Crockpot Chicken Quinoa Soup is loaded with quinoa, shredded chicken, lots of veggies, and Italian-inspired herbs. It’s hearty and perfect for a cozy meal.
author’s note
My Go-To Soup That Never Fails!
This quinoa soup has been a total hit in my house. I first made it on a busy weeknight when I needed something easy and filling. I tossed everything into the crockpot and hoped for the best, and it turned out to be one of those surprise dinners everyone loved. It’s become a recipe I make again and again.
It’s been such a favorite that I decided to play around with the flavors and try a more Italian-inspired version.
I added herbs like basil and oregano, and it completely transformed the soup. The mix of tender chicken, hearty quinoa, and veggies with those Italian herbs makes it so flavorful and comforting. It’s simple, nourishing, and honestly one of my all-time favorite crockpot dinners now.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swap, variation, or tip |
|---|---|
| Quinoa | Rinse well before adding. Use tri-color or red quinoa for extra color, or reduce the amount if you want a thinner soup. |
| Boneless, skinless chicken breasts | Swap for chicken thighs or use leftover rotisserie chicken and add it near the end. |
| Fire-roasted diced tomatoes | Regular diced tomatoes work fine. |
| Mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) | Save time with frozen mirepoix, or toss in extra veggies like zucchini or green beans toward the end of cooking. |
| Italian herbs (Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, thyme) | You can swap any for fresh herbs if you have them! |
| Chicken stock & bay leaves | Go with low-sodium stock to better control salt in this chicken quinoa soup. |
| Baby spinach | Swap for kale or Swiss chard. Add it at the end so it stays bright and tender. |
Featured Comment
“I am making this for supper tonight for the second time – we Loved it the first time around! Amazing flavour! Thank you so much for sharing.”
– Jackie
How To Make Chicken Quinoa Soup
- Sauté veggies: Cook onion, carrot, and celery in oil until soft.
- Add flavor: Stir in garlic, tomato paste, and seasonings.
- Transfer to slow cooker: Add chicken, quinoa, tomatoes, bay leaves, and broth.
- Cook: Cover and cook on high until chicken is tender and quinoa has popped.
- Finish: Shred chicken, stir it back in, and add spinach if you like.
- Serve: Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve warm with Parmesan and crusty bread.
Storage
- Store leftover chicken quinoa soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days. Add a splash of broth when reheating since quinoa absorbs liquid as it sits.
- This soup doesn’t freeze well once quinoa is added. To freeze, store the soup before adding quinoa and cook it fresh when ready to serve.
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Crockpot Chicken Quinoa Soup
Crockpot Chicken Quinoa Soup is hearty, cozy, and packed with quinoa, shredded chicken, veggies, and Italian herbs. Let the slow cooker do the work!
Equipment
- Large cast-iron pot or skillet
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- Salt and pepper to taste preference
- 2 small (12 ounces or 3/4 a pound) boneless, skinless chicken breasts each breast cut into 3–5 pieces
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes undrained
- 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa see note 1
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach optional
- Serving suggestions see note 2
Instructions
- In a cast-iron pot or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add in diced onion, diced carrots, and diced celery. Cook and stir for 7–9 minutes. Add minced garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, and red pepper flakes, if using. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until fragrant and combined, another 1–3 minutes. Transfer all this mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Remove any fat from the chicken breasts and cut into chunks—about 3–5 per breast. (This ensures it will cook in the same time.) Place in the slow cooker along with the undrained fire-roasted diced tomatoes, uncooked quinoa (see note 1), bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir together.
- Cover and cook on high for 3–5 hours or until quinoa has “popped” and chicken shreds easily. I don’t recommend cooking on low (see note 3). Once chicken shreds easily, remove from the slow cooker into a separate bowl or plate and shred with two forks. Return to the soup and stir. Remove bay leaves and discard. If desired, add coarsely chopped baby spinach and stir gently to wilt. Taste soup and season with any additional salt or pepper as needed.
- Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh basil and lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy with a side of warm, hearty bread.
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Rinse quinoa before adding it to the soup to remove its bitter saponin coating. Use a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water until clear. Many brands are pre-rinsed, so check the package first.
Note 2: Serving suggestions: fresh basil, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and warm, hearty bread.
Note 3: When cooked on low, the quinoa finishes a lot quicker than the chicken and veggies. The longer this soup sits or cooks, the more broth the quinoa absorbs. This makes it heartier and less broth-y. If you want a more broth-y soup, watch carefully and turn the heat off the slow cooker when it is your desired consistency. Alternatively, add more broth as desired.
Storage: When stored, note that the quinoa will continue to absorb liquid. This soup does not freeze and thaw well.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 20.6g | Protein: 7.1g | Fat: 7.7g | Cholesterol: 7.9mg | Sodium: 260.6mg | Fiber: 3.6g | Sugar: 5.3g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Crockpot Chicken Quinoa Soup Notes
- Cooking time matters: The longer it cooks, the more liquid the quinoa absorbs. For a thicker soup, cook longer; for a brothier one, stop once the quinoa “pops.”
- Check for doneness: Cook time varies by slow cooker. Look for tender veggies, cooked quinoa, and chicken that shreds easily.
- Use the right size: Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Crock-pot is a common brand name.
We loved this! I added a little chopped kale too. Thanks for the recipe!
Ooo that sounds delicious! So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment 🙂
I just pinned this recipe. I’m wondering if I could leave this on low all day and add the quinoa lets say about 2 hours before turning it off??
Hmm I haven’t tried that, but it sounds like a good idea!! If you try that, I would turn it to high for when the quinoa does cook. Another alternative is to cook everything on low all day and then cook the quinoa on the stovetop and just add that in (reduce the liquid in the soup by 1-2 cups)
Looks yummy but I don’t have a slow cooker…any recommendations on how to adapt this to stove top?
I would just cook the quinoa separately and add it in with the other ingredients that have been cooking in a large stockpot 🙂
is there nutritional info for this? I made it, delicious BTW, but I am trying to get 100g of protein in a day, and need that information. Thanks
Making this now! Smells lovely. Wondering how do I store it?
So glad to hear that! 🙂 I just keep it in tupperware in the fridge and enjoy it for leftovers the next day or so 🙂
Do you think this could be turned into a freezer meal to give some prepped meals to a friend?
I think it would be a great freezer meal! Perhaps just keep the quinoa in a separate bag? Enjoy!
How many cubes of boullion do you use? I’m planning to make this for my lunch at work. Sounds delicious.
If I’m not using chicken broth, then I use water and the equivalent cubes to make 1 cup of broth (I actually use the powder so that comes out to 1 teaspoon per 1 cup of water!)
What are the calories and serving size? Going to be making this today.
Can you recommend something in place of quinoa? I can’t eat quinoa.
Perhaps rice? I would cook it separately and add it in at the end. (Reduce broth by about 2 cups)
This was delicious and hardy. I used chicken thighs and upped the quantities slightly because my package of chicken was a little over a pound. I also substituted zucchini for the celery since that was what I had in the fridge. I made it on the stove top on a cold day and added some kale at the end (trying to use up the last of what I had). The quinoa really does soak up the liquid and gives some great body to the soup if you don’t like things to “brothy”. Used all the recommended herbs too. Family loved it!
Awesome!!! So glad to hear it 🙂 And isn’t it the best when you are able to use what you have in the fridge leftover? Thanks for the comment!