Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
(makes 6 servings)
1 3-pound (1.4 kg) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
1 large carrot, peeled and quartered
3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) freshly ground pepper
1 quart (1 l) canned no-salt, no-fat chicken broth
1 quart (1 l boiling water
6 ounces (180 g) medium-wide noodles
4 ounces (120 g) button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pound (240 g) fresh spinach, well washed and large stems removed
Rinse and pat dry chicken. Place in a 5-quart (5 l) or larger crockery slow cooker. Place the onion, carrot, and parsley around chicken pieces. Sprinkle with thyme, marjoram, and pepper.
Add chicken broth, cover, and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
When chicken is done, remove from broth and cool for about 10 minutes, until cool enough to handle. Discard the onion, carrot, and parsley. Remove and discard the chicken skin and bones. Shred chicken and set aside. Skim off and discard all surface fat from the broth.
If cooking on LOW, change setting to HIGH. Add the boiling water, noodles, and mushrooms. Cook until noodles are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and continue to cook until noodles and tender and spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Gently stir in shredded chicken and heat through.
Ladle into wide, shallow soup bowls.
Per serving: 285 calories (22% calories from fat), 31 g protein, 7 g total fat (1.8 g saturated fat), 24 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, 72 mg cholesterol, 615 mg potassium, 121 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges: 4 lean protein, 1 1/2 carbohydrate (bread/starch)