Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

This Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup is classic comfort food! It's a quick meal to prep, just toss it all in the crockpot, with tender shredded chicken, lots of healthy veggies, noodles, fresh herbs, and a warm cozy broth.

• A Big Pot of Chicken Noodle Soup simmering away in the slow cooker is so inviting on a cold day! It's so easy to make and just so much better than a can of chicken noodle. The chicken and the noodles in the can are just never very good!

• Perfect for sick days, and an easy weeknight dinner, an old fashioned pot of Chicken Noodle Soup is sure to be a hit!

• If you Love this Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup, try this Chicken Wild Rice Soup, Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili, and Crockpot Tuscan Chicken Gnocchi Soup!

Ingredients

Familiar ingredients, plus fridge and pantry staples, this comforting meal is easy to put together!

• Chicken - You can use between 1 and 1.5 pounds of raw boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts. You could also use bone-in or skin-on chicken, just remove the bones and skin when you shred the chicken.

• Onion, Carrot and Celery - The classic mirepoix of French vegetables add tremendous flavor and make this soup a healthy well rounded meal!

• Garlic - I like to use fresh garlic and garlic powder since I think they both add slightly different flavor. Plus a cold fighting ingredient when you're sick!

• Fresh AND Dried Herbs - Again, I like the combo of fresh and dried herbs. Add the dry herbs and seasonings to the crockpot to simmer all day, and a burst of fresh herbs just before serving. These can be any combination of parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage or oregano.

• Chicken Stock - I like to save my chicken bones and vegetable scraps to make and freeze my own Homemade Chicken Stock. The onion, carrot and celery scraps from this soup are perfect to add to your freezer to make stock later! Store-bought stock is also fine. You'll need 8 cups of liquid, but 4 cups of stock (1 quart box) and 4 cups of water works great.

• Noodles - While the classic is egg noodles, I went for the corkscrew fusilli with this recipe. Mostly because I've found they hold up better, while egg noodles can easily get overcooked and soak up all your liquid. Any pasta you choose is fine, but it's best to serve the soup just when the pasta is cooked through. Any noodles will overcook and be mushy if you leave them to cook too long.

• Lemon Juice - A squeeze of fresh lemon juice is a flavor enhancer. Like salt, it adds a bright flavor boost just as the soup finishes.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

This is a super easy crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup, just add your ingredients and let it cook away all day. Finish by adding the pasta an hour before eating, with fresh herbs and a big squeeze of fresh lemon juice!

Step 1 - Chop your veggies and add them to the slow cooker.

Step 2 - Spread the chicken over the veggies and sprinkle with the dried seasonings.

Add the chicken stock and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.

Step 3 - Remove the chicken and shred with 2 forks on a cutting board. Then add back to the soup.

Step 4 - Add the pasta about 30 minutes before you're ready to eat.

Step 5 - Finish the soup with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice. Give it a taste to make sure the noodles are done and add more salt and pepper to taste if needed!

Helpful Tips

• Cooking Time - It's fine for your chicken noodle soup to cook away in the slow cooker all day while you're at work, up to 8 hours. However, it probably is ready after 6 hours. You just need to make sure the chicken is cooked through, tender and easily shreds apart.

• The Noodles - You'll want to add your noodles to the crockpot 1 hour before you're ready to eat. I used Fusilli pasta, but regular egg noodles will take less time than that. Try not to overcook the noodles, they will get soggy and soak up too much of your broth. When the noodles are al dente, it's time to eat!

• Slice your Carrots thin to ensure they cook all the way through. I usually don't bother peeling them, just wash them well, scrubbing them with your hands under running water. Or peel them if you like!

• A Note on Salt - Chicken Noodle Soup can have the tendency to be bland! That's why I've used fresh garlic and onions AND garlic and onion powder, as well as fresh and dry herbs, and a big squeeze of fresh lemon juice for bright flavor! Even with that, I think we underestimate how much salt is in a can of store-bought chicken noodle soup. With homemade, you can definitely control the amount of salt to your liking, but don't be surprised if it needs more than you think. Serving your soup with crackers will add salt as well.

• Add Water or Stock - If your soup doesn't seem to have enough liquid, you can always add a bit more water or stock to adjust.

Storage & Make Ahead Instructions

• Storage - Leftover Chicken Noodle Soup can be store in a sealed container in the fridge for up 2 to 3 days. It can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave. You may need to add a little water or chicken stock when reheating.

• Freezer - If you know you want to freeze some of your soup, it's best not to freeze the noodles as they become mushy when thawed. To freeze, make the soup without the noodles, take some out and freeze, then add less noodles and finish cooking. Then make a fresh batch of noodles or add them when reheating your frozen soup. The soup could be frozen in this way for up to 4 months

• Make Ahead - If you want to make this soup in advance, it's best not to add the noodles until you plan to serve it. Make the soup up until adding the noodles, then store it in the fridge. When you plan to eat it, warm the soup in the crockpot or on the stove, add the dry noodles (or cook them separately), and cook until the noodles are done.

What to Serve with Chicken Noodle Soup

With a hearty amount of veggies, protein and carbs, this Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup is a complete meal on its own! It also goes great with:

• Homemade Overnight Dutch Oven Bread, garlic bread or biscuits
• A big lettuce salad with this Easy Vinaigrette in a Jar or try this Spinach Arugula Salad!
• Make it a soup and sandwich night! Try grilled cheese, BLT's with Cheese and Avocado, or these Italian Subs with Giardiniera
• Or keep it simple with oyster crackers or saltines. Or even Goldfish or Cheddar Bunnies for the kids!