Oh, the simple joy of cozying up next to a bowl of hearty black bean soup! Ours is slow cooked and bold with onion, peppers, garlic, chile, a dash of cumin and served with creamy avocado for a delicious and nutritious meal.

RD Tip: Black beans are a protein-fiber powerhouse and deliver a host of micronutrients like folate, potassium and magnesium (1).

Active time: 10 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb (454g) dried black beans, sorted and rinsed
• 1 large (150g) onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium (120g) green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups (960g) low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp light sour cream
• 1 small avocado, diced
• 6 fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish (optional)

Directions

Place beans in a large bowl or stock pot, adding water to cover by 2 inches. Soak for 12 hours; drain and discard water.

TIME-SAVING TIP: Don’t have 12 hours? To quick-soak beans, place beans in a stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat and simmer briskly for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let soak for 1 hour. Drain and discard water.

Combine beans, onion, bell pepper and garlic in a 4-quart slow cooker. Stir in broth and cumin. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 5 hours until the beans are tender. Stir in chipotle, cilantro, lime juice and salt.

For a smooth, thick texture, blend mixture in slow cooker with an immersion blender for 30 seconds until desired consistency. Alternatively, transfer in batches to a blender. Remove stopper from lid and cover with a kitchen towel (hot steam will cause the lid to pop off if not vented); blend until smooth.

Top each serving with 1 tsp sour cream, 2 tbsp chopped avocado and a sprig of cilantro.

Serves: 6 |  Serving Size: 1 ⅓  cups + 1 tsp sour cream + 2 tbsp diced avocados

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 344; Total Fat: 6g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 2mg; Sodium: 511mg; Carbohydrate: 58g; Dietary Fiber: 15g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 19g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 1532mg; Iron: 30%; Vitamin A: 105%; Vitamin C: 47%; Calcium: 16% 

Originally published May 1, 2020; Updated April 2026

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If you own a slow cooker, you know it’s probably the most convenient and versatile device ever created. (And it’s the perfect way to make great-tasting meals without being in the kitchen for hours!) Tonight, enjoy our slow-cooked chicken and lentil chili, a nutritious dish that’s hearty, healthy and full of budget-friendly veggies.

RD Tip: You’ll notice that we don’t add the tomato sauce until the beans have had some time to cook. This is because adding dried black beans to the slow cooker at the same time as an acidic ingredient (tomato sauce) can prevent the beans from ever fully softening.

Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 8 hours, 15 minutes

Slow Cooker Chicken and Lentil Chili

Ingredients

• 1 medium (110g) onion, chopped
• 2 cups (255g) chopped carrots
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb. (455g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup (190g) dried brown lentils, rinsed
• 1 cup (190g) dried black beans, rinsed
• 4 cups (960g) no-salt-added, fat-free chicken broth (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 1 8 oz.can (227g) no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (120g) reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup (57g) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves (or more to taste)

Directions

Coat slow cooker with cooking spray. Place onion, carrots and garlic in the bottom. Top with chicken, lentils and black beans. Stir in broth, chili powder, cumin and salt.

Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, adding the tomato sauce during the last hour or so of cooking.  Stir before serving. Top each serving with 1 tbsp sour cream and 1 tbsp cheese. Garnish with a few fresh cilantro leaves per serving.

Serves: 8 |  Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups 

Nutrition (Per serving): Calories: 339; Total Fat: 7g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 40mg; Sodium: 419mg; Carbohydrate: 42g; Dietary Fiber: 14g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 28g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 1036mg; Iron: 28%; Vitamin A: 130%; Vitamin C: 10%; Calcium: 16%

Originally published October 19, 2016; Updated May 2026

The post Slow Cooker Chicken and Lentil Chili appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.