Description
This easy crockpot chicken noodle soup is the ultimate comfort food made simple. Tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and egg noodles come together in a flavorful, nourishing broth. Just prep, set your slow cooker, and come home to a warm, satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base:
- 1.5–2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- 6–8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds (about 2 cups)
- 3 celery stalks, diced (about 1.5 cups)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley (or 2 tablespoons fresh, plus more for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning (optional but recommended)
Added at the End:
- 2 cups wide egg noodles (or pasta of choice)
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- Additional salt and pepper to taste
Optional Add-ins:
- 1 cup frozen peas (added in last 30 minutes)
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 1 cup fresh spinach (added at the very end)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (for brightness)
Instructions
- Prep the Ingredients: Dice your onion, slice your carrots into rounds, dice your celery, and mince your garlic. If using fresh thyme, strip the leaves from the stems. Set everything aside.
- Layer in Slow Cooker: Place the chicken breasts (or thighs) at the bottom of your slow cooker. This allows them to cook evenly and stay submerged in the broth.
- Add Vegetables and Aromatics: Layer the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic over and around the chicken. Tuck in the bay leaves and sprinkle with thyme, parsley, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Pour in Broth: Pour the chicken broth over everything, ensuring the chicken is mostly covered. The liquid should come about ¾ of the way up the ingredients. If needed, add more broth or water.
- Cook Low and Slow: Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. The soup is done when the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F) and the vegetables are tender. Don’t lift the lid during cooking—each peek adds 15-20 minutes to cooking time!
- Shred the Chicken: Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker using tongs or a slotted spoon and place it on a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. It should be so tender it practically falls apart. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
- Cook the Noodles: About 30 minutes before serving, turn the slow cooker to HIGH if it’s not already. Add the egg noodles directly to the soup and stir well. Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes until the noodles are tender. Alternatively, cook the noodles separately in a pot of boiling water according to package directions, drain, and add to individual bowls when serving (this prevents soggy noodles in leftovers).
- Final Seasoning: Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. If desired, stir in frozen peas during the last 5 minutes or add fresh spinach right before serving.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice brightens the flavors beautifully if you like.
Notes
- Noodle Timing: For best texture, add noodles only 30 minutes before serving, or cook them separately and add to individual bowls. This prevents mushy noodles, especially in leftovers.
- Chicken Options: You can use chicken thighs instead of breasts for more flavor and moisture. Bone-in chicken adds even more flavor to the broth but requires removing bones after cooking.
- Broth Amount: Start with 6 cups of broth. If you prefer a brothier soup, add up to 8 cups. The noodles will absorb some liquid, so more broth means more leftovers.
- Vegetable Variations: Feel free to add or substitute vegetables based on what you have on hand—potatoes, turnips, parsnips, or green beans all work well.
- Make It Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free pasta or rice noodles instead of traditional egg noodles. Ensure your broth is certified gluten-free.
- Rotisserie Chicken Shortcut: Skip cooking raw chicken and use 3-4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken added during the last hour of cooking. This cuts prep time significantly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours (on low) or 4 hours (on high)
- Category: Soup
- Method: Crockpot
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups (1/8 of recipe)
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 75mg