This delicious soup cooks all day in your crockpot, and when you are ready for dinner, all you have to do is ladle it into some bowls and relax. Creamy potatoes and flavorful leeks, gently cooked all day with chicken and broth, combine to make a hearty soup that soothes and nourishes. It has been a cold spring here, and there aren’t many vegetables growing very quickly yet. But leeks are in season in early spring, and potatoes are so versatile that they are almost always in season. A warm soup tastes good at the end of the day, especially to those coming in from a chilly evening soccer practice or outdoor excursion.
I love a good leek and potato soup, but this time I wanted to add chicken to make the meal extra filling for my growing boy and my hungry husband. The mild flavor of chicken and chicken broth go great with the potatoes and leeks. At the end of the cooking time, I added milk instead of the traditional cream, to make it lighter, yet still creamy and silky. Leek and potato soup is usually pureed in a blender, but with the chicken, that is not such a good idea. However, I found that since the vegetables cooked all day in the crockpot, they were very tender and soft anyway. Topped with some fresh chives and salt and pepper, this meal is a keeper.
I have had my crockpot for many years, and I find it to be such a lifesaver during the times in our life when I am unable to be home making dinner at dinner time. This week has been that kind of a week, and this soup really hit the spot for my guys–with leftovers, we had it two nights in a row. If you need a quick crockpot soup to throw together in the morning so you can get out of a pinch in the evening, this is a delicious one!
The upside of a chilly spring is that the flowering trees and bushes seem to be suspended in slow motion. The lilacs are still blooming beautifully and the dogwoods and redbuds are still luscious. The grass and leaves are still a bright spring green. And the mosquitoes are not an issue yet!
My kids both had their band concert a couple of nights ago. There is something about listening to live music that is so invigorating and satisfying. It brings up all kinds of emotions and memories, and it brings people together. At the end of the concert, the combined high school and junior high bands played “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey. Someone turned on the disco ball in the auditorium, and we in the audience sat there in the dark, with little twinkling lights swirling around us, listening to our kids play a song that was part of our own teenage years. For a few minutes we were suspended in time. When the concert ended and the lights came back on, I was not the only one with moist eyes. The band sounded so good! The kids played so well. Children grow so fast. Time flies. We are all in this together.
I hope you all have a great weekend! Fiesta Friday is co-hosted this week by Loretta @ Safari of the Mind and Linda @ Fabulous Fare Sisters. I plan to check out the latest recipes and posts there!
Potato, Leek, and Chicken Soup
Ingredients:
- about 1 pound of potatoes (or approximately 4 medium potatoes or 8 smallish ones), washed and diced
- 2 medium-sized leeks, washed thoroughly and thinly sliced (just the white parts)
- 1 to 1 and 1/2 pounds of chicken breast (or 2-3 chicken breast halves)
- 6 cups of chicken broth
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
- 1/2 cup of milk
- chopped fresh chives for garnish
Directions:
Place the potatoes, leeks, and chicken breast halves in the crockpot. Pour in the chicken broth. Make sure the broth covers the other ingredients. If you need to, add more broth. Add the salt, pepper, and thyme sprigs.
Set the temperature to the low setting and cook for 6-8 hours, or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is done (no longer pink in the center). When the chicken is done, gently shred it with a fork and knife so it blends in with the soup.
Add the milk to the crockpot a half hour or a few minutes before you want to serve the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with chopped fresh chives. Enjoy!
There’s nothing quite like a good soup to come home to and yours certainly did that. I can only imagine the aroma of this satisfying soup, I do like the chicken added too, a complete meal in itself. Thanks for bringing this to the Fiesta, we’ve had a cooler spring than normal here too. Enjoy your weekend.
Thank you, Loretta! Yes, the house did smell wonderful from the soup cooking all day. 🙂 Thanks for co-hosting FF this week!
I can’t wait to make this. I always liked that song by Journey.
Thanks, Ginger! Me too–it’s a classic! 🙂
mmm. . . This soup looks delicious.
Thanks, Sheryl!
Looks delicious!!!
Thank you very much!
Looks spectacular, Jenny! This soup would have been perfect to warm up with during our last cold snap. 🙂 Love your white lilac!
Thanks, Nancy! I’m loving lilac season this spring! I’m hoping the cold weather is behind us for awhile–the warm sun feels good today!
This looks delicious! I love that yours is chunky and has chicken in it. Yummy!
Thanks, Debbie!