Description

This Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup is a comforting, hearty, and easy-to-make recipe perfect for chilly days or when you’re feeling under the weather. Packed with tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and flavorful herbs, it simmers slowly to develop a rich broth. The egg noodles are added at the end to keep them perfectly tender and not mushy, resulting in a warm, homey bowl of soup that tastes like it has been simmering all day.

Ingredients

Scale

Protein and Vegetables

1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced

Broth and Seasonings

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Noodles and Garnish

2 cups egg noodles (uncooked)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional for garnish)

Instructions

Add Chicken and Veggies to Slow Cooker: Place the boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced carrots, sliced celery, diced onion, and minced garlic cloves into a 6–8 qt black oval slow cooker.
Add Broth and Seasonings: Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth. Add dried thyme, dried parsley, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper to the slow cooker with the ingredients.
Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6–8 hours or on high for 4 hours until the chicken is fully cooked and vegetables are soft and tender.
Shred Chicken: Remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker, mixing it into the soup.
Add Noodles: Stir in the uncooked egg noodles, cover, and cook on high for 10–15 minutes until the noodles are cooked through and tender.
Finish and Serve: Stir in the lemon juice to brighten the flavors. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

Add the noodles at the very end of cooking to prevent them from becoming mushy.
Shred the chicken directly in the crockpot for easy shredding and to retain juices.
Allow the soup to rest for 5–10 minutes after cooking so flavors meld.
Taste and adjust salt at the end to enhance flavor balance.
A splash of lemon juice at the end brightens the entire dish.
Use chicken thighs instead of breasts for a richer flavor variation.
Substitute egg noodles with rotini, orzo, or broken spaghetti if desired.
Add baby spinach in the last 5 minutes of cooking for extra greens.
For a vegetarian version, replace chicken broth with vegetable broth and chicken with chickpeas.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat gently on stove or microwave.
When freezing, omit noodles and add fresh noodles when reheating to maintain texture.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 to 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high
Category: Soup
Method: Slow Cooking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: slow cooker chicken noodle soup, easy chicken soup, comfort food, slow cooker soup, homemade chicken soup, egg noodle soup