To help this recipe come together quicker, prepping ingredients a day or two ahead of time is key. This recipe uses leftover chicken that’s already been cooked, but you can cube it and sauté it separately if you don't have any on hand. You can always add slices of raw chicken to the pot when it starts to boil, but it’s much tastier to get a crust on the outside by cooking it by itself instead. It’s worth the extra effort!
It’s also easier to use already-cooked spaghetti squash to help minimize prep time. If you don’t have time to do it ahead of time, you can get the squash roasting while you start the soup, so you won’t lose too much time!
Start by slicing the spaghetti squash in half, rubbing with olive oil, and getting it into the oven. Meanwhile, sauté a mirepoix mix of veggies. Once soft, add sliced mushrooms (any variety you like!) and herbs and spices. We used fresh thyme here, but you could also use ½ teaspoon of dried thyme instead. You can also experiment with other herbs and spices. Fennel seeds, oregano, or rosemary would work nicely here.
Next, add your broth and bring to a boil. If you don’t have homemade veggie broth on hand, you can use low sodium chicken or veggie broth from the store in a pinch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover slightly, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cooked chicken, simmer a bit more, then add the cooked spaghetti squash and baby spinach. Continue to cook another minute or so, or until the spinach is just wilted. Season with black pepper to taste, and ladle up your bowls!
For hundreds of pure Paleo recipes be sure to check out The Real Paleo Diet Cookbook and Real Paleo Diet Fast and Easy.
Slow Cooker Butternut Chicken Soup
By Jess Case