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 with lean white meat, hearty root vegetables, flavorful herbs, and large egg noodles.
Recipe Science
- Use boneless chicken breasts for lean meat or bone-in thighs for richer, more flavorful stock from the added gelatin.
- A mirepoix of carrots, onions, and celery balances sweetness, aromatics, and umami, building the soup’s flavor base.
- To prevent mushy noodles, cook pasta on “high”. Egg noodles take 30 minutes for the starchy pasta to absorb the stock and soften.
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Featured Comment 109
“Super good and easy! Definitely a keeper in the recipe book, thank you so much.”—Natasha S.
Why It Works
We’ve all been there: When cold and flu season hits, you feel like a zombie. I know I only want a big, warm bowl of comforting soup. This crockpot chicken noodle soup recipe is one of those simple mom-approved remedies that relieve you when you’re not on top of your game.
Using a crock-pot makes the preparation nearly effortless. Just place chicken breast pieces in the vessel and a classic combination of onions, carrots, and celery. Drop in some thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf to add depth and pleasing aromatics when you lift the lid. Big, tender egg noodles swim in the savory soup base, giving you that extra energy you need.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken: I prefer boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The thick pieces of lean meat gently cook in the hot soup liquid. Alternatively, you can use boneless or bone-in chicken thighs. Note that cooking with the skin on will add more grease to the liquid.
- Vegetables: A mirepoix of carrots, onions, and celery creates the classic chicken noodle soup flavor.
- Seasoning: Minced garlic adds a hint of spicy allium notes that mellow out over time. Salt and pepper enhance the liquid’s savory taste.
- Herbs: Dried and fresh herbs add fragrant aromatics and dimension to the soup. I infuse rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves into the cooking liquid.
- Liquid: Use chicken broth or stock as a flavorful, simmering liquid. I prefer chicken stock as it adds more richness and flavor from the gelatin in the bones.
- Pasta: Wide egg noodles are a top choice for chicken noodle soup. Their soft yet tender bite complements the proteins and vegetables.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This easy crockpot chicken noodle soup recipe is simple to customize! Try these tasty options:
- Chicken Options: Fresh or leftover roasted chicken or turkey also makes for a quick and easy protein add-in at the end of cooking.
- Add More Vegetables: Add fennel, butternut squash, any type of potato, zucchini, green beans, or corn to the soup. Make sure to cut each vegetable into similar bite-sized pieces for even cooking.
- Pasta Substitutes: Other types of pasta, such as ditalini and rotini, can be used. Even broken pieces of thin fettuccine work well. Just note that semolina-based pasta may take a little longer to cook as it is more durable than egg noodles. You’ll add them to the Crock-Pot after the chicken and vegetables finish cooking. Alternatively, you can cook the noodles separately on the stovetop to speed up the overall cook time.
- Make it Creamy: If you prefer creamy chicken noodle soup, add ½ to 1 cup of heavy cream when warming the shredded chicken at the end of cooking.
- Make it Spicy: Add in red pepper flakes, chipotle, chili powder, cayenne, hot sauce, or Sriracha.
How to Make Crock-Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Step 1: Add the Ingredients
This slow cooker chicken noodle soup recipe is straightforward to prepare! I use a 6-quart Crock-Pot, which works nicely. If you have a smaller unit, cut the recipe in half. Add the chicken, vegetables, herbs, and stock to the slow cooker.
Step 2: Slow Cook
Cover and cook the soup for about 3 ½ hours on high or 5 ½ hours on low setting. Chicken breast is lean and can dry out if left in the pot for too long. Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness every 30 minutes past the recommended cook time. Target the internal temperature of the chicken at 160ºF (71ºC).
Step 3: Shred the Chicken
After removing the chicken from the vessel, keep it covered. Don’t shred the chicken until ready to serve to prevent moisture loss.
Step 4: Cook the Noodles
Stir in the dried egg noodles and cook on high for about 30 minutes or until they become tender. Different types of pasta may need more or less time, so adjust accordingly to prevent them from getting mushy.
Step 5: Warm the Chicken
Gently stir the shredded chicken into the soup and let it warm for about five minutes. This ensures the chicken absorbs the flavors of the stock while staying tender. Brief and even heating helps prevent the meat from becoming overcooked or dry.
Step 6: To Serve
Before serving, sprinkle the homemade chicken noodle soup with fresh parsley for a burst of color and brightness. Then, grab a bowl and a spoon and dive into this cozy, comfort food.
Frequently Asked Questions
Raw chicken can be cooked along with any other flavorful ingredients for soups. This gently cooks the poultry in the simmering liquid, adding flavor to the meat and soup. Ensure the chicken is fully cooked, between 160 to 165ºF (71 to 74ºC), before shredding and serving. It’s easy to see if the meat is still raw and pink. If using frozen chicken, defrost it first.
Yes! Add the dried pasta to the slow cooker about 30 minutes before serving to prevent the noodles from turning too soft and absorbing too much chicken stock.
The dried pasta can be cooked in chicken stock, broth, and other ingredients. This should be done at the end of cooking, right before serving. If the starchy pasta absorbs too much liquid, add more stock and season with salt as needed. The pasta could also be cooked separately and then added to the soup.
Cook the pasta in the slow cooker on the “high” setting at the end of the recipe process right before serving. The time may vary depending on the size and shape of the noodles. I find that 25 to 30 minutes gives a nice tender egg noodles. If using a different type of pasta, check at 10 minutes and then every 10 minutes after that time to gauge the doneness.
More Crockpot Recipes
If you tried this Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Crock-Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced ¼" thick
- 1 ½ cups yellow onion, ½" dice
- 1 cup celery, ¼" pieces
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 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 broth
- 8 ounces wide egg noodles
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Add Ingredients – In a 6-quart slow cooker, add chicken, carrots, onions, celery, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and chicken stock.
- Slow Cook – Cover and cook on the high setting for 3 ½ hours, or on the low setting for 5 ½ hours. Cook until the chicken reaches 160ºF (71ºC), adding more time as needed.
- Shred Chicken – Remove chicken and transfer to a clean plate. Cover with plastic wrap to keep warm. Shred into smaller pieces right before serving.
- Cook Noodles – Add pasta to the slow cooker and cook on high setting for 25 to 30 minutes, or until pasta is tender.
- Warm Chicken – Add shredded chicken back to the slow cooker, cover, and let cook for 5 minutes on high heat to re-warm. Season the soup with more salt and pepper as needed.
- To Serve – Garnish the chicken noodle soup with chopped parsley before serving.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Recipe Yield: About 8 cups
- Serving Size: 1 cup chicken noodle soup
- Storing: Completely cool the chicken soup. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Add more stock if needed for reheating.
- Reheating: Cook over medium heat on the stovetop until hot.
- Freezing: Store in individual containers or resealable bags for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or run the container over cool water, then reheat.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
April says
I recommend sauteing the onion, carrots, celery and garlic in a Dutch oven first to soften them, then add the spices and some broth, cook for awhile on the stovetop then transfer to slow cooker with the chicken in it and cook on low about 5 hours. Nice recipe though, I love homemade chicken noodle soup.
Jessica Gavin says
Great suggestions for adding even more flavor to the crock-pot chicken noodle soup recipe, April!
Bradley says
Definitely recommend cooking noodles separately and adding at serving; however, spices need to be at least doubled, I think I 3-4X’ed them. I also doubled the vegetables roughly – so cook time was longer on high to make sure carrots are fully done (or cut smaller). Otherwise, not too shabby.
Jessica Gavin says
I appreciate your feedback, Bradley!
Tony T says
Everything was good EXEPT the noodles, the noodles get soggy af with 25-30 min on high. Do 15 min on high and check it out.
Jessica Gavin says
I appreciate your feedback, Tony! Feel free to adjust the cook times as needed.
Rebecca says
This recipe was ok, but definitely not the best. I cooked it on high for the 3 1/2 hours plus 30 mins more for the noodles. Definitely needed salt and pepper and the carrots were still too crunchy. Other than that, it was still tasty.
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for giving your feedback, Rebecca!
Jessica says
Loved this!!!! Added a few chicken cubes, an extra carton of chicken broth, a veggie cube and poultry seasoning.
I also cooked the noodles separately as directed on the package then added to the warm soup. That way nothing is overcooked or soggy. ❤️🍜
Jessica Gavin says
I appreciate your feedback, Jessica! So happy that you enjoyed the chicken noodle soup recipe.