Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup

I often struggle with using my crockpot.

Not because it’s hard to use, but because I hate to leave something cooking in my house while I am at work.  Most days, I’m gone about 12 hours… and that just seems too long to leave a crockpot unattended.

I also have a smaller, round crockpot… you know, the kind without the timer.  And, while I thought about using a Christmas tree timer to schedule the soup, I was still concerned it wouldn’t come out right.

AND THEN… It hit me! 

What if I just cooked my soup overnight??  I mean, if I turned it on at about 10pm, I could pop it in the fridge before I left the house and not have to worry for a second!  GENIUS!!

What I didn’t take into consideration is that this beautiful soup would cook all night… and how delicious my house would smell when I woke up.  O-M-G!!!

I absolutely loved this soup.  It’s pretty simple from an ingredient perspective, yet the flavors are VERY robust.  Add some cracked pepper flakes to make it spicier… I certainly did!  I also think it might be amazing with a little cauliflower in it.  Enjoy!!

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup

From Foodie Crush

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. red curry paste

1 12 ounce can lite coconut milk

1 cup chicken stock

1 Tbsp. fish sauce

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. PB2 or reduced fat peanut butter

3/4 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into 1/4 inch slices

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

1/2 heaping Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

1/2 Tbsp. lime juice

crushed red pepper, optional

cilantro, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Mix the curry paste, coconut milk, chicken stock, fish sauce, brown sugar and PB2 in the slow cooker crock.  Add crushed red peppers to your liking.  Note:  Without the crushed red peppers, the dish was completely mild.  I added the peppers to add a little spice!

First time using this ingredient. Such a pretty color, and it brought amazing flavor.
Don’t worry… it’s not spicy (at least not in a hot way!)

2.  Place the chicken breast, red bell pepper, onion and ginger in the slow cooker.  Stir to mix.

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

4.  Add in the peas and cook for 1/2 hour longer. Stir in lime juice.

5.  Garnish with cilantro.  Note:  You can also add 1 oz. rice noodles per serving to bulk up the dish.  This will add 100 calories to the overall nutritional value.

Per 1 cup serving:

CAL 193; CARB 11g; FAT 7g; PROT 20; FIB 1g; WW Points Plus: 5