Hearty Chicken and Garden Vegetable Soup

Serves 8

Cooking Time 3 to 4 hours on Low

Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: For a vegetable soup that tasted like it came straight from the garden, we found that the trick was adding the vegetables in stages. Onions, garlic, and diced tomatoes went in at the start so their flavors would deepen and meld into a richly flavored broth. We stirred in zucchini toward the end of cooking so that it would turn tender but not mushy and dull-tasting. For a finishing touch of bright, herbal flavor, we stirred in fresh basil just before serving. We found that pasta shells stirred in along with the zucchini cooked to perfection by the time the soup was done. To ensure that our soup was hearty and filling, we also added plenty of chicken. Bone-in split chicken breasts worked best; the bones and skin helped the chicken to retain its moisture during the long cooking period, giving us juicy, flavorful bites of chicken to complement the soup’s fresh vegetable flavor. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

2	cups chopped onions
2	tablespoons olive oil
2	tablespoons minced garlic
	Salt and pepper
8	cups chicken broth
1	(14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
3	(12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed
1	zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
3	ounces (1 cup) medium shells
1	cup chopped fresh basil

1. Microwave onions, oil, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in broth and tomatoes. Season chicken with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 3 to 4 hours on low.

2. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces, discarding skin and bones. Using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of soup.

3. Stir in zucchini and pasta. Cover and cook on high until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in shredded chicken and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle individual portions with extra oil before serving.