Slow-Cooker Cordon Bleu Soup

  Dinner

I've taken this creamy slow-cooker soup to potlucks and teacher luncheons, and I bring home an empty crock every time. When my son's school recently created a cookbook, this was the first recipe he asked me to submit, and his teachers were glad he did.

Slow-Cooker Cordon Bleu Soup

Average Rating: 3.333333

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. Cook: 3 hours
YIELD: 8 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 cups cubed French bread

  • SOUP:
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 celery rib, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup white wine or additional reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed
  • 1-1/2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 pound diced rotisserie chicken
  • 1/2 pound diced deli ham

Instructions

  • 1. For croutons, preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, mix melted butter, garlic powder and pepper. Add bread cubes; toss to coat. Transfer croutons to a 15x10x1-in. baking pan; bake, stirring every 5 minutes, until golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
  • 2. Meanwhile, in a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 5 soup ingredients; pour in broth. Cook, covered, on low about 2 hours or until vegetables are tender.
  • 3. Increase slow-cooker heat setting to high. Mix flour and water until smooth; whisk flour mixture into broth. Cook until thickened, 30-40 minutes. Stir in wine. Whisk in cheeses until melted. Add chicken and ham; heat through. Serve with croutons.
  • 4.
    Freeze option:
    Before adding croutons, freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. Freeze croutons separately. To use, partially thaw soup in refrigerator overnight. Heat soup through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add broth or water if necessary. While soup is heating, thaw croutons at room temperature; sprinkle over soup.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/4 cups plus 1/2 cup croutons: 384 calories, 23g fat (13g saturated fat), 100mg cholesterol, 1112mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 1g fiber), 29g protein.

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