How to make Slow Cooker Southwestern Chicken Soup tasty

Slow Cooker Southwestern Chicken Soup - It turned out very good but i think i could have cooked it a little longer.. Today I am sharing this Slow Cooker Southwestern Chicken Soup! A quick and easy dinner that is ready in under 35 minutes!

You can cook Slow Cooker Southwestern Chicken Soup with 18 Ingredients and 4 steps. See the following guide!

1. 3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (I like dark meat - more flavor. :) ).
2. 6 cups water.
3. 1 small onion, cut into 1-inch pieces.
4. 6 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed.
5. 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces (I like to cut them big for slow cooking so they don't disintegrate and still retain some texture).
6. 1 medium bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces (I happened to use the Hatch chilies I roasted the other day, but they're seasonal and sometimes hard to come by even when they're in season).
7. 1 large stem celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
8. 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained (optional - I don't always care for beans in this soup - but add a 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to the recipe if you add the beans).
9. 1/2 a 15 oz. can of corn (or 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels).
10. 1/2 a 15 oz. can of tomatoes.
11. 1/2-1 teaspoon cumin.
12. 1-2 teaspoons dried oregano.
13. 2 bay leaves.
14. 3-3.5 teaspoons kosher salt to start.
15. 1-1.5 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice.
16. 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional for the cilantro haters, of course).
17. 1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional, but recommended).
18. optional garnish: fried tortilla chips or strips, chopped fresh chilies, onions, cilantro, avocado, and lime wedges.

1. Dump all but garnish ingredients into your slow cooker and give it a few good stirs..
2. Cook on low for 7 to 9 hours, or high for 5 to 7, depending on how hot your slow cooker gets..
3. It's always nice if you can give the soup a few gentle stirs throughout the cooking process, but if you can't manage that because you're out of the house, then you can give it a stir and adjust the seasoning as necessary as soon as you get home. This will give the soup some time to more evenly and thoroughly absorb flavor before you sit down to enjoy it..
4. I like it with a little steamed rice, some chopped onions and cilantro on top, a good extra squeeze of lime, and a few lashings of Tapatío. :) Enjoy!.