Making chicken noodle soup at home is already simple, but putting everything in a slow cooker makes it even simpler. Simply toss all of your ingredients and go—the slow cooker will do all the work for you. After very little effort, you’ll have the coziest meal on your hands ready to warm you up all fall and winter long. Here’s everything you need to know:
What People Are Saying:“Great recipe…so easy! The soup was more delicious the next day. Yum!!” – CyanBlowdryer
“I had never made noodles in a crock pot before, so I followed the recipe exactly. It turned out so delicious!! I was hoping to have leftovers, but my husband and kids ate three servings! Thank you!” – Kricket
Chicken noodle soup is a classic comfort food that warms you up and soothes your soul. Making it in the crockpot results in a soup that is rich, flavorful, and ready when you are. With just a few simple ingredients and steps, you’ll have a hearty homemade soup without spending hours cooking and monitoring a stove top soup.
Benefits of Making Chicken Noodle Soup in the Crockpot
There are several advantages to using a slow cooker for chicken noodle soup:
-
Convenience: You can just add the ingredients in the morning and leave it to cook all day. You don’t have to keep an eye on and stir a soup that’s simmering on the stove all day.
-
Good taste: The long cooking time lets the flavors blend and build up to a strong, deep one.
-
Budget-friendly Chicken and noodles are inexpensive ingredients. Making a big batch of soup stretches your grocery dollars
-
Nutritious When you make soup from scratch you control the ingredients. Minimize sodium boost nutrition with veggies.
-
Few foods are as comforting as chicken noodle soup made at home. The aroma fills the house and warms you up.
Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients
Chicken noodle soup is simple to make with pantry staples and fresh ingredients:
-
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs – gives the broth great flavor
-
Onion, carrots, celery – classic soup vegetables provide nutrients and taste
-
Chicken broth – use reduced sodium if you prefer
-
Egg noodles – hold their shape better than other pastas
-
Herbs and seasonings – thyme, rosemary, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper
-
Lemon juice – brightens and balances the flavors
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these easy steps for crockpot chicken noodle soup:
-
Add chicken, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and herbs to the slow cooker.
-
Pour in chicken broth to cover ingredients.
-
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
-
Remove chicken and shred with two forks.
-
Return shredded chicken to pot.
-
Add egg noodles and cook 20-30 minutes until tender.
-
Stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
-
Garnish bowls with fresh parsley.
That’s all there is to it! In just a few minutes of prep in the morning, you’ll have a steaming pot of homemade comfort by dinnertime.
Variations and Substitutions
The basic formula for chicken noodle soup is quite flexible:
-
Use rotisserie chicken to save time and skip shredding raw chicken.
-
Substitute pasta shapes like small shells, ditalini, or alphabets.
-
To make it vegetarian, use vegetable broth and add beans or tofu for protein.
-
For fun shapes and colors, use carrots, celery, peas, corn, green beans.
-
Add potatoes for heartiness and cook through before adding noodles.
-
For heat, add diced chiles, sriracha, or cajun seasoning.
-
For more texture, include chopped kale or spinach.
-
Instead of noodles, use cooked rice or small pasta shapes.
Cooking Tips
-
Cook noodles separately for best results. If you cook them in the crockpot for too long, they can get too soft.
-
Cut vegetables and chicken into small, uniform pieces so they cook at the same rate.
-
Add dried herbs early in cooking, fresh herbs at the end for best flavor.
-
For a thicker soup, remove a few cups of broth, puree veggies, and stir back in.
-
Let soup rest 10 minutes after cooking so flavors blend before serving.
-
Freeze leftovers in portion sizes for quick meals when busy.
Why Make Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Rather than relying on canned soups loaded with preservatives and sodium, making chicken noodle soup from scratch has many advantages:
-
It’s economical – chicken and noodles are budget-friendly ingredients
-
You control the sodium content by using reduced-sodium broth
-
It’s customizable to your taste – add veggies, seasonings, noodles you like
-
Much healthier than canned soup – use fresh, natural ingredients
-
So comforting and soothing when you’re feeling under the weather
-
Fills the house with the inviting aroma of simmering homemade soup
-
Freezes well for grab-and-go portions when you need a quick meal
So grab your crockpot and whip up a batch of nourishing chicken noodle soup! It’s simple, budget-friendly, and so satisfying.
How To Make Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken: Any combination of bone-in, skin-on chicken parts can be used to make chicken noodle soup. For this recipe, though, I chose to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts because they were easier to work with.
- When I make chicken noodle soup, I always use onion, carrot, and celery as vegetables.
- Herbs: This soup has a cozy, herbal flavor that comes from fresh thyme, rosemary, and a bay leaf. In a pinch, you can use dried thyme and rosemary in this recipe, but I love how easy it is to use fresh sprigs and how much better they taste.
- Garlic: I like three chopped garlic cloves for the best flavor, but you can add more or less depending on how much you love garlic.
- Chicken Broth: To keep the soup from being too salty, use low-sodium chicken broth.
- Egg Noodles: Most people use egg noodles, which are also my personal favorite. But any short pasta will do. Use it as a chance to use up that bowtie or rigatoni you’ve had for a long time.
The best thing about this recipe? It’s not necessary to cook the chicken before putting it in the soup—let your slow cooker do all the hard work for you. Add raw boneless skinless chicken breasts to the slow cooker, along with the veggies, and herbs. Season generously with salt and pepper (this soup is simple, so let the salt and pepper enhance all of the flavors), before pouring in your broth. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.
Take the chicken breasts out of the slow cooker when it’s done cooking and shred the meat with two forks. Discard the herbs and bay leaf, then return the chicken to the slow cooker and stir with the soup.
Now is the time to add in your egg noodles, stirring them in to combine.
Cook uncovered on Low until the noodles are al dente. This should take 20 to 30 minutes, but keep a close eye on it. You want to avoid your noodles growing overly soggy. Once done, top with fresh herbs (if you desire), and get ready to cozy up to a bowl of this classic comfort food.
Full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
- What can I put in chicken noodle soup to make it taste better? Fresh herbs, garlic, and a bay leaf will help your soup taste better. You may not have added enough salt to your chicken soup if you feel like it needs something. Add some flaky sea salt, olive oil, and lemon juice to the soup at the end to make the flavor stronger and brighter. For extra heat, you could also add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne if you like spicy food.
If you have leftovers, I strongly suggest that you store the noodles separately from the broth. If they’re stored together, the noodles will soak up the liquid and turn to mush—and there won’t be any broth left. If you’d like to cook this soup in advance, the same recommendation applies, though if you’re making it ahead of time, we’d recommend skipping the noodles completely. You can add them into the broth when you reheat the soup, and they should be fully cooked in just 5 minutes.
Same deal if youre freezing—the soup itself freezes well and can be reheated whenever the craving hits, but the noodles will get mushy sitting in all of that broth, so Id recommend cooking them off fresh! Advertisement – Continue Reading Below.
- 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled. sliced into coins
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 10 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 oz. egg noodles
- Step 1: Put the chicken, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf in a slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour in broth. Step 2: Put a lid on top and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with 2 forks. Discard herbs and bay leaf. Return chicken to slow cooker and add egg noodles. Step 3: Cover and cook on low for 20 to 30 minutes, or until noodles are al dente.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
FAQ
How to make chicken soup in the slow cooker?
Set your slow cooker to low. Tip in the onion, celery, carrots and leeks and nestle in the bunch of herbs. Sit the chicken on top of the veg and pour over the stock. Cook for 6-8 hours.
How long does chicken noodle soup take in the slow cooker?
Directions. Combine water, carrots, onion, celery, parsley, salt, garlic salt, pepper, and thyme in a slow cooker; mix well. Place chicken on top and push down slightly into the liquid. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours.
Can you put uncooked noodles in a crockpot when making soup?
Yes, you can add uncooked noodles directly to the soup in the crock pot, but it’s best to add them during the last 20–30 minutes of cooking. This allows the noodles to cook just until tender without becoming too soft or mushy.
Can you put raw chicken in a crockpot soup?
It’s not necessary to cook the chicken before putting it in the soup—let your slow cooker do all the hard work for you. Add raw boneless skinless chicken breasts to the slow cooker, along with the veggies, and herbs.
How do you make chicken noodle soup in a crockpot?
In the bottom of a 6 quart or larger slow cooker, put chicken breasts that have been trimmed. This chicken noodle soup is hearty and comforting, and it’s also very easy to make! Top with onion, carrots, celery, garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt and pepper, and bay leaf (if using). Dollop chicken base over the top, then pour in chicken broth.
Can you cook chicken noodle soup in a slow cooker?
For a healthier bowl of chicken noodle soup, use low-sodium chicken broth (or stock). For the best flavor, add lemon juice at the end of cooking. Definitely add the noodles towards the end of cooking, or they will become very mushy. This recipe is made for a large slow cooker, 6-quart. Can You Freeze This Soup?.
Can you make crockpot chicken noodle soup with rotisserie chicken?
Some people make crockpot chicken noodle soup with rotisserie chicken, but this slow cooker chicken noodle soup makes it so easy to use fresh chicken. After a long, hard day, a big bowl of this soup is the cure! WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHICKEN BROTH AND CHICKEN STOCK? Is there a difference between broth and stock? Yes, there is!.
Can you use egg noodles in crockpot chicken noodle soup?
EGG NOODLES: We like using wide egg noodles in our crockpot chicken noodle soup because they keep their shape. Home-style egg noodles can also be used. LEMON: Lemon is our secret ingredient to bring this great soup to life. The full ingredient list and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
How long do you cook chicken soup in a slow cooker?
JENNIFER SCHWARZKOPF FOR TASTE OF HOME Chop your vegetables and measure out your seasonings. In a large slow cooker, add the vegetables, seasonings, chicken and broth. Cook on low for six hours or on high for four hours. After the soup is done, put the chicken on a cutting board and use two forks to shred it.
How do you cook chicken noodle soup?
Put the chicken on a board and shred into bite-size pieces using a couple of forks. Return the chicken to the stock with the noodles, sweetcorn, mushrooms, spring onion and soy sauce. Simmer for 3-4 mins until the noodles are tender. Pour into two bowls and top with the rest of the spring onion, basil or mint leaves, and chili, if using.