Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
When the slow cooker lid comes off, the chicken should be tender enough to pull apart with two forks, and the carrots and celery have softened into a savory broth.…
Tip: save now, cook later.When the slow cooker lid comes off, the chicken should be tender enough to pull apart with two forks, and the carrots and celery have softened into a savory broth. That’s the part I like about Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup: the chicken and vegetables cook together while the slow cooker does the steady work, and the noodles go in near the end instead of turning soft during a long simmer.
I keep the chicken breasts whole while they cook, then shred them and return them to the pot. It’s a simple way to get tender pieces in every bowl without having to brown anything first. A 6-quart slow cooker gives the vegetables, chicken, and broth room to cook together, and the fresh parsley stirred in at the end brings a clean finish to the warm, brothy soup.
Kitchen Note
Give the noodles a good stir once halfway through their slow-cooker time. I fold the ones at the top down into the broth so they cook evenly instead of drying out along the edges.
Save this Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup for a cozy, hands-off dinner with tender chicken and noodles cooked right in the broth.
Why the Noodles Go In Only After the Chicken Is Shredded
Egg noodles behave differently in a slow cooker than they do in a pot of boiling water. They keep absorbing liquid as they sit, so if they cook through the entire chicken cycle, they can swell until they’re too soft and leave you with less broth in the bowl. Adding them after the chicken is cooked gives them a short, separate window to become tender without spending hours in the hot liquid.
There’s another practical benefit to that order: the chicken comes out before the noodles go in. You can remove the bay leaf and shred the meat without fishing around between slippery noodles or crushing them with the forks. Once the chicken is back in the broth, the noodles cook alongside it just long enough to take on some of that savory flavor. If you’re planning leftovers, keep in mind that noodles continue to soften as they sit in soup; that’s normal, not a sign that the broth has gone wrong.
What the Broth, Wide Noodles, and Fresh Herbs Bring to This Pot
- Chicken breasts — Boneless, skinless breasts make shredding straightforward and give the broth a mild chicken flavor. Choose pieces that are similar in size so they cook at a similar pace; there’s no need to buy a premium brand for this slow-cooked soup.
- Low-sodium chicken broth — It gives the vegetables and chicken a flavorful cooking liquid while leaving room to adjust the seasoning at the end. A standard boxed broth is perfectly useful here. Regular chicken broth works too, but it’ll make the finished soup saltier, so taste before adding more salt.
- Wide egg noodles — Their broad shape makes each spoonful feel like chicken noodle soup, rather than a bowl of broth with a few strands of pasta. Use wide egg noodles for the closest texture; narrower noodles soften more quickly in the slow cooker.
- Onion, carrots, celery, and garlic — These fresh aromatics build the soup’s savory base while they cook with the chicken. Freshly diced onion and sliced vegetables are worth using because they soften into the broth without disappearing; cut the carrots and celery into pieces of similar thickness so they cook evenly.
- Dried thyme and bay leaf — Thyme seasons the broth throughout the long cook, while the bay leaf adds a gentle herbal note. Dried thyme is convenient and holds up well here. If you don’t have a bay leaf, leave it out rather than trying to replace it with a handful of another strong herb.
- Fresh parsley — Chopped parsley stirred in at the finish tastes brighter than dried parsley and gives the broth a fresh herbal lift. Flat-leaf or curly parsley both work; chop it just before using so it doesn’t lose its fresh edge.
Build the Soup in the Slow Cooker, Then Add the Noodles
Start With the Vegetable Base
Put the diced onion, sliced carrots and celery, and minced garlic into a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the chicken breasts on top, then pour in the broth and season with dried thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper. Tuck in the bay leaf so it’s easy to find later. The vegetables soften underneath the chicken as everything cooks together.
Cook the Chicken Until It’s Safe to Shred
Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Check the thickest part of a breast with an instant-read thermometer; it should reach 165°F before you take the chicken out. If the center hasn’t reached that temperature, keep cooking and check again rather than relying on the outside color. The cooked chicken should pull apart easily with two forks.
Remove the Bay Leaf and Shred the Chicken
Transfer the chicken to a plate and lift out the bay leaf, then discard it. Shred the chicken with two forks into pieces that are easy to scoop up with a spoon. Return the meat to the slow cooker and stir it through the broth so it’s ready to meet the noodles.
Cook the Noodles Until Just Tender
Stir the wide egg noodles into the soup, cover, and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes. Stir once halfway through, then begin checking the noodles near the shorter end of that window; they’re ready when tender but not falling apart. Noodle brands and slow cookers vary a little, so use the texture in the pot as your guide. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley just before serving.
Three Useful Ways to Change This Slow Cooker Chicken Soup
Swap in boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Use the same weight of boneless, skinless thighs in place of the breasts. Thigh meat brings a richer, slightly deeper chicken flavor and stays succulent after shredding; check that it’s cooked through before removing it from the slow cooker.
Make a gluten-free bowl with separate pasta
Replace the egg noodles with your favorite gluten-free pasta, but cook it separately according to its package directions and add it to individual bowls before ladling in the soup. Gluten-free pasta can become fragile during a long hold in hot broth, so keeping it out of the slow cooker protects its texture.
Add a little lemon for a brighter finish
Stir a squeeze of fresh lemon juice into the pot along with the parsley. It adds a light, tangy contrast to the mellow broth without changing the slow-cooker method; add it gradually so the lemon stays subtle rather than taking over.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. The noodles will continue to absorb broth and soften as the soup sits.
- Freezer: Freeze the finished soup in airtight freezer-safe containers for up to 2 to 3 months. The chicken and broth freeze well, though the noodles may be softer or break apart after thawing.
- Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring gently until hot throughout. Add a splash of broth if the noodles have thickened the soup, and avoid a hard boil so they don’t break down further.
Questions That Come Up With Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Put the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the chicken, broth, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Shred the chicken with two forks and return it to the slow cooker.
- Stir in the egg noodles.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 20-30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the noodles are tender.
- Stir in the parsley and serve.
