A big hot bowl of slow cooker chicken noodle soup is the perfect comforting meal on those chilly days! It’s an easy set-it and forget recipe as lean white meat simmers with hearty root vegetables, flavorful herbs, and large egg noodles.
We’ve all been there when the cold and flu season hits and you feel like a walking zombie. I know all I want is a big steaming bowl of comforting soup. This recipe is one of those simple mom-approved remedies that bring a little relief when you’re not on the top of your game.
Using a crock-pot makes the preparation nearly effortless. Just place lean pieces of chicken breast in the vessel along with a classic combination of onions, carrots, and celery. Drop-in some thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf to add depth and pleasing aromatics the moment you lift the lid. Big, tender egg noodles swim in the savory soup base, giving that extra energy you need.
Slow cooker size
This recipe makes a large batch of chicken noodle soup. I use a 6-quart Crock-Pot which works nicely. If you have a smaller unit, cut the recipe in half. It takes about 3 1/2 hours to cook on “high” setting or 5 1/2 hours on “low” setting.
Chicken selection
I prefer boneless skinless chicken breasts. The thick pieces of lean meat gently cook in the hot soup liquid, but they can dry out if left too long in the pot. Make sure to use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness about every 30 minutes past the recommended cook time.
Make sure to keep the chicken covered after removing it from the vessel. To prevent moisture loss, don’t shred them into pieces until ready to serve. You can use either boneless or bone-in chicken thighs for this recipe, however, if cooking with the skin on it will add more grease to the liquid. Fresh or leftover roasted chicken also makes for a quick and easy protein add-in.
Flavorful add-ins
A mirepoix consisting of carrots, onions, and celery creates the classic chicken noodle soup flavor. If desired, you can add other vegetables like fennel, butternut squash, any type of potato, zucchini, green beans, or corn to the soup. Make sure to cut each vegetable in similar bite-sized pieces for even cooking.
To add additional layers of flavor, I use minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves that slowly infuse into the cooking liquid. You can use chicken broth or stock, but I prefer the latter, as it adds more richness and flavor from the gelatin in the simmering bones.
Cooking pasta noodles in the slow cooker
Wide egg noodles are a top choice for chicken noodle soup. You’ll add them to the crock-pot after the chicken and vegetables finish cooking. Alternatively, to speed up the overall cook time you can cook them in a separate pot on the stovetop.
Egg noodles have a soft -yet tender bite that complements the proteins and vegetables in the soup. If you don’t have any in the pantry or want to switch it up, other types of pasta can be used. Ditalini and rotini are good substitutes, even broken pieces of thin fettuccine work well. Just note that semolina-based pasta may take a little longer time for cooking as they are more durable compared to egg noodles.
More slow cooker recipes
Preventing mushy noodles
Cook the pasta at the very end of the recipe process on the “high” setting right before serving. Depending on the size and shape of your noodle the time may vary. I find 25 to 30 minutes gives a nice tender egg noodle. If using a different type of pasta check at 10 minutes, then every 10 minutes after that time to gauge the doneness.
Crock-Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced ¼-inch
- 1 ½ cups yellow onion, ½-inch dice
- 1 cup celery, ¼-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped, or ¾ teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped, or ½ teaspoon dried
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 8 cups unsalted chicken stock, or chicken broth
- 8 ounces wide egg noodles
- ½ cup Italian parsley leaves, finely chopped
Instructions
- Add chicken, carrots, onions, celery, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and chicken stock to a slow cooker.
- Cover and cook for 3 ½ hours on the high setting, or 5 ½ hours on low.
- Remove chicken and transfer to a clean plate.
- Make sure the chicken is cooked through. Cover with plastic wrap to keep warm. Shred into smaller pieces right before serving.
- Add pasta to the slow cooker and cook on high setting for 25 to 30 minutes, or until pasta is tender.
- Taste the soup liquid and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
- Add shredded chicken back to the slow cooker, cover and let cook for 5 minutes on high heat to re-warm.
Recipe Video
Equipment
Notes
- Garnish with a little bit of fresh chopped parsley and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Serve with bread or saltine crackers.
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Tag @jessica_gavin on Instagram. I'd love to see how it turns out!
Scott says
Can you use any different types of noodle or orzo…my wife does not like egg noodles
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, you can use different noodles but the cook times may be different.
Marie Czarnecki says
LOVE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP, THANK YOU..
Brandon Jones says
Hi,
I’m looking at making this recipe to bring to work for our break. Would I be able to keep the slow cooker on the “warm” setting and not have to worry about overcooking the soup or completely destroying the egg noodles? It’d be on warm for about 4-5 hours
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Brandon- The warm setting can range between 165-175ºF, which will keep the food nice and warm. However I think the chicken may be ok, but the noodles may get mushy after 4-5 hours. Perhaps you could add that in later, or cook some and store in a plastic bag and add it in to rewarm an hour or so before serving?
Linda says
We were expecting lots of snow, which we got, so I thought a good chicken noodle soup. I would be really good. One of those that made your nose run, in a good way. I think I would add a few more spices though, maybe oregano or sage. It was real simple to make and heart warming on a cold snowy day.
Jessica Gavin says
Adding in some more spices like oregano and sage would be delicious for the chicken noodle soup, thanks for making the recipe!
Grsce says
Two questions:
Can I use pre shredded, cooked chicken?
Can I make this on the stove?
Thanks
Grace
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, just add the pre-cooked and shredded chicken when you add in the noodles to warm them up before serving. Yes, this can be made on the stovetop.
Ann Seipel says
Thanks for this suggestion on a snowy no-school day. Found boneless skinless thighs in the freezer—had everything else. Oh, I added some poultry seasoning. Crock pot is on—I’m going to read my book! Love your recipes. Thanks again!
Sue El says
I would love to try this. Could you let me know whether the broth should be hot before I pour it in or should it be cool? I have just got my slow cooker and would appreciate advice on this. Many thanks.
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Sue- How exciting, time to break in the slow cooker! I usually add the broth at room temperature.
Sue El says
Thank you so much. I am going to do it soon – it will be ready for supper tonight (I live in London!). Best wishes, Sue
Jessica Gavin says
I can’t wait to hear what you think, Sue!
Sue El says
The soup was delicious and it was so nice to put the vermicelli in towards the end and not have to use another saucepan. A real one pot recipe. I did it on the high setting but left it for another half-hour because I found the carrots weren’t quite soft enough for my taste after 3 1/2 hours. As a crock pot beginner I am learning all the time! Thank you for your advice and great recipes. Best wishes, Sue