Crock Pot Sweet Potato & Chicken Soup!

Before I start with the recipe, I’d just like to say Thank you. Thank you for the support you all have given me with my new lifestyle changes. It just goes to show how amazing you all are and how lucky I am to have supporters like you in my life! I couldn’t do it without you, all.

Here is the FIRST recipe as a “chicken eater.” I guess now when I’m playing blackjack, I can say “winner winner chicken dinner!”, and actually mean it!

On Tuesday, the weather was cold and snowy with an overcast. After finishing up some Christmas shopping, I decided to put some soup in the crock pot for the week. It’s so much easier to heat up a bowl of soup rather than cooking a giant meal every night. Plus, soup just fits the cold weather!

Again, I apologize for my photo quality. I am still using my cell phone as my camera is still being shipped to me!

Ingredients: *2 Cups Frozen Peas (Defrosted), *2 Cups Frozen Sweet Corn (Defrosted), *2 Cups Frozen Romano Beans (Defrosted), *1 Large Yellow Squash, *2 Large Zucchinis, *4 Large Celery Stalks, *1 Large White Onion, *1 Large Red Bell Pepper, *4 Cups Diced Sweet Potato, Skinned, *1 Box Low Sodium Chicken Broth, *2 Cans Diced Tomatoes (Basil, Garlic & Oregano Flavored), *1 Can Low Sodium Northern White Beans, *1 Can Low Sodium Black Beans, *1 Can Low Sodium Red Kidney Beans, *2 Lbs. Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast, *1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar (Can be replaced with 1/4 cup of honey), *2 Tbsps. Garlic Flavored or Regular Olive Oil, *1 Tbsp Garlic & Onion Flavored Seasoning. (You can also use 1/2 tbsps of garlic powder and 1/2 tbsp of onion powder), *1/2 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon, *1 Tbsp of Italian Seasoning, *Sea Salt & Black Pepper to Taste.

I made this recipe large enough for leftovers throughout the week. If you only have a 4 quart crock pot or just want the recipe for one night only, you can cut it in half!

Turn your crock pot on high. Add the defrosted peas, green beans, corn, and diced sweet potatoes.

I wish I could take credit for how awesomely diced those sweet potatoes are, but I bought them prepared!

Wash and dice up the celery, zucchini, squash, bell pepper, and onion. Add them to the Crock pot. Drain the canned beans, rinse with a strainer, and add them to the crock pot. Pour in the cans of diced tomatoes. (Do not drain)

Mix the ingredients together.

Mix in the seasonings, flavors, and olive oil.

Cover and let the soup cook on high for a 3-4 hours.

Some people have stronger taste buds than others. Some prefer dishes more sweet, and some prefer them to be a bit more savory. You can experiment with the soup and add more or less of the seasonings. I like to wait until the soup is fully cooked, and then add the additional flavor. It usually takes several hours for the flavor to pop, and for the vegetables to marinate.

While the soup is cooking, prepare the chicken.

My mom used to boil her chicken before adding it to her chicken noodle soup. Chicken would overcook and get chewy if it were to cook on high for four hours.

I boiled the chicken in water for 6-7 minutes. Don’t cook the chicken fully; just about 80% cooked. Dice up the chicken, and refrigerate.

Adding seasoning to your chicken is totally optional. I thought by coating the chicken with seasoning, it would soak up extra flavor before adding it to the crock pot. I added about a tbps of onion and garlic seasoning and 1 tbsp of olive oil to the diced chicken before refrigerating.

After the soup has cooked for 3 1/2 hours, take a taste test. Add any additional seasonings if necessary. Add chicken to soup, turn to low heat, and allow the soup to cook for 30 more minutes.