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 that will keep you warm and nourished!
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Crockpot Pasta Soup with Chicken
We’ve been eating a LOT of soup lately. It’s just so cozy and comforting! And chicken noodle is one of our family’s absolute faves – even the kids will eat it!
I love a good canned soup now and then for ease, but you just can’t beat homemade – the ingredients are so much more flavorful and I love the chunkier texture, too.
Chicken noodle soup is a classic feel-good meal, and it’s made even easier in a crockpot. It’s a hands-off, super simple, and delicious dinner the whole family will love.
You can even prep it ahead of time and finish cooking it when you’re ready to eat! Plus, this is a lighter chicken soup recipe because there’s no heavy cream – which means it’s dairy-free, too.
This recipe tastes like traditional chicken noodle soup, but it’s even more flavor-packed thanks to bright lemon zest and fresh herbs (like rosemary, sage, and thyme).
It’s a perfect blend of savory flavors, tender veggies, juicy chicken, and pillowy pasta. (For a Mexican-inspired crockpot soup, try this slow cooker chicken taco soup!).
Recipe Ingredients
To make this slow cooker chicken soup recipe, you’ll need:
- chicken breasts (I recommend using boneless, skinless chicken breasts for easier shredding. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer, though they don’t usually shred quite as easily as chicken breasts do.)
- yellow onion
- carrots
- celery
- garlic
- fresh rosemary
- fresh thyme
- fresh sage
- bay leaves
- chicken broth (I recommend using low sodium chicken broth, because it allows you to control the salt levels in the soup more easily.)
- egg noodles (or other pasta shapes like penne, rigatoni, rotini, etc.)
- salt & pepper
- red pepper flakes (Optional, for a little added heat)
- lemon zest (Optional, but recommended – I love the way it brightens the soup’s flavor!)
- optional garnishes: fresh chopped parsley and dill (dill is my favorite in chicken soup – it’s so delicious! my father-in-law taught me that tip!)
Feel free to add more vegetables if desired, or stir in some fresh spinach at the end for some extra green (it will wilt down immediately once stirred in). Some grated parmesan on top would also be delicious, as would a hunk 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 placing chicken breasts, chopped carrots, diced celery, diced onions, chopped garlic, herbs, and seasonings into the crockpot/slow cooker.
(If you want, you can saute the onions, garlic, celery, and carrots for a few minutes in a pan with some olive oil to soften them a bit and bring out their flavor before adding into the crockpot, but that’s an optional step that will not make or break this soup!)
Pour in the chicken broth and set the slow cooker to cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 5-6 hours. That’s it – so easy!
Since chicken breast is so lean, you don’t want to overcook it or it can get dry and tough. If possible, use a meat thermometer to check the chicken every 30 minutes (starting with the minimum cook time onward) – chicken is fully cooked at 165 degrees F.
Next, remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken, then add it back into the slow cooker.
Then, add the pasta (uncooked) and the lemon zest. Cook on high for 15-25 minutes, until the pasta is fully cooked.
Season with more salt, pepper, and/or red pepper flakes as desired. Fish out the whole bay leaves (you don’t want to eat those – they just add flavor), then your soup is ready to eat!
Lastly, spoon the soup into bowls, garnish with parsley and dill, and serve!
Storage Tips
Once cooled, 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 pasta separate, though, otherwise it can get soggy.
I’d recommend cooking the pasta separately in that case, and only adding it into the portions of soup you are going to eat immediately.
Storing for a day or so with the pasta included is fine, but the longer you store it with the pasta included, the soggier the pasta will get as it soaks up all the liquid. So again, if your plan is to enjoy this soup for multiple days, cook the pasta separately and store it separately, too.
To reheat, cook the pasta separately (according to the package directions), then heat up the soup in the microwave or on the stovetop. Stir the lemon zest and cooked pasta 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 until shredding the chicken. Add the chicken back into the soup, then store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
When you’re ready to eat, cook the pasta and heat up the soup, then add the cooked pasta into the hot soup and enjoy!
What type of pasta should I use for chicken noodle soup?
You can use any noodles you like! Egg noodles are more traditional type of pasta for chicken noodle soup, but other short-cut pasta like penne, rigatoni, or rotini will work great, too.
Can I use frozen chicken?
If using frozen chicken for this crockpot chicken noodle soup recipe, be sure to defrost it first. Otherwise, the chicken may stay at unsafe temperatures for too long in the slow cooker, or not end up fully cooked through, and you don’t want to have to cook much longer because then the veggies will end up too mushy.
Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh?
Yes, you can replace the fresh rosemary, thyme, and/or sage with dried equivalents. But, fresh herbs have a brighter flavor, so they are preferred if possible!
Can you freeze chicken noodle soup?
Yes, this slow cooker chicken noodle soup can be frozen, but I recommend keeping the pasta separate (or waiting to cook the pasta until just before you’re ready to eat the soup).
Store the soup in an airtight container (like a zip-top bag – just be sure to let the soup FULLY cool before pouring into the bag) in the freezer for up to 2 months.
I hope this crockpot chicken soup becomes a new favorite for your family! I’m already dreaming about making it again. 🙂 You’ll find the full recipe at the end of this post.
Do you have a go-to soup recipe that you absolutely love and make all the time? Let me know in the comments!
More easy slow cooker soup & chicken recipe inspiration:
- Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
- Crockpot Mexican Chicken
- Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas Verde
- Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks (Honey Mustard)
- Crockpot Balsamic Chicken
Easy Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup (No Heavy Cream)
This chicken noodle soup recipe is such a classic, with herby, savory flavor that's so comforting. Plus, the crockpot makes it really easy!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices or half-rounds (about 2 cups)
- 3 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Pinch of red pepper flakes or ground black pepper
- 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 8 oz egg noodles (or other pasta shapes like penne, rigatoni, rotini, etc), uncooked
- zest of 1 lemon (optional)
- optional garnishes: fresh chopped parsley and dill
Instructions:
- Place the chicken, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and chicken broth in a slow cooker insert.
- Turn the slow cooker to high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken shreds easily with a fork.
- Remove the chicken to a plate and shred into bite-sized pieces. Return the chicken to the slow cooker along with the pasta and lemon zest. Cook on high for another 15-25 minutes, until the pasta is cooked through. Season with more salt and pepper or red pepper flakes as needed.
- Remove bay leaves (you don't want to eat those!), then the soup is ready to eat! Serve garnished with fresh parsley and dill if desired, and enjoy.
