When you need a hearty dinner without a lot of hands-on work, this Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Pea Soup belongs in your rotation. It’s filled with tender chicken, black-eyed peas, collard greens and rice, all simmered in a flavorful broth.

Add everything to the slow cooker, let it do its thing and—Bob’s your uncle—dinner is handled. It’s homemade comfort without spending the whole evening in the kitchen.

Black-eyed pea soup with chicken, fresh herbs, in a light broth, perfect for cozy home-cooked meals and healthy eating.

Serves: 10
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours in slow cooker

Ingredients

2 cups chopped yellow onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound bone-in chicken wings or drumsticks
1 pound dried black-eyed peas, sorted and rinsed
10 cups low-sodium chicken broth
¾–1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup chopped celery
1 bay leaf
3 cups stemmed and chopped collard greens
½ cup uncooked instant white rice

chopped onions, chopped celery, a head of garlic, and a bay leaf on a plate. On a sheet of brown parchment paper are herbs, salt, and pepper. In various glass jars are dry rice, black-eyed peas, and chicken broth. On another plate is a pound of chicken drumsticks. And above that is a white bowl with chopped collard greens. all of these ingredients on a white board on the white kitchen counter.

Get the full printable instructions with measurements at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

Step-by-Step Directions

Step 1: Add the onion, garlic, chicken, black-eyed peas, broth, cumin, thyme, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, celery and bay leaf to a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to combine.

chopped veggies and chicken drumsticks in a slow cooker on the white counter.

black-eyed peas, chopped veggies, and chicken drumsticks in a slow cooker on the white counter.

Pouring chicken broth over soup ingredients in a slow cooker.

Step 2: Cover and cook until the chicken and black-eyed peas are tender, approximately 6–7 hours on Low or 4–5 hours on High.

Step 3: Remove and discard the bay leaf. Transfer the chicken to a plate and allow it to cool slightly. Remove and discard the skin and bones, shred the meat and return it to the slow cooker.

Step 4: Stir in the collard greens and uncooked white rice. Cover and cook on High for another 30–45 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the greens are wilted. Cooking time may vary depending on the slow cooker and type of rice used.

Step 5: Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Serve hot and enjoy!

🍋 Simply Made Tips

Sort and rinse the peas. Check the dried black-eyed peas for any small stones or debris, then rinse them thoroughly before adding them to the slow cooker.
Choose the right rice. Regular white rice generally needs 30–45 minutes on High. If using instant rice, add it during the final 7–10 minutes instead.
Swap the greens. Kale works well in place of collard greens. If using delicate spinach, stir it in during the final few minutes.
Turn up the heat. Add cayenne pepper, extra red pepper flakes or your favorite hot sauce for a spicier soup.
Add more vegetables. Chopped carrots or bell peppers are easy additions. Celery is already in the recipe, so remove it from the original “extra vegetables” tip.
Check the consistency. The peas and rice will absorb broth as they cook. Add more warm broth if the soup becomes thicker than you prefer.

🥣 Before You Go…

Looking for more easy meals that practically cook themselves? Browse our collection of soups and stews or find more family favorites in our easy chicken dinner recipes.

Black Eyed Pea Soup with Chicken

Savory chicken and vegetable soup with beans, greens, and herbs in a white bowl, perfect for cozy meals and healthy eating. Ideal for comfort food recipes, nutritious soups, and homemade dishes.

Hearty black-eyed pea soup with tender chicken, collard greens, and rice made in the slow cooker. An easy, comforting recipe perfect for cozy weeknight dinners.

Tara

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 7

Total Time 7 5

Servings

Equipment

6 quart slow cooker

Ingredients

cups chopped yellow onion
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1 pound bone-in chicken wings or drumsticks
1 pound dried black-eyed peas (sorted and rinsed)
10 cups low-sodium chicken broth
¾–1 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp dried thyme
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ cup chopped celery
1 1 bay leaf
3 cups stemmed and chopped collard greens
½ cup uncooked instant white rice

Instructions

Add the onion, garlic, chicken, black-eyed peas, broth, cumin, thyme, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, celery and bay leaf to a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook until the chicken and black-eyed peas are tender, approximately 6–7 hours on Low or 4–5 hours on High.
Remove and discard the bay leaf. Transfer the chicken to a plate and allow it to cool slightly. Remove and discard the skin and bones, shred the meat and return it to the slow cooker.
Stir in the collard greens and uncooked white rice. Cover and cook on High for another 30–45 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the greens are wilted. Cooking time may vary depending on the slow cooker and type of rice used.
Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Serve hot and enjoy!