slow cooker lemon chicken & brown rice soup

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This version of chicken & rice soup is laced with a tangy hint of lemon and oregano… 2 flavors that pack a punch of brightness and freshness to an otherwise simple soup.

This soup is comfort food at it’s finest!

Chicken soup in any form has been one of the only things I can (fairly) easily eat so far this pregnancy. I have no appetite for anything else, and have to force food down most of the time.

But chicken soup? I love it! Chicken Noodle Soup, this Chicken & Rice soup, even Perpetual Chicken Stock, are all things I can eat and enjoy.

So enjoy them I do!

I especially like that the brown rice adds another healthy element to this soup, but feel free to swap it out with white rice if you’d like, or even use half brown and half white if you’re not so sure!

Also, if you don’t like the idea of your rice being quite mushy (unavoidable cooking that long in a slow cooker, but doesn’t bother us one bit!)… feel free to add it in for the last few hours instead of the whole cooking time!

Oh and if you have any leftover parmesan rinds in your freezer (and please tell me you keep those! They are gold!!)… throw one in! It makes a great soup, amazing!

As with all soups, this just tastes better and better the longer it sits… so start it in the morning, have some for dinner and reheat it all in the slow cooker again for leftovers the next day! Delicious!

Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken & Brown Rice Soup Recipe

Ingredients:
1 large onion, diced
2 large carrots, chopped
2 large celery stalks, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups leftover cooked chicken (or raw boneless breast or thighs!)
1 cup uncooked brown rice
8 cups chicken stock
salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
juice of two large lemons*
1 parmesan rind, optional

Directions:
Dump everything into the slow cooker. Add more water to top it off, if you’d like.

*If you’re not sure how much lemon flavor you would enjoy, start with the juice of one lemon and then add more at the end if you think it needs it!

Turn on LOW and cook for 6 hours or longer, until the chicken is cooked through (if you used raw). Season with more salt, pepper & lemon juice, if needed, and shred or chop the chicken if you used a whole breast!

perpetual slow cooker chicken stock

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When I first saw this recipe from Nourished Kitchen for perpetual chicken bone broth, I was instantly intrigued and had to try it for myself.

If for no other reason than simplicity and anytime access to chicken stock (which I love to use!)… although I must admit the easy nutrients sounded pretty good to me too!

I had some leftover turkey legs and bones from Thanksgiving, so I threw those into my slow cooker with half an onion, a few cloves of garlic and some peppercorns… covered everything with water and turned the slow cooker on for the week!

A week? The slow cooker is on for a week?! All the time?! Yep!

And besides the bit of warmth it adds to our house (so nice during these cold winter months!), it also keeps our house smelling deliciously like homemade chicken soup. Yum!

According to Jenny, this broth tastes lightest on day 1 (24 hours after starting), richest on day 5, and then lighter again on day 7.

I am on day 4, and it has been amazing each day… I can’t wait to taste how good it is on day 5 if it’s only going to get better!

As you dish up some broth to sip, or use in your soup or cooking, simply replace with fresh cold water and there you have it… perpetual chicken stock!

At the end of the week, you should be able to easily crush the end of a bone with your finger tips. That is how you can tell that all of the nutrients have been given. If they haven’t, feel free to continue to use another day or so!

perpetual slow cooker chicken stock

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken carcass, or bones - raw or previously cooked*
  • an onion, peeled and quartered
  • a few cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled
  • a tablespoon or so of whole peppercorns
  • some parsley leaves and stems, if you have them

Directions

Place all the ingredients in the slow cooker. Fill to the top with cold, filtered water, cover and cook on low for at least 24 hours or up to 7 days!

As you dish up a serving, pour through a fine mesh strainer or a reusable coffee filter. Season to taste with salt and replace that amount of water into the slow cooker to keep the broth going.

*You could also place a whole chicken in the slow cooker and then remove it and take off the meat for another use when it's cooked through. Return the carcass to the pot and continue with your stock!

http://sweetannas.com/2012/01/perpetual-slow-cooker-chicken-stock.html

adapted from Nourished Kitchen

apple cinnamon slow cooker steel-cut oatmeal

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Steel-cut oats, cooked all night in the slow cooker with apples and lots of cinnamon… breakfast has never been so easy and the house smells amazing when you wake up!

We all know I love my oatmeal. Especially when it’s steel-cut and slow-cooked.

This version is a kicked-up version of my original… I must say, I am a classic girl and the original version is still my favorite, but the kids loved this one and I’m sure I will be making it often!

Oh! … this oatmeal reheats wonderfully, so even if you are making this just for you… portion it out when it’s done and store in the fridge. After a quick microwaving with a little milk or water, you’ve got instant breakfast all week!

apple cinnamon slow cooker steel-cut oatmeal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup steel cut oats
  • 4 cups water
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 large apple, cored and finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup, or so, brown sugar (your preference!)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

Grease your slow cooker insert and then dump all the ingredients in. Stir, turn on LOW and cook overnight while you sleep, 8-10 hours.

In the morning, stir again (as it will still look watery and separated) and it will come right together and be ready to serve!

http://sweetannas.com/2012/01/apple-cinnamon-slow-cooker-steel-cut-oatmeal.html