Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Soup

There are 3 million chicken recipes on the internet. We’re here to show you the good ones. Win, win.

Today: A riff on chicken Parmesan that will love you back.

I’d say a good chicken Parmesan sandwich is one of life’s greatest pleasures. What’s not to like about chicken that’s breaded and cheesed within an inch of its life and then tucked into a crusty loaf of Italian bread? A sandwich like that should be reserved for special occasions — for the mornings when getting out of bed requires the incentive of an overindulgent, borderline irresponsible lunch; or perhaps for after you’ve run a marathon, given birth, or engaged in some other feat of extraordinary strength and endurance.

Like my beloved sandwich, this soup finds its origins in the Italian-American classic, chicken Parmesan. Unlike the sandwich, the more refined soup easily translates into a wholesome weeknight meal. In some ways it even ups the ante — after all, it’s made in a slow cooker, can be eaten with a spoon, and won’t leave you with a lump in your stomach the way its other forms might. This is the chicken Parmesan that will love you back.

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Soup

Makes 6 cups

3 garlic cloves, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
14 1/2 ounces crushed tomatoes
1/2 pound raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicy!)
4 ounces uncooked dry gemelli or penne pasta
Chopped fresh basil or parsley, for garnish

1. In the slow cooker, stir together the garlic, bell pepper, crushed tomatoes, chicken, broth, onion, the cheese, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook on high for 3 1/2 hours, or on low for 7 hours.

2. Transfer chicken breasts to a cutting board and coarsely shred them; return them to the slow cooker; stir in the pasta. Cook on high for 30 minutes longer or until pasta is cooked al dente.

3. Serve garnished with more Parmesan cheese and chopped basil or parsley.

Photo by James Ransom

Is there an undiscovered Food52 chicken recipe you love? Send us a paragraph or two at [email protected] about why you love it, and it could be next week’s Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner.