Slow cooker chicken lime creamy soup for the souls of any age

Cooktop Cove: Slow cooker chicken lime creamy soup for the souls of any age

By Audrey Michels

The combination of creamy coconut milk and acidic lime juice in this soup is reminiscent of something like Tom Kha Gai, but it’s packed with vegetables in addition to flavor, so you won’t be left feeling empty after a bowl of broth.

Make sure you don’t add the lime juice until the very end, because cooking lime juice can cause it to turn bitter, ruining the entire pot of soup. As for the fish sauce, it is a very intense flavor by itself, but amazing in a soup like this. If you’re feeling apprehensive, start by just adding the lime and taste to see if the soup is acidic enough. If it is, stop. If not, add a little fish sauce, stir, and taste again. You'll be surprised!

Slow cooker chicken lime creamy soup

15 minutes

4 hours 30 minutes

4 hours 45 minutes

1 ½lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional)

1 white onion, diced

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 medium red bell pepper, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon Thai chili paste

½ teaspoon paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

15oz can coconut milk

Juice of three limes

1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, torn

Add all the ingredients to a 6-quart slow cooker and stir.

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours.

After cooking, remove the chicken, shred it and return to the pot.

Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve immediately.