This Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup is hearty and comforting, yet incredibly easy to make! No need for a can of soup, homemade is the best!
Is there anything more comforting than a big bowl of hearty soup? There’s something so natural about it, and it brings you right back to childhood.
If the only chicken noodle soup you’ve ever had is a can of good ol’ Campbells, then simply put… you NEED to try a homemade version! The flavor is so rich, so complex, and it’s incredibly easy to make at home.
Normally I think of chicken noodle soup as “sick food”… something you eat when you’re under the weather. And don’t get me wrong, this easy crockpot chicken noodle soup recipe is FABULOUS for that, but it’s also fantastic on a night when you’re looking for some comfort food. Paired with a green salad, it’s a great light meal as well!
I love cooking soups in the slow cooker because it adds great flavor plus I love coming home to dinner ready to go. If you’re in a rush, I make an amazing stove top Chicken Noodle Soup in about 20 minutes too!
IS CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP REALLY GOOD FOR YOU?
It depends on the ingredients you use to make the soup, and when you use quality ingredients, yes! Plus the soups steam warms you and eases any congestion, and the warm brothy soup helps ease a sore throat. There’s a reason it’s the universal soup for when you’re under the weather!
I also like to buy reduced sodium chicken broth, so I can control the amount of salt in the dish.
If you’re wondering what are the best noodles for chicken noodle soup, I prefer to use wide egg noodles. They tend to keep their shape and texture in soup compared to other types of noodles.
Some people make crockpot chicken noodle soup with rotisserie chicken, but this slow cooker chicken noodle soup makes it so easy to use fresh chicken. After a long, hard day, a big bowl of this soup is the cure!
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHICKEN BROTH AND CHICKEN STOCK?
Is there a difference between broth and stock? Yes, there is! Traditionally, chicken broth is made from simmering meat, whereas chicken stock is made from simmering bones. Chicken stock has a richer flavor, due to the gelatin released from the bones as they cook, and broth is much lighter, in color and mouth feel. Since crockpot chicken and noodle soup is traditionally a brothy soup, with a relatively “clear” broth, I always use chicken broth instead of stock, but you can use whatever you prefer or have on hand.
CROCKPOT SOUP RECIPES AND IDEAS TO ENJOY
- Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup
- CrockPot Lasagna Soup
- Crock Pot Cabbage Roll Soup
- Slow Cooker Cajun Bean Turkey Soup Recipe
WHAT HERBS ARE USED IN CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP?
In this, the best crockpot chicken noodle soup, I’ve used dried rosemary and thyme, with some fresh minced parsley as a garnish. Some dried tarragon, or using fresh herbs would be great additions and substitutions as well. While not exactly herbs, we’ve also used the classic “mirepoix” or “holy trinity” of diced onions, carrots and celery. These vegetables are used very frequently to start off just about any soup by adding amazing flavor and aromas.
Looking for more fantastic soup recipes? Try my Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana, and hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 3 large carrots peeled and sliced into coins
- 2 ribs celery sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced, more to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf optional
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon I use Better Than Bouillon brand, optional
- 8 to 9 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 8 ounces egg noodles wide or extra wide
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- To the bottom of a 6 quart or larger slow cooker, add trimmed chicken breasts. Top with onion, carrots, celery, garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt and pepper, and bay leaf (if using).
- Dollop chicken base over the top, then pour in chicken broth. Gently stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- Remove chicken from slow cooker to a large mixing bowl. Shred chicken. Discard bay leaf (if using), and return shredded chicken back to slow cooker.
- Cook egg noodles al dente according to package directions.
- Add egg noodles to soup and cook on LOW for 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
- Serve garnished with minced fresh parsley and a sprinkle of black pepper.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Lunch, Main Course, Soup
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Repin this Crockpot Soup Recipe
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Can this soup be made with bone-in chicken instead of boneless?
Hi Sandy, you can use bone-in for this recipe. Just be sure to remove all the bones from the soup when shredding the chicken!
tl;dr – give this soup a chance!
Crazy as this may sound, but I think NOT eating this the day it’s made is the right idea.
So we are in California dealing with the ordinance, so I have been making a lot of crock pot meals. I followed the recipe with a few exceptions (I had to make the chicken broth the cheater pants way by using bouillon cubes AND I added cubed potatoes).
I was AMAZED at how easily the chicken just shredded with no effort!
I took the advice of many and cooked and served egg noodles on the side (knowing I was going to freeze a portion, I did not incorporate the pasta in the soup).
So initially when it was ready, I was not impressed…it’s not awful, it just wasn’t what I was expecting/envisioning with all the great ingredients and time it took. I really really wanted to love this recipe.
Fast forward the next day..since I’m working from home for the time being, I had a bowl of this soup. I was bewildered, because it tasted different – much more what I wanted the evening prior!
Fast forward to 2 days (which is today, I felt it necessary to write this review)- had another bowl again for lunch. Even MORE amazing. I think it’s like a good chili – where it just tastes better the longer it sits. I am having a 2nd bowl right now…this time I squeezed a little fresh lemon and sprinkled some chopped flat leaf parsely on top.
OH MY LORD – it is delicious!
I will definitely make this again (but plan on serving to the family a few nights later).
So happy you loved this soup Tammy! It is definitely one that gets better with time!
I made it last night there are so many things ive tried in the slow cooker that come out bland or with a peculiar taste this was not one of them it was rich flavorful full bodied and filling actually i was impressed
Normally I don’t do much cooking in crockpot (grilling is my prefer method) but I decided to give it a try. The result for this recipe is it was Delicious!! I used most of the ingredients that were supplied (few tweaks so family can eat it as well). I will be making this again in the future.
First, AWESOME site! Second, today I’m making homemade chicken broth/stock (it has bone and meat) in the slow cooker and using it to make this homemade chicken noodle soup tomorrow. My question is this: If I am using homemade chicken broth/stock, do I still need to use bouillon?
Thanks and awesome recipes!
Patrick
Thank you so much Patrick!
You can leave it out if you’d like, just adds a little bit of salt/flavor to the broth. Enjoy the soup.
This honestly tastes like dirt. I spent all day making this and am not impressed at all. Cambles in a can is better. Me and my fiance ended up ordering pizza instead.
Sorry to hear that Harley. I am not sure what happened, lots of readers have had great success with this recipe.
Tastes like dirt? Really? You could not possibly have followed the recipe, then. Chicken, veggies, chicken broth, and some spices could not taste like dirt. Really mean-spirited and lousy review.
Exactly. No need to be mean spirited. We made it and enjoyed it.
How in the world can you take simple wholesome ingredients and make it taste like dirt???
I have a feeling you either didn’t make this and just wanted to leave a mean review, you didn’t follow the recipe or you just can not cook.
Harley, Your comments are so rude. A simple, I didn’t care for it, would suffice. A real person with real feelings posted this recipe. There’s no need to say such hurtful things!
This was the BEST chicken soup I ever made. I doubled everybody, except the broth (I like my soups thick) and made dumplings instead of using noodles (I was out of egg noodles). This recipe is flavorful and delicious. I rarely make chicken soup because it always seems bland, but this recipe was perfect. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Lol maybe you need to wash your vegetables. It’s basically step 1.
Or just stick to the canned stuff if that’s too difficult for you.
Perhaps you should consult the cook and inquire as to why they have such insufficient cooking skills that would cause such flavorful ingredients to “taste like dirt” after being cooked together. Perhaps the cook would benefit from additional training in the kitchen to improve their ability to use their ingredients correctly so that the taste of them is not so adversely affected by their inferior cooking skills.
I tried this and it was amazing! My 6 and 4 year old loved it.
Made this today and it turned out amazing! Will definitely make this again!
So nice to have something different to eat and inexpensive
Great recipe! I like my food a little on the spicy side, so I added three habanero peppers to it. It turned out delicious.
Glad you enjoyed it Mike!
Wonderful recipe!!!!
Are the onions suppose to float at the top? Sorry I’m a beginner!!
Hi Lauren, when cooking they may float to the top of the soup but that is totally fine.
My wife highly recommends (so do I lol) cooking the noodles separately. The first attempt she cooked the noodles in the crock pot and it turned into mush. Cook everything in the crock pot and then pour the noodles in at the end.
Sorry to hear that, but thank you for the tip Deric.
Your best ever chocolate cake recipe wasjust like my mothers. Brings back good memories.
Thank you
Thank you so much Elaine!
Very good thank you! Could you freeze the soup? If so, how? We have too many leftovers and I would hate to waste it. Thanks!!
Hi Cami,
To freeze soup, allow it to cool then store in a freezer safe container, or zipper seal baggie. I think you could freeze this, but your noodles may get a little mushy.
Love the recipe The perfect blend of seasonings is what pulls it together and makes it the soup it is. I always cook my noodles seperatly and add the proper amount to each bowl as I dish it out. The noodles taste fresh this way and do not absorb too much broth. To me the broth is the most important part of a fine soup. Sorry, if I rambled a bit. Love your site.
Hi Daniel,
That is a great suggestion with the noodles. Thanks for sharing! I am glad you enjoyed the recipe and I hope you find many others to try soon!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was perfect. Very delicious! Will def make this again!!
I am so glad you liked the soup Lisa!
I use pre- cooked chicken breast because I like the broth to be “clean”. I want to clear. Usually I’ll bake or boil 2 chicken breasts, cool it, cut it in pieces, then add it in an hour before it’s done. I’ve used leftover roasted chicken also. I pre-cook the noodles to prevent the starch in the broth.
Sounds delicious Sue! Enjoy!
This is a terrific recipe for the novice cook, and also for anyone who doesn’t want to fuss with making a traditional chicken noodle soup from scratch (by using a whole cut-up chicken). That being said, I also like to add some celery leaves into my chicken soup, which give the soup even more flavor. I thawed some chicken breasts overnight, since I was planning to make stuffed chicken breasts for dinner. But since it’s 17 deg. here today, chicken noodle soup sounds good, so I’ll give this recipe a try. A suggestion about noodles: No matter what soup you’re making, DON’T ever put the noodles into the soup, unless you’re sure that there will be no leftovers. When ‘any’ pasta sits in a (leftover) soup, it absorbs the liquid and becomes slimy & nasty. I always cook my pasta separately, drain it well, then keep it stored in a separate container in the fridge. I add it to the soup just before serving. I hope this info helps anyone who has ever had this problem.
Soup does sound great on a cold day! Thank you for sharing your tip Angelina.
Thanks for the helpful tip about noodles! I’m making this today as well because it’s perfect weather that calls for it. :)
Can I use frozen chicken breasts?
Sure you can, I usually defrost them first.
I think your recipe is wonderful
Thank you Donna :). You made my day!
Love this soup!!! Added peeled Roma tomatoes (in a can) and used large corkscrew noodles. Cooked them in the soup and they turned out great!!! 3.5 hours on high then just added noodles while it cooled. Fantastic easy recipe.
Thank you Pat! So glad you loved the soup!