Easy Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

This Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup has tender shredded chicken, carrots, celery, and egg noodles in a flavorful homemade broth. It takes just a few minutes to get everything into the slow cooker, then you can let it simmer away until dinner. It is simple, cozy, and exactly what I want on a cold day or anytime I am craving classic comfort food.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Chicken breasts – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cook right in the broth until tender enough to easily shred with two forks.
• Onion – I blend the onion with a little water until completely smooth so its flavor gets distributed throughout the broth without noticeable onion pieces.
• Carrots and celery – These classic chicken soup vegetables add flavor, color, and texture. Slice them evenly so they cook at the same rate.
• Water and chicken bouillon – Together these create the flavorful broth while the chicken cooks. You can also use chicken broth or stock as a substitution.
• Salt – Seasons the chicken and broth as everything slow cooks. You can always adjust the final seasoning before serving.
• Egg noodles – I prefer egg noodles for that classic chicken noodle soup texture. Cooking them separately helps keep them from getting too soft.

Ingredient Additions and Substitutions

One of the best things about Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup is how easy it is to adjust with ingredients you already have.

• Chicken thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can replace the chicken breasts. They have a little more fat and stay especially tender in the slow cooker.
• Chicken broth or stock: Replace the water with chicken broth or stock for an even richer broth. If you do this, especially with regular rather than low-sodium broth, reduce the bouillon at first so the soup does not get too salty.
• Leftover or rotisserie chicken: Already cooked chicken works too. Use chicken broth or stock for the liquid and stir the cooked shredded chicken into the soup toward the end instead of slow cooking it for several hours.
• Fresh garlic: Add a few minced garlic cloves if you want a stronger savory flavor.
• Fresh or dried herbs: Thyme, rosemary, parsley, oregano, and a bay leaf all taste great with chicken noodle soup. Just remember to remove the bay leaf before serving.
• Extra vegetables: Peas, corn, green beans, spinach, kale, or zucchini are all easy additions. Add quick-cooking vegetables closer to the end so they do not become too soft.
• Different pasta: Wide egg noodles are my favorite, but bow tie pasta, shells, rotini, or broken spaghetti can also work. Cook according to the package directions before adding to the soup.
• Turkey: Leftover turkey makes this a great soup to make after Thanksgiving. Add already cooked turkey near the end just long enough to heat through.
• Gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free noodles and double-check that your chicken bouillon and broth are labeled gluten-free.

How to Make Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

1. Blend the onion. Peel the onion and cut it into chunks. Add it to a blender or food processor with some of the water and puree until completely smooth with no noticeable pieces.

2. Fill the Crockpot. Add the pureed onion, remaining water, salt, chicken breasts, carrots, celery, and chicken bouillon to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, or until the chicken is tender and reaches 165°F in the thickest part.

3. Shred the chicken and cook the noodles. Remove the chicken from the Crockpot and shred it with two forks. While you are shredding the chicken, cook the egg noodles separately according to the package directions. I like to cook them just to al dente so they don’t become too soft once they hit the hot broth.

4. Finish the soup. Return the shredded chicken to the Crockpot and stir in the cooked noodles. Taste the broth and adjust as needed. If you want more broth, add chicken broth or water along with a little additional bouillon to taste. Serve hot.

Recipe Tips

• Puree the onion really well. You want the onion and water mixture completely smooth. This gives the broth plenty of onion flavor without chunks.
• Cut the vegetables evenly. Try to slice the carrots to a similar thickness and dice the celery into evenly sized pieces so everything cooks at about the same rate.
• Start checking the chicken at 3 hours. Slow cookers vary quite a bit. Once the chicken reaches 165°F and shreds easily, it is ready.
• Use thawed chicken. Thaw frozen chicken before adding it to the slow cooker so it can cook safely and evenly.
• Keep the Crockpot lid closed. Every time you lift the lid, you release heat and extend the cooking time.
• Cook the noodles separately. I know throwing them straight into the Crockpot sounds easier, but separate cooking gives you much better control over the texture.
• Cook noodles just to al dente. They will soften a little more once they are added to the hot soup.
• Don’t add all the noodles to leftovers if you are meal prepping. Egg noodles continue soaking up broth as they sit. Keeping the noodles separate makes leftover soup much better.
• Adjust the broth before serving. Noodles absorb quite a bit of liquid. If the soup gets thicker than you like, add chicken broth or water and season with additional bouillon as needed.
• Watch the salt when using broth. Bouillon and packaged chicken broth can both be salty. If you substitute broth for the water, start with less bouillon and add more after tasting.
• Add fresh parsley at the end. It is optional, but a little chopped parsley adds freshness and color to each bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

Make Ahead and Storage

Chicken noodle soup is a great make-ahead meal, but the trick is keeping those noodles from soaking up all your broth.

Make ahead: Prepare the chicken, vegetables, and broth as directed, but leave out the noodles. Refrigerate the soup, then cook fresh egg noodles when you are ready to serve it.

Refrigerate: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. For the best texture, keep extra noodles in a separate container and add them to individual bowls when reheating.

Freeze: Let the soup cool completely and freeze the chicken, vegetables, and broth in a freezer-safe container. For the best texture, leave out the egg noodles and make fresh noodles after thawing. The soup base will keep its best quality for about 2 to 3 months in the freezer.

Reheat: Thaw frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator, then warm it on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot. Add freshly cooked noodles just before serving.

Pairing Ideas

This soup is filling enough to be dinner all by itself, but I never turn down a warm piece of bread for dipping into that broth. Our soft Homemade Dinner Rolls are perfect with it. Add a simple green salad or some sliced fruit on the side and you have an easy, cozy family dinner.

For even more weeknight inspiration, take a look at our 33+ Easy Family Dinner Ideas.

More Crockpot Soup Recipes

You can never go wrong with a good crockpot recipe! These dishes are all full of flavor and have so much to offer more than just plain soup. Each soup is unique with a variety of ingredients and flavors that blend perfectly together.

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