Slow Cooker Chicken Vesuvio Soup

By Carolina Gelen

Published August 6, 2025

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
4½ hours
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
4 ¼ hours
Rating
4(242)
Comments
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In this no-fuss recipe, chicken Vesuvio undergoes a brothy makeover: Imagine the elements and flavors of the beloved Chicago dish concentrated in a pot, with chicken, oregano, thyme, garlic, lemon, wine and more. The result is a herby, lemony and garlicky chicken soup made substantial with the addition of potatoes and sweet peas. Once the potatoes are chopped into chunks, the ingredients combine in a slow cooker. Once the chicken breast is fork-tender and easy to pull apart, frozen peas are added to the mix for an inviting sweet flavor alongside a shower of freshly chopped parsley. For the best flavor, taste before serving and season generously with salt and pepper until every spoonful is perfectly salted.  

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Ingredients

Yield:About 16 cups (6 or so servings)

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 pounds) 

  • 2 Yukon Gold potatoes (1 pound), cut into 1-inch cubes 

  • 12 garlic cloves, crushed, peeled and sliced

  • 8 fresh thyme sprigs

  • 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

  • 8 cups chicken stock 

  • ½ cup dry white wine

  • ½ cup lemon juice (from about 4 lemons)

  • Salt and black pepper 

  • 12 ounces frozen peas

  • ½ cup finely chopped parsley

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

23 grams carbs; 105 milligrams cholesterol; 318 calories; 2 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 6 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 1028 milligrams sodium; 39 grams protein; 6 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a slow cooker, combine the chicken, potatoes, garlic, thyme, oregano, stock, wine and lemon juice. Season with a big pinch of salt and black pepper. Cover and cook on low until the chicken shreds easily when pulled with a fork and potatoes are tender, 4 to 5 hours.

  2. Step 2

    Using a wooden spoon or two forks, break the chicken breast into smaller chunks directly in the slow cooker.

  3. Step 3

    Stir in the peas. Taste and season with more salt, if needed.

  4. Step 4

    Serve with fresh parsley on top.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
242 user ratings
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Comments

MarkP

I made this, and found 4-5 hours to be WAY less than needed to soften the chicken and potatoes. I'm interested in others' experiences, but perhaps the recipe would be better to suggest high setting for the slow cooker? It took more like 9 hours for the soup to achieve the proper consistency for me.

Richard X

Boneless thighs would do just as well and likely be tastier.

Shari

Made this last night and, wow, was it delicious. Agree with other comments about cook time - on low setting it took much longer than 4.5 hrs. To get potatoes cooked to the right softness I needed at least 6.5 hrs with my crock pot. Next time I may start it out on high.

JayBeeson

This was a disappointment. Flavorless and bland. I managed to salvage it by draining most of the liquid, adding an onion, mushrooms, three carrots and tarragon and thickening it with a roux. I then put a cornbread mix layer on it and put it in the oven for 50 minutes. It’s now a chicken cornbread pot pie.

Sophie

The potatoes don't cook all the way through because the acid in the lemon juice and the chicken was so dry and chewy it was inedible.

CC

After reading comments that the soup is bland, I added bullion and some basmati rice that was cooked in bone broth to help round out the soup and make it a bit hardier for a meal.

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