Equipment Needed
- 6-quart or larger slow cooker (Crockpot)
- Skillet (optional, but recommended)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cutting board and knife
- Tongs
- Ladle
Step-by-Step Instructions
We’ll start by building a flavor base. Using that precious 2 tablespoons of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar, heat it in a skillet over medium heat. If you don’t have a skillet, you can do this directly in the slow cooker insert if it has a sauté function, or you can skip it, but trust me, this step adds a huge flavor boost. Add the diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until it starts to soften. Then, add the minced garlic and cook for just 30 more seconds until wonderfully fragrant. This quick sauté wakes up the aromatics and gives your soup a more complex, rounded flavor from the very beginning.
Now, transfer the onion and garlic mixture to the bowl of your slow cooker. Place your raw chicken breasts or thighs right on top of this mixture. Season the chicken generously with salt and black pepper. Then, sprinkle the dried thyme, oregano, and optional red pepper flakes over the chicken. Scatter the chopped sun-dried tomatoes all around and over the chicken. Slowly pour in the 4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth. The broth should come about halfway up the sides of the chicken—this is perfect. We’re not submerging it completely, which helps the chicken cook evenly without becoming waterlogged.
Place the lid on your slow cooker and set it to cook. For chicken breasts, I cook on LOW for 5-6 hours. For more forgiving chicken thighs, you can go LOW for 6-7 hours. You’ll know it’s ready when the chicken shreds effortlessly with two forks. About 30 minutes before you plan to eat, carefully remove the cooked chicken to a cutting board or plate. Use two forks to shred it completely into bite-sized pieces. This is when the kitchen smells absolutely divine.(See the next page below to continue…)