Chicken, Bacon, and Potato Soup

• ½ pound bacon slices, diced
• 5 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
• 2 teaspoons salt-free garlic-and-herb seasoning blend (such as Mrs. Dash)
• 2 cups thinly sliced leek (from 2 large leeks)
• 2 cup sliced carrot (from 4 large carrots)
• 1 cup sliced celery (from 2 large stalks)
• 4 cups unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson), divided
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 thyme sprigs
• 12 ounces baby potatoes
• 2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings in pan. Set bacon aside.

Sprinkle chicken with seasoning blend. Add chicken to bacon drippings in pan; cook 8 minutes, browning on all sides. Transfer chicken using a slotted spoon to a 6-quart electric slow cooker, reserving any drippings in pan. Add leek, carrot, and celery to drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup stock, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add leek mixture, bacon, remaining 3 cups stock, salt, pepper, and thyme sprigs to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours. Add potatoes; cover and cook on LOW for 2 more hours or until potatoes are tender.

Remove chicken from slow cooker with a slotted spoon; discard thyme sprigs. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces; discard bones. Return chicken to slow cooker; add spinach, stirring until spinach wilts.

KEEP SMILING!