Is there anything more comforting than homemade chicken noodle soup? What about chicken soup that’s even easier to make (thanks to a slow cooker)?
This crockpot chicken noodle soup recipe is cozy, flavorful and packed with veggies and fresh herbs.
It’s a perfect easy weeknight meal to keep you warm and nourished!
Crockpot noodle soup with chicken
We’ve been eating a lot of soup lately. It’s just so cozy and soothing! And chicken noodles are one of our family favorites – even the kids will eat them!
I love a good canned soup every once in a while, but you can’t beat homemade—the ingredients are so much tastier and I love the chunkier texture too.
Chicken noodle soup is a classic comfort food made even easier in a crockpot. It’s a convenient, super easy, and delicious dinner the whole family will love.
You can even make it ahead of time and finish cooking when you’re ready to eat! Plus, this is a lighter chicken soup recipe because it doesn’t contain any cream—meaning it’s dairy-free, too.
This recipe tastes like traditional chicken noodle soup, but is even more flavorful thanks to light lemon zest and fresh herbs (like rosemary, sage, and thyme).
It’s a perfect blend of savory flavors, tender veggies, succulent chicken and soft pasta.
recipe ingredients
To make this slow cooker chicken soup recipe you will need:
- Chicken breast (I recommend using boneless, skinless chicken breasts for easier shredding. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer, although they’re not usually shredded as easily as chicken breasts.)
- yellow onion
- carrots
- celery
- Garlic
- fresh rosemary
- fresh thyme
- fresh sage
- bay leaves
- chicken soup (I recommend using low-sodium chicken broth as it allows you to more easily control the salt levels in the soup.)
- egg noodles (or others pasta shapes like penne, rigatoni, rotini, etc.)
- salt pepper
- red pepper flakes (Optional, for a little extra heat)
- Lemon peel (Optional but recommended – love how it brightens the flavor of the soup!)
- optional side dishes: freshly chopped parsley and dill (dill is my favorite in chicken soup – it’s so delicious! My father-in-law taught me this tip!)
Feel free to add more veggies if you like, or stir in some fresh spinach at the end for some extra greenery (it will wilt immediately after stirring). Some grated Parmesan on top would also be delicious, as would a piece of crusty bread.
You might also like this Minestrone Soup Recipe or this Thai Chicken Soup Recipe!
How to make chicken noodle soup in the slow cooker
To make this Crockpot Chicken Soup, start by adding the chicken breasts, chopped carrots, diced celery, diced onions, chopped garlic, herbs and spices to the crockpot/slow cooker.
(If you like, you can sauté the onions, garlic, celery, and carrots in a pan with a little olive oil for a few minutes to soften them up a bit and bring out their flavor before adding them to the pot, but that is an optional step won’t make or break this soup!)
Pour in the chicken broth and set the slow cooker to cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 5-6 hours. It’s that easy!
Because chicken breasts are so lean, you don’t want to overcook them or they can become dry and tough. If possible, use a meat thermometer to check the chicken every 30 minutes (starting at the minimum cook time) – chicken is fully cooked at 165 degrees F.
Next, remove the chicken breasts onto a cutting board. Shred the chicken with two forks, then return it to the slow cooker.
Then add the pasta (uncooked) and the lemon zest. Cook on high for 15-25 minutes until noodles are fully cooked.
Season with more salt, pepper and/or paprika flakes to taste. Fish out the whole bay leaves (you don’t want to eat them – they just add flavor) and your soup is ready to eat!
Finally, pour the soup into bowls, garnish with parsley and dill, and serve!
storage tips
Once chilled, store this soup in an airtight container for up to 1 week. If you’re making this soup to save for later, it’s best to keep the noodles separate, otherwise they may get mushy.
I would recommend cooking the pasta separately in this case and only adding it to the portions of soup that you will eat right away.
Storing for a day or so with the included noodles is fine, but the longer you keep them with the included noodles, the more mushy the noodles will get as they soak up all the liquid. So if you plan to enjoy this soup for several days, cook the noodles separately and store them separately as well.
To reheat, cook the noodles separately (according to package directions), then heat the soup in the microwave or on the stovetop. Stir the lemon zest and cooked noodles into the hot soup.
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
Yes, this soup is great for meal prep! Follow all the steps up to shredding the chicken. Return the chicken to the soup, then store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
When ready to eat, cook the noodles and heat the soup, then add the cooked noodles to the hot soup and enjoy!
What Kind of Noodles Should I Use for Chicken Noodle Soup?
You can use any pasta! Egg noodles are a more traditional type of noodle for chicken noodle soup, but other short-cut pasta like penne, rigatoni, or rotini work great too.
Can I use frozen chicken?
If using frozen chicken for this crockpot chicken noodle soup recipe, thaw it first. Otherwise, the chicken may be left in the slow cooker at unsafe temperatures for too long, or may not be fully cooked through, and you don’t want to have to cook much longer or the veggies will become too mushy.
Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh?
Yes, you can substitute dried rosemary, thyme, and/or sage for fresh rosemary. However, fresh herbs have a lighter flavor, so they are preferred whenever possible!
Can you freeze chicken noodle soup?
Yes, this slow cooker chicken noodle soup can be frozen, but I recommend storing the noodles separately (or waiting to cook the noodles until you’re ready to eat the soup).
Store soup in an airtight container (like a ziplock bag – just allow soup to cool COMPLETELY before transferring to bag) in the freezer for up to 2 months.
I hope this crockpot chicken soup becomes a new family favorite! I already dream of doing it again. 🙂 You can find the full recipe at the bottom of this post.
Do you have a soup recipe that you absolutely love and make all the time? Let me know in the comments!
More easy slow cooker soup and chicken recipe inspiration:
Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
This chicken noodle soup recipe is such a classic with a tangy, hearty flavor that’s so comforting. Plus, the crockpot makes it really easy!
preparation time
20 minutes
cooking time
3 hours 15 minutes
total time
3 hours 35 minutes
Ingredients:
-
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
-
1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
-
3 medium carrots, sliced in 1/2-inch thick or half-sliced (about 2 cups)
-
3 stalks celery, sliced into 1/2 inch thick (about 1 1/2 cups)
-
4 garlic cloves, chopped
-
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
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1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
-
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
-
3 bay leaves
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1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
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Pinch red pepper flakes or ground black pepper
-
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
-
8 ounces egg pasta (or other pasta shapes like penne, rigatoni, rotini, etc.), uncooked
-
zest of 1 lemon (optional)
-
optional side dishes: freshly chopped parsley and dill
Instructions:
- Place chicken, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, bay leaves, salt, pepper and chicken stock in slow cooker basket.
- Set the slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 5-6 hours, until vegetables are tender and chicken is easily shredded with a fork.
- Place the chicken on a plate and cut into bite-sized pieces. Place the chicken in the slow cooker along with the pasta and lemon zest. Cook on high for another 15-25 minutes until the pasta is done. Season with more salt and pepper or red pepper flakes as needed.
- Remove the bay leaves (you don’t want to eat them!), then the soup is ready to eat! Serve garnished with fresh parsley and dill if desired and enjoy.