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.
More Soup Recipes:
Soups And Stews
Creamy Parmesan Italian Sausage Soup
Soups And Stews
Split Pea Soup Recipe
Soups And Stews
Chicken Sweet Potato Soup
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.
Hi Chelsea. Love the soup but am wondering about the nutritional information like calories, fiber and priteins
Hey Jana! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 I stopped posting nutritional info because of negative feedback for being off by any amount, so while I can’t guarantee this is 100% accurate, here is one label for this soup: (If the soup was evenly divided into 7 parts — change the amount based on how many equal parts the soup is divided into)
Nutrition Facts
SERVINGS
7
Amount Per Serving
Calories 250 Calories from Fat 60
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 1.5g 8%
Trans Fat
Cholesterol 65mg 22%
Sodium 350mg 15%
Potassium 820mg 23%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Sugars 2g
Protein 29g
Vitamin A 60%
Vitamin C 10%
Calcium 10%
Iron 10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
thanks you!!!
Thank you for posting nutritional info. I know it’s a pain to calculate but is so helpful when on an eating plan. Thanks again:)
You are welcome! 🙂
What do you think is conserider a serving size? 1 1/2 cups? 2 cups?
1 serving size would be the entire soup divided into 6 or 8 equal parts 🙂 I’m not sure the exact cup amount, but if you are figuring it out for nutrition facts, the best way would be to equally divide the total soup amount.
Me again, haha! I was also wondering, can I add more veggies? I was thinking yellow and red peppers and corn? Corn I know to add at the end to just heat through, but im wondering about the peppers? could I throw them in at the beginning with everything else?
Hey Katherine! I actually haven’t tried chicken thighs in this recipe and to be honest I’ve never cooked chicken thighs in the crockpot so I really can’t say. As far as veggies, absolutely you can add some more! The corn you could add in right away (drained) or at the end. And then peppers should be delicious too. You may want to sauté them in a little olive oil before adding them to the crockpot or they might still have a “crunch” after everything else is cooked. If you don’t mind that then just throw them in raw too 🙂 Hope that helps!
I am wanting to make this at lunch! Looks great. My boyfriend doesn’t like quinoa on its own, but when I sneak it into soups like this he doesn’t notice and I love it. But, also wondering if I can use chicken thighs instead?
are there nutritional facts available? sounds good
I am wondering if I could use chicken thighs instead?
Could this be cooked all day on low? Or do you think the veggies would get overcooked?
The veggies would probably be okay it’s just the quinoa that tends to absorb more and more liquid the longer it is in the crockpot. If you are okay with a heartier soup (less broth) then you should be okay to cook it on low for 6-8 hours. The quinoa really expands and absorbs more liquid the longer it cooks.
Thank you for the inspiration. I Have this going right now. Where’s the spinach?
Thank you Leslie!! I hope you love this! No spinach in this soup, just the vegetables outlined 🙂
I’m in love with soups this week. I’ve made 3 in the past week. They’re so comforting and whole family enjoys them. Definitely got to give this one a whirl!
Have a great weekend!
We could also eat those things every single day! Totally simple, but SOSO satisfying! Just like this soup. I am SO pumped for soup season…but more specifically THIS soup season! Pinned!
I could eat soup every day and never get tired of it, either! This crock pot version sounds just perfect, Chelsea! I love the quinoa in here. Sounds so warm and comforting!