Slow Cooker Chicken, Bacon, and Potato Soup

By dhoffmanlatter

Ingredients

• 4 center-cut bacon slices,
• diced 1 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
• 2 teaspoons salt-free garlic-and-herb seasoning blend (such as Mrs. Dash)
• 2 cups thinly sliced leek (from 2 large leeks)
• 1 cup sliced carrot (from 2 large carrots)
• 1 cup sliced celery (from 2 large stalks)
• 4 cups unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson),
• divided 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 thyme sprigs
• 12 ounces baby potatoes
• 2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach

Preparation

Step 1

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings in pan. Set bacon aside.

Step 2
Sprinkle chicken with seasoning blend. Add chicken to bacon drippings in pan; cook 8 minutes, browning on all sides. Transfer chicken using a slotted spoon to a 6-quart electric slow cooker, reserving any drippings in pan. Add leek, carrot, and celery to drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup stock, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add leek mixture, bacon, remaining 3 cups stock, salt, pepper, and thyme sprigs to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours. Add potatoes; cover and cook on LOW for 2 more hours or until potatoes are tender.