on the links below to check them out!

Superb Soups

• “Make it Your Own” Soup Bar by The Freshman Cook
• Baked Potato Soup by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cabbage and Kielbasa Soup by Our Good Life
• Chicken and Dumplings by Palatable Pastime
• Easy Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup by Pies and Plots
• Gnocchi, Sausage & Spinach Soup by Bottom Left of the Mitten
• Habitant Pea Soup by What Smells So Good?
• Instant Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup by Sunday Supper Movement
• Meatball and Orzo Soup by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes

Stupendous Soups

• Milchnudeln (German Milk Noodles) by Tara’s Multicultural Table
• Mushroom Fennel Soup by Caroline’s Cooking
• Pasta Fagioli Soup by Soulfully Made
• Slow Cooker Black Bean Chili by Cricket’s Confections
• Slow Cooker Chicken Posole by My Imperfect Kitchen
• Slow Cooker Smoky Chicken-Potato Soup by
• Spicy Brazilian Seafood Stew with Coconut Milk by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Spicy Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard by Cooking Chat
• Stylish and Simple Vegetable Soup with Poached Egg and Herbs by Sprinkles and Sprouts

Be sure to join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter today! We tweet throughout the day, and we share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly Twitter chat starts tonight at 7:00 pm ET / 6:00 pm Central. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy! You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

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