Homemade Chicken Soup in the Crockpot

This chicken soup in the crockpot recipe is the best! If you’re looking for a healthy and easy meal, this slow cooker chicken noodle soup only takes about 10 minutes to prepare.

Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

I admit I am a bit obsessed with my slow cooker. Give me anything and I will find a way to cook it in there because it makes my life so easy!  This one is not only super tasty but it is also a healthy crockpot recipe that’s inexpensive to make, triple win for us!

You can use fresh meat but it is even better as a leftover chicken recipe the next day. You can add pasta or make it with no noodles if you want a low carb version. Get ready to throw this in in the morning, or use the same ingredients for Instant Pot chicken noodle soup this week.

Let’s talk a little bit about slow cooking shall we?? First off I have a few different varieties and I love them all. Each one has an occasion to be used like….

1. This is my favorite 6 quart programmable one with a locking lid so it’s great for bringing to a potluck too.
2. I prefer not to use liners, but rather just spray olive oil inside before adding my food for easier cleanups.

Let me give you a peek of my pretty thang I bought recently. It goes with my kitchen so I can just leave it out on the countertop all the time. 😉

Crockpot Chicken Soup No Noodles

Comfort food is the best! I love this easy slow cooker chicken soup recipe because you only need a few fresh ingredients. Like I said, you could skip the egg noodles at the end if you really wanted to. That would be tragic and my kids would look at me like huhhhhh??? if I did that but your choice.

It’s one of the best crockpot chicken recipes. We have a lot of those because when she was younger my youngest daughter would not eat any other meat than poultry. Needless to say we ate a lot of bird throughout those years. I’ve used breasts and thighs for this one, depending on what’s on sale.

It’s good for you too. In just 10 short minutes you can prep this for your slow cooker make it even faster in your Instant Pot. (we will share that recipe below)

When it comes to the vegetables inside you can really load them up here. Remember that the smaller or thinner they are sliced the softer they will become. If you use precooked meat the cook time could be cut down dramatically because then you’re just getting the veggies tender.

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients

1. Chicken breasts, medium size is best skinless and boneless, defrosted is what we used
2. 3 large carrots and celery stalks (I used a few more because organic varieties tend to be a bit smaller)
3. 1/2 yellow onion
4. 2 containers of chicken stock or chicken broth
5. Egg noodles – bagged or this is how to make homemade egg noodles
6. Bay leaf optional
7. You’re ready!

Can you cook noodles in the Crockpot?

YES!! They don’t take much time though so I add them at the end. Just submerge then into the liquid inside your pot and close the lid for 10-20 minutes. Timing depends on what type they are. Egg noodles are the fastest while whole wheat pasta would take the longest time to get tender.

It’s one of our favorite easy slow cooker recipes because it just makes you feel good, even if you aren’t sick. With tender pieces of chicken and a warm broth with a few dinner rolls on the side, it’s the best meal I tell you.

How long does it take to cook chicken soup in a Crock pot?

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until your meat is fall apart delicious. 3 ish hours on high but low is my preference really. You want low and slow for the meat to become as tender as possible.

How long does chicken soup take in a Crockpot on high?

I do not recommend the high setting, it is meant to be low and slow but if you must speed up the process high would take closer to 4 hours or so. You will know it is ready when the boneless skinless breasts pull apart easily.

Letting your crockpot do the work for you all day is the beautiful part! It cooks while you are away and just takes 10 minutes once you get back to gently shred the chicken inside the crockpot (it will literally fall apart after 6 hrs, no need to take it out and cut it). 

Whether you’re feeling under the weather, or you are looking for an easy crockpot chicken soup recipe to make we hope you enjoy ours and make it again and again! It’s basically the perfect comfort food cooked all day in your slow cooker.

Can you put frozen chicken in the crockpot?

You can!! Believe it or not the cook time doesn’t change either way. With that said the pieces need to be separated. If not just run under cool water to break apart.

• It is entirely safe to prepare frozen chicken in crockpot or slow cooker
• You will have to increase the cook time though.
• My opinion is that it is better to use fresh or defrosted meat.
• There is a difference in texture to me and it isn’t pleasant. You may have a different opinion.

Also the frozen meat will contain moisture itself which will increase the fluids inside your pot, thus diluting the broth flavor.

For a faster cook time I recommend that you instead follow our Instant Pot frozen chicken noodle soup recipe. I think the high pressure makes the meat out of this world delish.

Why we Love Crockpot Chicken Soup

• Uses natural ingredients 
• You can add tons of seasonal ingredients (load it up)
• Very minimal ingredients required
• It’s quick, with easy steps to follow
• FAST prep time
• All 5 of us love it
• It’s super healthy and full of flavor

Watch our video showing you how we make slow cooker chicken soup before making it, that will help too.

Can you freeze homemade chicken noodle soup?

Soups that contain pasta, like chicken noodle or minestrone, won’t hold up to the freezer very well. If you’re cooking soup specifically to freeze just eliminate the pasta. Then when you’re ready to reheat your freezer meal, boil some fresh noodles and combine them at that time.It will come out as fresh as it was that first day you made it using this method!

How long can you keep chicken noodle soup in the freezer?

4 to 6 months is the general rule if it’s been properly stored, it will taste best no longer. It will remain safe to eat beyond that time but not taste quite as fresh. Freezer time shown is for best quality and taste, Cooked vegetable soup that has been kept constantly frozen at 0°F will keep safe indefinitely though.

What goes well with chicken noodle soup?

Grilled cheese sandwich is always a winner, especially with kids. Pull apart bread with refrigerated biscuits are buttery with some garlic.

• Cheese Biscuits. Dipping cheese biscuits in chicken noodle soup is a good way to add cheese flavor to the soup.
• Or a side salad is always a win. Make it easy and just grab a bag in the produce section with all the fixings.

Depending on how much produce you add the base of this is really just 5 basic things. Here is a quick rundown on how it is made. There is a printable version in the recipe card below too.

5 Ingredient Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

1. Put chicken breasts at bottom of crockpot.  Cut carrots, celery and onions and put on top.  Add pinch of salt and pepper if desired.
   1. I prefer to season when it is done, the broth already has enough sodium for me.
2. Pour chicken broth over chicken and vegetables. 
3. Cook on low for approx. 6-8 hours (will be done in 6 but can stay in for 8). If using precooked meat it will be done in half that time.
4. About 10 min. before serving gently shred chicken into chunks (will fall apart, no need for cutting) and add egg noodles if desired.
5. Cover and cook until noodles are cooked but still a bit al dente (that’s how we like it). 
6. I honestly don’t add any salt, the salt in the stock is plenty and it tastes amazing as is. Serve

Can you make soup with leftover chicken?

Absolutely, you can dice and add it into any of our easy slow cooker soup recipes. It is a great way to reduce waste and make a whole new “free meal” out of what you kept in your fridge. Just dice, add, and you can reduce time significantly, to about half.

• Our Crockpot tortellini soup is oh so good
• Creamy Crockpot corn chowder is creamy and hearty
• Pressure cooker cheesy chicken spaghetti is made faster under high pressure but great with leftover meat too

Yes we have cooked this on the stove top before and it is great. However the cook time is still long but a lot more work on our end. With all the things going on in our lives it is less likely to make it unless it is more hands off, thus this Crockpot chicken noodle soup recipe was created.

You can print recipe and read nutritional information below but all in all it is a really healthy meal. Let us know what you think! Crockpot chicken cacciatore is healthy and quick to make too.

Add something else to yours? We’d love to hear so we can amp ours up and see if we like your add ins! I like simple and just a few ingredients but maybe there is something I hadn’t thought about.