Slow Cooker Chicken, Bacon and Potato Soup

It's September, our average temperature is 85 degrees, and I'm making soups and stews.  Go figure.

This is a really tasty stew (I love thyme and leeks) with lots of room for creativity - I used drumsticks and thighs, added green beans and bouquet garni for the seasoning and omitted celery and spinach.  I prefer shredding the chicken rather than cutting it into pieces.

I made extra.  Maybe the cold weather will arrive soon .

6 servings

9 calculated points

Albarino

Ingredients

4 center-cut bacon slices, diced

1 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, skinned

2 teaspoons salt-free garlic-and-herb seasoning blend (such as Mrs. Dash)

2 cups thinly sliced leek (from 2 large leeks)

1 cup sliced carrot (from 2 large carrots)

1 cup sliced celery (from 2 large stalks)

4 cups unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson), divided

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

5 thyme sprigs

12 ounces baby potatoes

2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach

Directions

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings in pan. Set bacon aside.

2. Sprinkle chicken with seasoning blend. Add chicken to bacon drippings in pan; cook 8 minutes, browning on all sides. Transfer chicken using a slotted spoon to a 6-quart electric slow cooker, reserving any drippings in pan. Add leek, carrot, and celery to drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup stock, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add leek mixture, bacon, remaining 3 cups stock, salt, pepper, and thyme sprigs to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours. Add potatoes; cover and cook on LOW for 2 more hours or until potatoes are tender.

3. Remove chicken from slow cooker with a slotted spoon; discard thyme sprigs. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces; discard bones. Return chicken to slow cooker; add spinach, stirring until spinach wilts.