Thai Chicken Slow Cooker Soup

I found my new favourite Thai Chicken soup via a beautiful hand-written/illustrated cookbook titled:  Sing For Your Supper.  This book is a musically inspired creation from the fellows in Blue Rodeo and their chef Kate Boothman.  The recipes were born while the band was recording the album "In Their Nature", and instead of take-out and junk food galore (like most bands I know would be consuming), they were nourished by these wholesome recipes.  The band themselves even contributed to what ended up being this wonderful 80 page book, which I borrowed from my library (duh!), although you can also find it for sale on the Blue Rodeo website.

 
What drew me to this book, was the hippy trippy handwritten style and layout  - a total throwback for me to all the cookbooks, and even recipes my mom would write out when I was growing up.

Even though this Thai Chicken Soup recipe does come together quite quickly, I chose to adapt for my slow cooker, you could always cook this on the stove top if you would prefer.   I also reduced it's serving size, as the original recipe was designed to serve like twelve people!
For my family there are always those nights we need something ready as we walk through the door, and this slow cooker method turns out a flavourful feast, perfect for a hectic week night.

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup
Recipe adapted from: Sing for your Supper

1 Tablespoon coconut oil
3 Tablespoons Thai green curry paste
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced, root to tip
one small nub (1-2 Tablespoons) of ginger, grated (or peeled & Minced)
2 stalks of lemon grass, bruised and hopped into 1" sections
2 Kefir lime leaves
1 can of coconut milk
4-6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
large handful of cilantro, chopped
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
3-4 potatoes, or 1 small sweet potato, chopped small
2 heads, baby bok choy, thinly sliced
1 small can of water chestnuts, drained and chopped (or whole!)
small bunch of fresh basil, roughly chopped
3 chicken breasts, thinly sliced (optional!)

Pull out your slow cooker and set it aside.  Using a medium pan, over medium-high heat, melt the coconut oil, and then add the green chili paste, stirring so it get fragrant, but take care not to burn.  Add the onions, and ginger, and sate for a couple of minutes, until almost translucent and coated in the green chili paste.  Add to the slow cooker.  Add to the pan, half of the stock, and scrape up all the browned bits, and then add the peppers, mushrooms, and bok choy, cook just for a minute or two and then add to the slow cooker.  Add the rest of the stock, along with the coconut milk, lemon grass, lime leaves, potatoes, water chestnuts, and chicken directly into the slow cooker, and cook on low for 4-6 hours.  Before serving, remove the lemon grass stalks, and lime leaves, and stir in the chopped fresh basil, and cilantro.  Serve over top of basmati rice, for a more filling meal.

Enjoy!