Slow Cooker Chicken Soup?

KathyK
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Slow Cooker Chicken Soup?

Postby KathyK » Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:02 pm

The large burners on my electric stove suck and it's really hard for me to maintain a simmer without checking every 20 minutes or so to be sure things aren't boiling hard or just sitting there without even simmering. So I thought, why not make chicken soup in the slow cooker?

Every recipe I find on line for making chicken soup in the slow cooker uses chicken broth for the liquid. Call me crazy, but if I have chicken broth, I don't need to make chicken soup. Right?

Have any of you made a good chicken soup in the slow cooker using water? Maybe all I have to do is put the ingredients I usually use (chicken, onions, celery, carrots, parsley root, etc., and water to cover) in the slow cooker and turn it on. Most of the recipes say to cook on low for six to eight hours, or high for three to four hours. Does this sound reasonable?

Tuddy
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Re: Slow Cooker Chicken Soup?

Postby Tuddy » Tue Jan 08, 2019 3:37 pm

Personally, I never like making meat from raw in the slow cooker. I feel it just boils it. If I do stews, chilis, I always brown the meat first. I am not a fan of soups in the slow cooker at all.

If I am making pulled/shredded beef or pork, then you aren't using enough liquid to boil it, so I works a little better. But even with that type of dish, I use my oven for.

I always use chicken broth when I make chicken soup. I find that the chicken itself isn't enough, unless it is broth made from a chicken carcass that has been boiled down.

Crock pots are amazing things, and have their purpose, but I am just not a fan.

Not much help am I?! Lol!

blob
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Re: Slow Cooker Chicken Soup?

Postby blob » Tue Jan 08, 2019 5:18 pm

Yes, you'd need to make a stock from a carcass in order to get a flavorful chicken soup. And the cooking process for a stock is longer than you'd want it for the rest of the ingredients in your soup.

So, if you just want to make the soup in your slow cooker, you'll want to use chicken stock or broth for the base.

If you want to make the stock yourself first, it would be a two step process of first making the stock, straining, and then using the stock for the soup base.

low for 6-8 or high for 3-4 should be good for most soups, though some will be fine less and stock would benefit from more.

Hayburner
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Re: Slow Cooker Chicken Soup?

Postby Hayburner » Wed Jan 09, 2019 3:53 pm

YEs, you need chicken stock - todays chickens don't have the fat/flavor you need for a good soup!

My sister recently made wedding soup using a store bought rotisserie chicken. Naturally, she added some stock, veggies, etc. It came out really tasty.

I've never made soup in a slow cooker - if you get a rotisserie chicken that might be better than a fresh one in a slow cooker - either way you cook the soup it won't take as long.

KathyK
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Re: Slow Cooker Chicken Soup?

Postby KathyK » Wed Jan 09, 2019 6:43 pm

I've been making chicken stock for more than 40 years, and have never ever used stock to make stock. If I have chicken stock, I don't need to make chicken stock! I dunno, maybe you have to be Jewish, lol. You can't make good stock with skinless, boneless chicken breasts, or just chicken breasts, for that matter. I use necks, backs, whatever, and the carcass of a rotisserie bird is a good addition, as well. Seared thighs (bone and skin still there) are good to use, too.

I'm going to try making my stock the way I usually do, but cook it in the slow cooker on high. I will report back with the result.

blob
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Re: Slow Cooker Chicken Soup?

Postby blob » Wed Jan 09, 2019 8:08 pm

I agree you don't need stock to make stock!


But you do need stock to make soup (whether you make it yourself or buy it). The veggies I'd use to cook down stock will be too soggy for soup, so it really is a two step process.

ETA: I've used the slow cooker to make stock plenty, it works really well. I've also used it for soup, but I don't find that to be better or easier for me than the stove. For stock it is easier.

Hayburner
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Re: Slow Cooker Chicken Soup?

Postby Hayburner » Thu Jan 10, 2019 2:56 pm

True - you do not need stock to make to make stock - BIMHO you need it to make soup.

KathyK - I think my sister picked some of the chicken off the rotisserie bird and added to her soup - but, didn't strip it naked. LOL.....

YEs, keep us posted on how it came out and how long you had to cook it.


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