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Slow Cooker Chicken Lentil Soup

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4.96 from 43 votes
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How about a steaming hot bowl of Slow Cooker Chicken Lentil Soup on a chilly day? This soup is easy, healthy, and has 300 calories per serving!

Bowl of slow cooker chicken lentil soup with spoon

This Slow Cooker Chicken Lentil Soup Recipe is one of our most popular recipes (originally posted January 6, 2016), so I’ve updated it to include a how-to video! Enjoy!

If you love this healthy crockpot soup, you’ll also love: crockpot vegetarian chili, slow cooker thai chicken soup, and slow cooker enchilada soup. 

I love my crockpot.

Liiiiike I love it so much that I think I need to buy a few more, because all I ever want to do is have every meal made in my crockpot:

I mean. There’s just nothing better than a crockpot.

Typically, all you need to do is throw everything together, place it into the slow cooker, and walk away. By the time you’re home for dinner, dinner is ready to go!

Sorry, I’m obsessed.

This recipe in particular is one of my new favorites.

Bowl of uncooked lentilsNot only does it taste so, so delicious, it’s also ridiculously healthy!

Lean chicken breasts and protein/fiber filled lentils make up the bulk of this soup, but it’s also full of onions, garlic, tomatoes, and loads of flavorful spices!

This Slow Cooker Chicken Lentil Soup is my dream meal.

It’s easy, it’s healthy, it’s cozy, and it’s packed with flavor.

Bowl of chicken lentil soupOk. It’s Wednesday. Let’s be honest, how is everyone doing on their New Year’s Resolutions? It’s day three (Friday and the weekend totally didn’t count 😉 ), and I’m still doing well! I’ve started my Barre classes again <– another obsession of mine… and Trevor and I are back to working like crazy and eating healthy foods.

On Monday (check out that vegan granola, it’s so addicting), I mentioned that meal prep is how I like to stay on track with healthy eating.

This Slow Cooker Chicken Lentil Soup is p.e.r.f.e.c.t. for that. Make a batch of this on Sunday and have your lunches or dinners ready for the rest of the week. I’d say this recipe makes enough for 8 large servings and guess what?

It’s less than 350 calories per serving with a whopping 32.8 grams of protein!

Mind. Blown.

Bowl of soup from the sideThis soup is full of protein, fiber, and is seriously filling thanks to the chicken and lentils.

This slow cooker chicken lentil soup is also seriously t.a.s.t.y.

I just love the unique texture of lentils combined with tender, shredded chicken, juicy tomatoes, and soft onions. Plus, let’s talk about what makes this soup completely flavorful: the spices.

Slow cooker chicken lentil soup ingredients

  • Lentils (brown or green)
  • Chicken breasts
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Dried oregano
  • Chili powder
  • Smoked paprika
  • Cumin
  • Salt
  • Cayenne
  • Chicken broth
  • Optional toppings: green onions, cilantro, non fat plain greek yogurt
JUMP TO RECIPE

Closeup of chicken lentil soup

How do i make this chicken and lentil soup recipe?

  1. Place lentils, chicken, tomatoes, onion, garlic, spices and broth into crockpot.
  2. Stir to combine, cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours.
  3. Shred chicken and serve with optional toppings: green onions, cilantro, and greek yogurt!
JUMP TO RECIPE

It’s kind of crazy how flavorful a dish can be that literally takes you 5 minutes to prep.

Bowl of slow cooker chicken lentil soup aboveIf you’re looking for something healthy, something filling, something that makes a t.o.n., and something that is packed with flavor, this slow cooker chicken lentil soup is for YOU!

– Jennifer

How about a steaming hot bowl of Slow Cooker Chicken Lentil Soup on a chilly day? This soup is easy, healthy, and has less than 350 calories per serving! showmetheyummy.com #slowcooker #chickenlentilsoup

Slow Cooker Chicken Lentil Soup

4.96 from 43 votes
How about a steaming hot bowl of Slow Cooker Chicken Lentil Soup on a chilly day? This soup is easy, healthy, and has 300 calories per serving!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Yield: 8 people
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Equipment for this recipe

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Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 1 pound dried lentils
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts*
  • 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
  • Cayenne if desired*
  • 7 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • Green onions for topping
  • Cilantro for topping
  • non fat plain greek yogurt for topping

Instructions

  • Grease crockpot with cooking spray.
  • Place all ingredients into crockpot (except green onions, cilantro, and greek yogurt) and stir to combine.
  • Cook on HIGH for FOUR hours or LOW for EIGHT hours.
  • After the soup is done cooking, remove chicken breasts and shred them using two forks.
  • Place chicken back into soup and stir to combine.
  • Serve with sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, and greek yogurt!
  • Take 5 seconds to rate this recipe below. We greatly appreciate it!
Rate This Recipe
STORING
Room Temp:N/A
Refrigerator:3-4 Days
Freezer:2 Months
Reheat:If frozen, let thaw in fridge then heat on stove or in crockpot
*Storage times may vary based on temperature and conditions

Notes

I think it really helps this dish. We like spicy, so we used 1 teaspoon of cayenne.
Nutritional information does not include toppings (green onion, cilantro, greek yogurt)

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Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker Chicken Lentil Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 300 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Cholesterol 36mg12%
Sodium 889mg39%
Potassium 1089mg31%
Carbohydrates 40g13%
Fiber 18g75%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 28g56%
Vitamin A 410IU8%
Vitamin C 25mg30%
Calcium 82mg8%
Iron 6.2mg34%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.

Keywords: chicken breast, healthy, lentil, slow cooker
Enjoy this recipe?
Tag @showmetheyummy on Instagram and hashtag it #showmetheyummy
Course: Main, Soup
Cuisine: American

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  3. Jennifer

    United States

    5 stars Great tasting soup! I was craving lentils and chicken so I searched on GOOGLE for a chicken and lentil soup. So this recipe pulled up and I had everything in my cupboard to put it in the slow cooker/crockpot.
    Reply

  4. Anna

    Rockford, Illinois

    5 stars Very tasty recipe! I fully recommend at least 1 tsp of cayenne. For anyone wondering,when I made this it made 13-14 cups (I added a little extra liquid to make it slightly less thick, so I got 14 cups). I always prefer to know the cups measurement bc for my family this was certainly more than the listed servings. Not a bad thing, it just made more than I expected.
    Reply

  5. Andrea

    Canada

    Hi there. So excited to make this dish. What if I’d double the amount of chicken? How much of everything else do I use?
    Reply

  8. Laura

    Toronto, Ontario

    5 stars Amazing! I’ve made it 3 times now and it’s so good. The lentils need more then 4 hrs on high though…more like 6.
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thanks Laura! So glad you liked the soup 🙂 Cook time can definitely vary based on your crockpot and brand of lentils you use!

  10. Karis

    Cheyenne, Wyoming

    5 stars I just made this soup and it is delicious!! The chicken shredded apart super easily, and was very filling. My husband, six year old and also my seven month old loved it! We added some lime as someone suggested and also some tortilla chips on the side to eat with it. Sriracha was also a nice addition as well 🙂 I will definitely make this again, thank you so much for this recipe Jennifer!
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi, Karis! I’m so glad you and the whole fam loved it! Thank you:)

  13. cathy

    West Bloomfield, Michigan

    I keep a bunch of cooked, shredded chicken in my freezer because it is so handy for so many different soups, casseroles, etc. Could I just thaw a package and toss it in half way through the cooking process?
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi Cathy! That should work but I would actually wait until the last 1-2 hours to add in the chicken just to make sure it doesn’t overcook 🙂

  14. Sara

    Riverview, Florida

    5 stars This soup was absolutely amazing! Perfect flavor! However, my lentils were not done and still pretty hard after 8 hours on low. I really want this recipe to be a keeper, so is there something I can do to them beforehand to help them along a bit? I just used a bag of dried brown lentils and followed all directions exactly.
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi, Sara! Glad you loved the recipe! I’m not sure why your lentils weren’t fully cooked. It may be because your crockpot runs cooler than mine so I recommend trying to cook the soup a bit longer to see if that does anything. If it wasn’t very soupy you also may need to add more liquid so the lentils have something to absorb. Hope that helps!! Good luck!

  15. Kristen

    United States

    5 stars Fantastic and so easy!!! I actually ended up using a 28oz can of diced tomatoes, and I thought it was great too!!! Such amazing flavor!!
    Reply

  17. Theresa

    Virginia Beach, Virginia

    5 stars OMG! This is amazing. Will keep and share! I highly recommend fresh squeezed lime juice when serving.
    Reply

  18. David

    San Antonio, Texas

    5 stars In addition to the carrots and celery I used diced tomatoes with green chilies in place of adding cayenne
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Sure can! This soup will last in the freezer for up to 2 months so just pack it up in an airtight container and do that! Just thaw it in the fridge before heating it up and you’re good to go 🙂

  21. Velena

    Australia

    5 stars I added celery & carrots & a spoon of sour cream it went down a treat got a 10 out of 10 ** it’s been added to the weekly menu
    Reply

    • Sherr

      Albany, New York

      5 stars Forgot to add some comments. This is by far the best lentil soup ever! My family love love love lentils! I added chopped spinach for the last hour in the crockpot. We put lots of Pecorino Romano in our bowls cause we are … Italian and it goes on everything! I will even try more vegetables next time like maybe carrots. Loved our dinner so much!

  24. Guyguy

    Montreal, Quebec

    5 stars Very good. I did not add salt because chicken broth cubes already salty. I added a bit of dry cilantro at beginning, had no fresh. Best soup ever, spices blend very well together. I wrote it down and put it with my other favorite recipes on fridge.
    Reply

  27. Bonnie

    Montreal, Quebec

    If i don’nt have a can of tomatoes, cld. i use a large can of tomatoe paste 6 oz. size
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      You may need to add additional liquid… you can use tomato paste, but I’d only use 1 – 2 tablespoons, because it’s a very concentrated tomato flavor.

  30. Jessica

    Emeryville, California

    I do not have any of the spices. Could I use a chili spice packet? ( seems these are all spices used in chili)
    Reply

  31. Linda

    Redford, Michigan

    5 stars I needed a gluten-free crockpot dish for a potluck supper on short notice. I had all the primary ingredients so gave this a try. Modified the garlic and onion ingredients. Did not use the cyanine pepper. Easy to make and very tasty.
    Reply

    • Linda

      Redford, Michigan

      4 stars The comment I just entered needs amending. The Chili powder and paprika were omitted as we didn’t want it spicy. The extra garlic powder and onion powder were also modified. It was very flavorful without all the spicy. It will become a favorite gluten-free dish.

  32. Chad

    Port Angeles, Washington

    5 stars Eliminate the extra salt and sub low sodium chicken stock for cardiac patients. 1500 mg per day is the limit.
    Reply

  33. Lisa

    Ashburn, Virginia

    5 stars Hi Jennifer, I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to have found this recipe! I LOVE lentils & was looking for a way to make a decent dish. I love to cook & this easily sky rocketed into my top 10 Favorite Dishes. I added Jalapeno’s & chives to spice it up a bit. I can’t believe how tender the chicken was & shredded perfectly into the soup? The flavors are out of this world. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Lisa
    Reply

  34. Nicole

    New York, New York

    I never cooked with dried lentils before, is there anything I need to go to prepare them before putting them in the crockpot?
    Reply

  35. Laurie

    Raleigh, North Carolina

    I really wanted to like this soup however I didn’t realize until I was 2/3 in to making the soup that it is actually Chicken Lentil Chili and while I like spicey and tomato-ey flavors… I don’t like Chili very much. I actually made chicken bone broth to use for the soup so it is very nourishing… just not my preferred flavors. I am inspired by your recipe presentation and will definitely try your other recipes (which all look delicious) and I know it is my own mistake not to figure out from the ingredients that this is really more of a chicken broth chili than a spicey chicken soup. I probably would have liked it better if I left out the cumin. Just a note for other people who aren’t really Chili fans to consider when making this recipe.
    Reply

  36. Beth

    Wilmington, Delaware

    5 stars This was sooo good! My kids who are very vocal about their dislike of lentils cleaned their plates! I only had 5 cups of chicken broth on hand, but it worked out perfectly. Thank you!
    Reply

  37. Dawn

    Durham, North Carolina

    5 stars OMG! This soup is way better than I could have imagined! The only Lentil soup I have ever eaten is Progresso! LOL. I made this and it was amazing. I froze leftovers and they reheated wonderfully! I made it with the cayenne because I like a kick to my soups. I also added a frozen chopped spinach as a decision at the last minute but changed nothing else. If you want a flavorful, healthy, comforting soup..you must make this! Thanks so much..I will be looking up recipes on your site and Instagram often in the future! This gets 5 STARS!!!!
    Reply

  38. Nathalie

    5 stars I’d really like to make this recipe but i dont have a crockpot! Do you have any suggestions to transfer this recipe to instapot?
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi Nathalie! I can’t guarantee the results, because I haven’t tried making this in the instant pot before, but I would maybe try cutting the chicken into larger bite sized pieces, use the saute function to saute the chicken and veggies for 3-5 minutes in a little oil, then cook on HIGH pressure for 5-8 minutes? I wouldn’t use more than 4 cups of liquid though or your instant pot will be too full. Because of that, I’d also maybe just use 1/2 pound of lentils. You can also check out this video about how to use your instant pot as a slow cooker: https://youtu.be/tf3fQE2BjeI I hope that helps!

  39. Winona

    I thought my crockpot was going to be big enough for this recipe but it turns out it wasn’t. I am new to crock pot cooking… i added half the broth… will it be okay?!!
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi Winona! I wouldn’t recommend halving the broth. You might just want to cook this on the stove instead in a larger pot!

  40. Donna

    Was I supposed to soak the lentils first? Your recipe didn’t say to. But when I attempted to make this today, I placed the slow cooker on high and after 4 hours they were still quite hard, so i let it keep cooking. After another 1/2 hour on high, I had to run out because my grandson was rushed to the ER. So I turmed it down to low. After i returned home 3 hours later they are still not done. That is 4 1/2 hours on high and 3 hours on low.
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi Donna, nope! That doesn’t make sense… hmmm. Are you sure the crockpot was on high? Were your lentils fresh? What kind of lentils did you use? Did you measure the liquid correctly? Something wonky must have happened, because they should absolutely cook in that period of time 🙂 I hope your grandson is ok!

  41. Tracey

    Hi! I’m excited to make this recipe this weekend. And even more excited that you give the nutritional info!! I count macros so this is important to me, but was wondering how much is a serving exactly? Is it 2 cups of prepared soup (without the toppings)?
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Toppings are not included in the nutritional information 🙂 I hope you love it! 🙂

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      I’m not sure, sorry! I’d just divide it into 6 servings cup by cup. 🙂 I’m guessing the serving size would be around 1 1/2 – 2 cups.

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Sure! I’d maybe replace all or do half and half with the lentils. Split peas take quite a bit of time to cook, so I’d add them right at the beginning!

  43. Amy

    5 stars This was simple and good. The only thing I added, was celery and red pepper in the last hour of cooking. Will definitely make again!
    Reply

  44. Audrey

    This soup came out super yummy! The only problem is that I probably should have added a bit less chili powder as my kids found it too spicy! But for me, it’s GREAT! I also soaked the lentils overnight – and am happy they still retained their shape! Definitely a soup I’ll make again! Thanks!
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Red lentils don’t hold their shape as well as brown lentils so I would maybe cook the red lentils separately and then stir them into the soup at the end 🙂

  47. Diane

    Vancouver, Washington

    5 stars This was some of the most delicious lentil soup I have ever made. I happened to have some kale, so I chopped it up and put it in the bottom of each bowl, then put the hot soup on top. It cooked it perfectly without making it mushy/soft. I also added some sliced, smoked grass-fed beef sausage. This wasn’t necessary at all, but I just happened to have it so…. The recipe, as is, is a winner and our dinner guests loved it. I served it with crostini’s. I am going to make it again very soon. If I could give it 10 stars, I would! Thank you so much 🙂
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Red lentils don’t hold their shape as well as brown lentils so I would maybe cook the red lentils separately and then stir them into the soup at the end 🙂

  49. knutas

    Stockholm, Stockholm

    Hi How is it possible to get servings for 6-8 persons with soup, with only 15 oz of liqiud (tomatoe) and no other liqiud?
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi there! There’s also 7.5 cups of chicken stock 🙂 You can find all the ingredients in the recipe box!

    • knutas

      Stockholm, Stockholm

      Ok, thank you. I missed it – english is not my first language. I will try this recipe!

  50. Penny

    Richmond, British Columbia

    5 stars Best soup ever! Just made this this morning, ran out of lentils so made up the difference with quinoa, and we like a bit spicy so I added a dollop of siracha. This is too easy and so delicious.. love that everything just gets thrown in the crockpot. perfect! thanks so much for this one! it’s a keeper!
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi Penny! Wahoo! So glad you loved this 🙂 LOVE the addition of Sriracha…we love everything spicy. Glad to hear it works with quinoa, too. 🙂

  51. Kristen

    Boston, Massachusetts

    5 stars Love this! I got 12 one-cup servings out of this one, 202 calories per cup and virtually no fat. So flavorful and delicious, thank you.
    Reply

  52. Roberta

    West Long Branch, New Jersey

    This sounds delicious and will try this recipe next time I’m using crockpot (and when I run out of frozen soups in the freezer). May I suggest adding chipotle with adobe sauce in it for anyone who wants a spicy soup (I usually blend the chipotle with adobe sauce, then freeze it in ziplock bag and when I need some, I just cut it and throw it into soup pot). Thanks for sharing!!
    Reply

  53. Allison

    Salem, Wisconsin

    5 stars This was fantastic! I never know with slow cooker recipes, but this one did not disappoint. I added the juice of 1 lime at the end and served it with Cholula hot sauce. Perfect for tonight’s sub-zero temps here in Wisconsin!
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thanks so much Allison! LOVE the addition of the Cholula…I’ll take all the heat I can get…it’s freezing here! So glad you loved this. 🙂

  54. Lauren

    Glastonbury, Connecticut

    Hi there, I noticed you said you were using a 6-quart crock pot. I just got my first crockpot and it’s a 4-quart one. Would you just 2/3 the recipe or do you think it would work in a smaller cooker? Thanks!
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi Lauren! I’d play it safe and 2/3 the recipe! 🙂 Let me know if you need help figuring out the new measurements…I’d be happy to e-mail them to you! 🙂

  57. Angela

    Gulf Shores, Alabama

    Hi Jennifer! My husband and I love using the crock pot for meals. It’s almost the only way we cook now! Which is why I was so bummed when I woke up to a freezing cold crockpot after a night of “cooking on low.” Another one bites the dust! What kind of crock pot do you use? Thanks, Angela
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi Angela! Ugh! That is such a bummer. We’ve been going crockpot crazy over here, too! We use this 6 quart hamilton beach crockpot and absolutely love it! It’s super affordable and has always worked perfectly for us! 🙂
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