What's for Dinner Tonight? - Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup

I recently received a small book from the American Heart Association that has advise on making good food and lifestyle choices. It includes several heart healthy recipes from snacks and beverages, soups, salads, seafood, meat, vegetarian entrees and more. The first one I have tried is the Thai Chicken Soup. It is a very easy recipe made in the crock pot, filled with flavor and a little kick from crushed red pepper. Hope you enjoy this one!

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, all visible fat discarded (try for 2 - 1 pound chicken breasts)

1 pound button mushrooms, sliced

14.4 ounces frozen onion and pepper stir fry mix

4 cups fat-free low-sodium chicken broth

1/2  of a 13.5 ounce can lite coconut milk

10 ounces frozen green peas

4 ounces dried medium Asian rice stick noodles, broken in half

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper (freshly ground preferred)

Asian hot sauce, such as siracha (optional)

1. Place the chicken in the bottom of a 3-4 quart slow cooker. Spread the mushrooms and stir-fry mix over the chicken. Pour the broth and coconut milk over all. Cook, covered, on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours, or until the chicken is tender and no longer pink in the center.
2. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Quickly stir in the peas and noodles (make sure the noodles are mostly submerged in the liquid in the slow cooker), basil, lime juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Recover the slow cooker. If using the .low setting, change it to high. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the noodles have softened.
3. Meanwhile, carefully cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. When the soup has finished cooking, stir in the chicken pieces. Ladle the soup into bowls. Serve with the hot sauce if desired.