Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

Hey there, my friends! Hope you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and get comfy in your kitchen because today I’ve got a scrumptious recipe for Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It’s perfect for those days when you just want to snuggle up with a bowl of something hearty, soothing, and downright delicious.

Chicken Noodle Soup, I mean, who doesn’t love it, right?

It’s a classic comfort food that spans generations. Ever been sick and had someone bring you a bowl of this miracle soup? It’s like a hug in a bowl.

We’re kicking off this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I love using these in my soups. They’re lean, they’re tasty, and they shred beautifully after slow cooking.

All you need are two forks and voila – perfect chicken shreds for your soup!

You can for sure use boneless chicken thighs instead – I usually use whatever is in my freezer or whatever I have ready to use.

Our soup wouldn’t be complete without our power pack – carrots, onions, celery and garlic.

Think of them as the band that brings the music to your dish. They’ll be playing the base tune that gets the whole soup grooving.

Now, we can’t forget our trusty backup singers: dried thyme and a bay leaf. You might think they’re small parts, but boy do they make a difference.

The thyme adds a little woody, minty note and the bay leaf, it’s got this cool bittersweet vibe going on. Don’t forget to fish it out before serving, though. No one wants to bite down on that!

The slow cooker is our stagetoday in our homemade chicken noodle soup.

Why? Because it’s going to let our little band jam together for hours, slowly marrying all those tasty flavors into a soup that’s out of this world. The grand finale? Our dry egg noodles.

They’re not your average noodles, they’ve got eggs in them, which means they’re richer and add a perfect ‘bite’ to our soup.

They also do this cool thing where they soak up some of the broth, making them taste like little bites of pure heaven. Wide egg noodles are my go-to for this recipe but you can use regular or thin.

So there you have it, folks! Time to get those slow cookers out and start the show.

And, don’t forget: If you have fresh herbs laying around (I’m thinking rosemary and parsley work so well in this soup!) feel free to throw them in the soup after it’s been in the Crock Pot, or just add on top as a garnish.

Remember, cooking is like music, it’s meant to be shared, so invite some friends over, dish up some of this heartwarming soup, and let the good times roll. Enjoy!

Most common questions that I get about this Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup:

• When do you add vegetables to slow cooker chicken noodle soup? In this recipe, we add our veggies right at the start! Carrots, onions, and garlic go into the slow cooker along with the chicken, broth, and spices. This way, they’ll have plenty of time to release all their delicious flavors into the soup while they soften up nicely.
• Can you slow cook chicken noodle soup? Oh, absolutely! Slow cooking chicken noodle soup is not only possible, it’s downright magical. The low, slow heat of the slow cooker allows the flavors to meld together beautifully, giving you a soup that’s rich, hearty, and brimming with taste. Plus, it’s really convenient – just pop everything in, set the timer, and walk away. Come back to a pot full of scrumptious soup!
• How to make slow cooker chicken noodle soup? Here’s the quick and dirty: You’ll start by adding your chicken breasts, veggies (carrots, onions, garlic), spices (thyme, bay leaf), and chicken broth to your slow cooker. Cover it up, set it on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, and let it do its thing. Once the chicken is cooked and tender, you’ll take it out and shred it using two forks, then toss it back in. Then, add your dry egg noodles, crank the heat to high, and cook for another 20-30 minutes. Once the noodles are cooked, just fish out the bay leaf, dish it up, and enjoy!
• How long to slow cook chicken noodle soup? For this recipe, if you’re cooking on low heat, you’ll want to slow cook your soup for about 6-8 hours. If you’re in a bit of a hurry, set it on high heat and let it cook for about 3-4 hours. Either way, you’ll get a tasty, comforting bowl of chicken noodle soup that’s worth every minute!
• Should I add lemon juice to soup? Absolutely! Lemon juice can brighten up the flavor of a soup. It adds a nice touch of acidity that can balance out the rich, savory flavors. Just add it in at the end of cooking to keep its fresh, zingy flavor.
• How do you fix mushy noodles in soup? If you’ve got mushy noodles, it usually means they’ve been overcooked. The best way to fix this is to prevent it from happening in the first place by cooking your noodles separately or adding them right near the end of the soup’s cooking time. But if you’re already in mushy-noodle-city, you could try adding some extra cooked noodles to the soup to balance out the texture.
• How do you add pasta to soup without getting soggy? If you’re worried about soggy pasta, the best thing to do is cook it separately in its own pot, then add it to the soup just before you’re ready to serve. This way, the pasta won’t continue to cook in the hot soup and turn mushy.
• What is the best way to add pasta to soup? The best method is to cook the pasta separately until it’s just under al dente (it should still have a little bite to it). Then, add the pasta to the individual bowls of soup right before you serve. This way, the pasta won’t continue to cook and absorb liquid while sitting in the hot soup.
• How do you keep pasta from getting mushy in soup? The trick is to not overcook the pasta. If you’re adding it directly to the soup, do so near the end of the cooking process. Or, cook it separately and add it just before serving. Also, using a thicker or heartier pasta (like egg noodles or whole grain varieties) can help as they tend to hold their shape better.
• How do I keep my noodles from getting soggy in my soup? It’s all about timing. Add your noodles near the end of the cooking time or cook them separately and add them to your soup just before serving. If you have leftovers, store the pasta and soup separately to prevent the noodles from soaking up more broth and getting soggy.
• How do you keep noodles from getting mushy? Besides adding them late in the cooking process or cooking them separately, you can also rinse pasta after cooking in warm water to remove excess starch, which can make them gummy. Just be sure to toss them in a bit of oil afterward so they don’t stick together.
• What kind of noodles don’t get soggy in soup? Thicker, heartier noodles like egg noodles, whole wheat pasta, or pasta shapes like fusilli or penne tend to hold up well in soup. Rice noodles or glass noodles can also work as they keep their texture quite well.
• What noodles hold up best in soup? I’m a big fan of egg noodles in soup – they’re thick and hold their shape well. Other good options include whole grain pasta or larger pasta shapes like fusilli, penne, or farfalle.

A Closer Look at the Ingredients

Chicken breasts

Two boneless, skinless breasts for four servings. They cook right in the broth and shred with two forks at the end. Thighs work the same way if that is what you have.

Chicken broth

Four cups of broth is the whole liquid, so buy one you like the taste of. Low sodium lets you control the salt, and the noodles soak up a lot of it.

Carrots, onion, celery and garlic

Three carrots, one onion, a cup of celery, and three cloves of garlic. Slice the carrots and celery about a quarter inch thick so they are soft but not mushy after six hours.

Thyme and bay leaf

A teaspoon of dried thyme and one bay leaf. The bay leaf comes out before serving. Nobody wants to find it in their bowl.

Egg noodles

Two cups of dry egg noodles, added at the very end. Wide ones hold up best. They cook in the hot broth in twenty to thirty minutes on high.

Step by Step, With the Details

Everything but the noodles

Put the chicken, broth, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper in the crock pot. Push the chicken down so it is under the liquid.

Six to eight hours on low

Lid on, low, and leave it. Three to four hours on high gets you to the same place if you start after lunch.

Shred the chicken

Lift the breasts out, shred them with two forks, and put the meat back in. It takes two minutes and the chicken soaks the broth back up while the noodles cook.

Noodles for the last half hour

Turn the crock pot to high, stir in the dry egg noodles, and cover. Check at twenty minutes. They are done when they are tender all the way through.

Bay leaf out, taste, serve

Fish out the bay leaf, taste for salt, and ladle it up. A handful of sliced green onion or fresh parsley on top is the finish.

Noodles in the Pot or on the Side

If you are eating the whole pot tonight, cook the noodles right in the broth. They taste better that way and there is one less pan.

If you want leftovers for the week, boil the noodles separately and keep them in their own container. Noodles left in the soup overnight drink up the broth and go soft.

Easy Add-Ins

Lemon

A squeeze of fresh lemon juice in each bowl wakes up the whole thing. It is the one addition I never skip.

Fresh herbs

Chopped parsley or a little fresh rosemary stirred in at the end. Dried herbs go in at the start, fresh ones at the finish.

Rotisserie chicken

Skip the raw breasts and stir in three cups of rotisserie chicken when the noodles go in. The vegetables still need the full time to soften.

A bigger pot

Double the broth, vegetables, and chicken in a six quart crock pot and add three cups of noodles. The cook time stays the same.

The Sick Day Version

When someone in the house is under the weather, I add an extra clove of garlic, a knob of fresh ginger, and a little more black pepper. It is not medicine, but it feels like it.

Make it ahead and freeze it without noodles. The day someone comes home sniffling, it thaws on the stove in twenty minutes.

Leftovers, Reheating and Freezing

In the refrigerator

The soup keeps for four days covered. The noodles will have softened and soaked up broth, so add a splash of broth or water when you reheat.

Reheating

Warm it on the stove over medium or in the microwave. Do not boil it hard or the noodles fall apart.

Freezing

Freeze the soup without noodles for up to three months. Thaw overnight, bring it to a simmer, and cook fresh noodles in it.

Questions I Get About This Soup

Can I use frozen chicken breasts?

Thaw them first. Frozen chicken takes too long to reach a safe temperature in a slow cooker and can throw off the whole cook time.

Can I use a whole chicken?

A small whole chicken works and makes a richer broth. Pull it out at six hours, strip the meat off the bones, and return the meat before the noodles go in.

Why is my soup bland?

It needs salt. Broth, chicken, and noodles all take a lot of it. Taste at the end and add a half teaspoon at a time until it tastes like soup.

Can I make it on the stove?

Yes. Simmer everything but the noodles in a big pot for thirty minutes until the chicken is cooked, shred it, then add the noodles for ten minutes.

Can I use different pasta?

Small shells, ditalini, or broken spaghetti all work in the same amount. Rice works too, a cup of white rice for the last thirty minutes.

More Slow Cooker Dinners

• Shredded Chicken in the Crock Pot
• Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Cheesy Potato Soup
• Crock Pot Beef and Noodles