This crockpot chicken noodle soup recipe is an incredible meal to make for busy weeknights or whenever you crave something warm and inviting on a cold winter day.
Soup is one of our favorite dinners to enjoy as a family. There’s just something about a big bowl of soup that’s so comforting and calming after a long day.
I love making this Enchilada Soup or a big pot of Paleo Chili, but sometimes I like going back to a classic – chicken noodle soup! My favorite method to cook it is in the crockpot, let me show you how.
Healthy Chicken Noodle Soup
Whenever my kids are feeling sick (or not), this chicken noodle soup is always a hit. There is just something about a warm bowl of chicken, vegetables, and pasta in a flavorful broth that makes you instantly feel a little better.
Another great thing about this recipe is that you can add as many veggies as you like to bulk it up and boost the nutrition. The flavors you get in this soup are so much better than canned soup, and your kids are sure to notice and appreciate the difference.
Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients
This is the kind of meal you can make with basic pantry staples, leftover carrots, onions, and celery from the week, and that single pack of chicken breast in the freezer. Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Chicken breasts: or thighs, whichever you choose, use boneless, skinless cuts.
- Carrots: a popular chicken soup veggie.
- Yellow onion: adds flavor and delicious aroma.
- Celery: same as the onion, adds flavor and aroma.
- Garlic: minced fresh garlic or 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder.
- Olive oil: to sauté all the veggies.
- Herbs: dried thyme, dried parsley, and bay leaf.
- Chicken stock or broth: both options work great.
- Water: or additional broth.
- Pasta: wide egg noodles, spaghetti, or fusilli work great!
It’s easy and delicious recipes, like this one, that help parents pull off mealtimes without a glitch. You’ll find them inside the MOMables Classic Meal Plan along with a done-for-you shopping list and step-by-step meal prep sheet.
It’s everything you need to make dinner a breeze! Download a sample meal plan here.
Chicken Noodle Soup Broth
Storebought broths and stocks will always be the quickest and most convenient option for countless recipes, which is why I recommend keeping them in your pantry at all times.
However, when you have the time, there is nothing like the flavor of homemade chicken broth for soups, stews, and rice dishes. I have a great recipe so you can make your broth with simple ingredients and store it for future use.
How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup in the Crockpot
This is the perfect meal to make in the middle of a busy week when you have little time to put a meal together. Just throw all of the ingredients into the slow cooker and let it do the rest.
- Combine and cook
In a large (6 quart) crockpot, place all the ingredients except the pasta. Cook for 6 hours on low heat or 4 hours on high. - Chop and stir
After 4 or 6 hours (depending on temperature), remove the chicken and chop it into bite-size pieces. Stir the chicken back into the crockpot. - Finishing touches
Add the pasta, turn the heat up to high, cover, and cook until the pasta is tender. - Dish up
Discard the bay leaf, and ladle the soup into bowls. Grab a spoon and enjoy!
You can also watch how simple it is to make in this video:
Should Noodles Be cooked Before Adding to Soup?
Pasta should be added to the soup in the final 10-12 minutes of cooking, whether you are making it on the stove-top or in the slow cooker. This way, it can cook in the broth and seasonings and fully soak up all those delicious flavors.
Can you use Rotisserie Chicken for Soup?
Yes! A rotisserie chicken is a fantastic starting point for making an incredible soup and cuts down on cooking time. All you have to do is shred the meat and stir it into the broth and veggies.
If you have leftover baked chicken from a previous meal, that works great for recipes like this as well.
How to Pack Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup for Lunch
Chicken Noodle Soup always tastes better the second day which makes it the perfect thermos lunch! Packing it in the lunch bag is easy, and this post covers all the necessary steps to make sure your food stays hot in a thermos.
Easy Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts or thighs, boneless, skinless
- 4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 ½ teaspoons dried)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock/broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups uncooked pasta, wide egg noodles, spaghetti, or fusilli
Instructions
- In a large (6 quart) crockpot, place all the ingredients except the pasta. Cook for 6 hours on low heat or 4 hours on high.
- After 4 or 6 hours (depending on temperature), remove the chicken and chop to bite-size pieces. Place the chicken back in the crockpot.
- Add in the pasta, turn the heat up to high, cover, and cook for another 15-20 minutes, until pasta is tender.
- Discard the bay leaf, and serve the soup immediately.
Stephanie
HI! I made this soup last week and both my boys (one is a picky eater) gave it rave reviews! Have you ever tried to freeze some of the leftovers? Would you recommend freezing the soup without noodles and adding them in when it’s being heated to serve? Thanks!
MOMables-Laura
Hi Stephanie, I’m glad this soup was a hit. Yes, I would freeze the soup without noodles then add them to it while it’s being reheated on the stove-top.
Amanda
I followed the recipe but for some reason my noodle dissolved and it turn into like chicken dumplings what did I do wrong
MOMables-Laura
Hi Amanda, when did you add the noodles? They should be the last ingredient added after the chicken is cooked through and cook for no more than 20 minutes.
Jessica McGrane
Is there a good GF alternative for this soup?
MOMables - Laura
Absolutely. You can use gluten-free pasta noodles for this recipe for an easy swap.
Lorette Lavine
Laura, I have both of your books and have made many of your recipes. This one will be a go to for our winters here in Chicago.
MOMables - Laura
Thank you, SO much Lorette for supporting my work! This is an easy recipe that’s also my family’s go-to so I’m thrilled to share it with you! BTW: I have 3 books and a 4th one is coming out this fall! :)
Bri H
I’m making this for the first time now… using ground bay leaves because I don’t have whole ones.. This can be frozen, right?
MOMables - Laura
Yes, you can freeze it!
Monica
I keep seeing olive oil as an ingredient in chicken noodle soup recipes and it never ceases to surprise me. I’ve never tried it in soup before! I’ll have to try your recipe next time I make this soup and really I’m so intrigued that it will have to happen this week!
tgal22
I’m trying this recipe today. I’m wondering why there’s a need for 3 tbsp of extra virgin oil. Do you add right in the crockpot as is or do you use it to brown the chicken first?
MOMables
It’s for flavor. You could do without.
brittany
Thank you for the recipe! We had a work party themed ” the flu” so I made two batches of this and it was a hit!! Making it this weekend for at home too.
Colleen
This looks like a perfect soup to prep overnight to send in my kids’ thermoses for their lunches. We don’t have a microwave so it always seemed a little impossible to me to give them soup in their lunches but this recipe makes it seem possible. Thanks!
MOMables
Enjoy Colleen!
Karen Conklin
Im actually making this soup right now and im wondering if i can cook the noodles in a pot on tge stove before adding to the soup?
MOMables
sure. the noodles won’t need any additional cooking though. Enjoy!
Desi-Ann
This recipe was a favorite with my family. My 4-yr old son always says mummy I don’t like soup. But I made this for the first time tonight and he LOVES it!!! Thanks for the recipe.
MOMables
So glad!