Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup, a delicious and comforting meal with very little prep work.
I often get emails requesting slow cooker recipes and I can understand why. Dinner time can be stressful; often the kids are tired, hungry and cranky. This is why slow cookers are great, you can have everything prepped in the morning and when you come home in the evening you have a delicious hot meal waiting for you.
Since my eldest started school I have found slow cookers particularly useful. His busy after school schedule means that when we get in the door we need a meal ready and waiting for us. This Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup is one of our favourites.
The great thing about this soup is that once you have chopped your vegetables you can literally throw everything into the slow cooker and walk away. There is no need to sauté the vegetables beforehand. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t!
After the soup has been cooking on a low setting for 6 hours you should remove the chicken and shred it up. The chicken just falls apart and is lovely and succulent. Perfect for kids.
When I post recipes I often receive quite a few questions. I make the recipes a few times before I actually post them and by that stage it is second nature to me. I often forget to explain the reasoning behind things, say how it can be adapted and how you can store it.
I have been running the blog for a few years now and have a better understanding on what readers need and want to know about a recipe. Please keep asking the questions, it helps me become a better blogger.
Here are some tips, tricks and information you might find useful when making this Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup.
Do you have to use breast meat?
No, I often use thigh meat and it literally falls off the bone. There was a time my kids only ate thigh meat as they found the breast too dry and difficult to eat. Now I use the different cuts interchangeable. I find slow cooking in liquid makes the meat so succulent, regardless of the cut, making it perfect for kids.
Can I use other vegetables?
Yes, you can easily customise this recipe. I do feel the carrot, celery and onion give the soup great flavour but I often add some extra vegetables. Just consider the cooking time. I often add some peas or corn but always towards the end of the cook time (when I add the noodles).
Do you have to use spaghetti noodles?
I grew up with chicken noodle soup with spaghetti noodles in it so that is how I make it! You can, of course, use any pasta you wish. The cooking time may vary slightly. I recommend cooking it for the stated time and if not ready, continue to cook on high and check it every 5-10 mins until done.
What stock is best to use?
If cooking for young children you want to make sure you keep the sodium levels down. I recommend using homemade stock but if that sounds too much like hard work then look for low sodium stocks.
How do you store leftover Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup?
Any leftovers I usually store in the fridge and eat the next day. If you want to freeze it, I recommend freezing it before you add the noodles.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 700g (1 1/2 Pounds) Skinless Chicken Breast *See Note 1
- 1 medium Onion, finely chopped
- 240g (approx 3 medium) Carrots, peeled and chopped * See Note 2
- 80g (approx 3 stalks) Celery, finely chopped
- 2 tsp Minced Garlic
- 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 2 litres (8 cups) Chicken Stock *See Note 3
- 250g (8.8oz) Spaghetti, snapped into pieces *See Note 4
- 1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Add chicken, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and chicken stock to a slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours
- Remove the cooked chicken breast and shred using two forks, the meat should fall apart easily.
- Add the chicken back into the cooker along with the pasta. Switch to a high setting, cover and cook for around 15 - 20 mins, until the noodles are cooked.
- Stir in the lemon juice and parsley.
- Serve
Recipe Notes
- You can replace the breast meat with thigh meat if you prefer. Just remove the bone and shred at the same stage as you would the breast meat.
- I slice the thinner part of the carrot to give rounds and then dice the thicker end of the carrot. Slice / dice to your preference.
- For young children you should use homemade or low sodium chicken stock to reduce the sodium level. Alternatively reduce the amount of stock and replace with water.
- You can use any pasta you wish but the cooking time may vary, check every five mins after the set cooking time, until cooked. I like to use spaghetti and snap it into thirds, you can snap it into smaller pieces if you prefer.
Nadia says
Hi I’m looking at cooking this tomorrow night for the first time dump question but do you have to brown the chicken first?
Amy says
Hi Nadia, no need to brown. Everything goes in raw in this recipe 🙂
Cam says
Followed the recipe to a tee. Ours ended up in the bin. It tasted like the merky water you rinse off pasta. So before spending 7hrs and a heap of cash like we did, you may want to cook the ‘noodle’ (spaghetti) separately, thoroughly rinse it, and then add it later. Otherwise you’ll be getting take out like us.
Amy says
Hi Cam, I’m sorry you didn’t have success with this recipe. I’ve had so many positive comments on it so I’d love to know where it went wrong for you. When did you add the pasta? It should only be added at the end of cooking.
Carianne says
I agree with Cam about the spaghetti addition. Next time I’ll cook the spag separately because the starch from the pasta affects the taste of the chicken stock liquid. Normally you get the chance to rinse pasta before teaming it with something, whereas adding it within the soup while cooking gives it a murky look and taste. I also used less spag because 250g is quite a lot. But it’s a delicious flavour and a huge quantity which is handy. Lovely flavour otherwise.
Amy says
Thanks for your feedback Carianne, this information is very helpful for other readers. I’m glad you enjoyed the flavour and hopefully, it will be perfect when cooking the noodles separately 🙂
Em says
This is my go-to chicken noodle soup recipe. The lemon juice makes all the difference. So easy, so fresh. Have made this so many times… it’s finishing off in the slow cooker right now.
Amy says
Thank you Em! The lemon juice really does make a difference, just rounds it off! Thanks for the 5 stars, so glad you enjoy it 🙂
Georgie says
My 3rd time using this recipe today and I can’t wait to eat it later this evening!
Amy says
Fantastic Georgie, so glad you like it and thanks for taking the time to rate 🙂
Genevieve says
What size is your slow cooker? Very excited to make this!
Amy says
Hi Genevieve, Sorry for the late response. I went to check and then couldn’t find the weight and forgot to get back to you. I have the Cuisinart 3 in 1 Cook Central. It is pretty big but I’m unsure of the exact size, sorry.
Cheralyn says
My little Leo ( 10 months )Loves this one ❤
I’ve found all your recipes super helpful
Amy says
Fab! I’m delighted you find the site useful and that little Leo is enjoying the recipes 🙂
Cheralyn says
My little Leo Loves this one ❤
I’ve found all your recipes super helpful
Harry Scutt says
This is in my slow cooker right now for the first time! Just wondering how do you recommend reheating it if I kept leftovers in the fridge?
Amy says
Hi Harry, you can reheat on the stovetop or the microwave 🙂
Vicky says
Hi, I made a batch of this a little over a month ago and froze some. How long does it last frozen? Hoping I’ve not wasted it! Thanks for the recipe
Amy says
Hi Vicky, It will still be good. I’d freeze for up to 3 months. Did you freeze with or without the noodles? If with the noodles it may have changed a little in texture but will still be good to eat.
Kali pare says
I do this every time I do a chicken and the rest of the roast chicken I shred it and add half hour before serving. We love it. And good for coughs colds and sore throats. Amazing
Amy says
Great idea! So happy you enjoy this recipe, Kali 🙂
Debbie Dreyfuss says
If i want to leave this in while I am at work all day, if is okay if it cooks for 8+ hours?
Thanks,
Debbie
Amy says
Hi Debbie, Yes it should be fine, just make sure to cook on low and don’t add the noodles until the end of cooking 🙂
Imogen Bahl says
Hi, can you freeze this after you’ve cooke this?
Amy says
Hi Imogen, yes you can freeze it. I recommend freezing before you add the noodles 🙂
Jen Dee says
How much does this recipe yield? I am hoping to make it with a LARGE group of kids at our child care centre.
Amy says
Hi Jen, This serves our for two days in a row (so around 8 portions) however younger kids obviously wouldn’t be having as much as we do. How many kids do you need to feed?
Rebecca says
Hey, planning to make this tomorrow so I hope I get a reply soon, just wondering if I could do the spaghetti on low and how long if so, it’s just my partner is doing a 14 hour shift and he’ll be coming home at quarter past 10pm and I’ll be leaving at quarter to 10pm to do my night shift so was hoping that we could both the noodles if possible?
Amy says
Hi Rebecca, I would probably cook the spaghetti noodles separately and then you can add it into the soup when needed. I just worry that if it cooks too long with the spaghetti that it will become overcooked and a bit gloopy. Hope you enjoy it 🙂
Kathleen says
Hi Amy,
Thank you for this delicious recipe! I made it for the first time for my sick family and they loved it! It’s so easy!!!! We have made it a few times now and it’s a family favourite. We also make the pasta separately and add to the bowl as we go. I found that the liquid was absorbed by the pasta when you add the noodles to the slow cooker. Just wanted to thank you again. = )
Amy says
Thanks, Kathleen! So glad you enjoy it! It is also a favourite at our house too 🙂 .
Larissa says
Hi,
Can I use shredded BBQ chicken ? Would you lesson the coking time?
Amy says
Hi Larissa, Sorry I am unsure what shredded BBQ chicken in. It is already cooked or raw? If cooked you can just add at the end of the cook.
Krissy says
Hi, I am a mum of two lottle boys also and we love this soup and have made it a few times. Some changes we made are cooking the spaghetti on a stove top and keeping it seperate to add some to each bowl, as we found it got too gluggy/swollen overnight in the fridge to have as left overs. Also we serve it with a quick fresh made mint gremolata and it really lifts the dish. Kids love it minus the gremolata. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Amy says
Thanks, Krissy and thank you for sharing your tips 🙂
Diane says
Hi Suzanne, I plan to make this tonight and then store in the fridge to consume over a couple of days. I assume it is safe to re-heat and eat in portions for 3 – 4 days subject to the chicken best before date?
Suzanne says
I was looking forward to this soup for my weekday lunch. Have to say I’m a little disappointed and happy for any suggestions. The spaghetti tastes cluggy not like a noodle I’m use to in this style of soup. Other flavours are spit on just not happy with the addition of the spaghetti.
Amy says
Hi Suzanne, thanks for the feedback. Did you add the spaghetti at the end of the cook? I wonder if they were overcooked as I have never had that problem? You could try vermicelli egg noodles, they may be more like what you are looking for.
Angie says
I made this last night and it is by far the best chicken soup!!! I used a whole chicken instead and no noodles and it was perfection. I’ve got a cold so heaped in 4 tablespoons of minced garlic…and any excuse to have more garlic. Thanks for sharing. Definitely making this again 🙂
Jenna D says
Hi, I’m using a 1.5 litre crock pot, how much stock should I use?
Jamie Gipson says
Will it b ok if broke chicken up at 4 hours as my mrs got involved and didn’t listen to the time i said while i was out lol
Amy says
Hi Jamie, I’m guessing I’m too late now…if cooking on low you will need 6 hours. 4 may be ok on high but as I haven’t trialled it, I can’t say for sure. Sorry.
Bonnie Jean says
Okay. The vegetable been in about 30 mins now. Do i just put the chicken in now? Then wait 30-20 mins shred it up before it finished cooking. My recipe that my friend given me is the same but without the spaghetti noodle. Do i just do what your recipe is? Since I dont get hers?
Amy says
Hi Bonnie, I am unsure what you mean. You put the chicken in at the same time as the veggies and cook on low for 6 hours. Then you remove the chicken to shred it, add the noodles and cook for a further 15-20 min 🙂
klebefolie says
That was delicious! I just made it. My Kids and I both loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
Amy says
So glad it was a hit all round, thanks for taking the time to let me know 🙂
Ben says
Just made this for my partner and I. It was so delicious! Partner said best chicken soup he ever had.
Amy says
Brilliant! Thank you 🙂
Hannah says
This is probably going to sound really silly, how do I make 2litres chicken stock?
Amy says
Hi Hannah, if you don’t have homemade stock then you can buy stock or use stock cubes to make it. The pack should tell you how many cubes you will need to make 2 litres.
Stacey says
Hi iam looking forward to trying this I bought a slow cooker yesterday. Iam only cooking this soup for two and using chicken pieces is it still 6 hours to cook? Thanks
Amy says
Hi Stacey, I would personally stick to the recipe and freeze any leftovers. What do you mean by chicken pieces? Thighs / leg / wings etc? Thighs work well in this recipe. If you mean breast cut into pieces I’d be worried it would be too dry.
Jodie dean says
Hello do I need to add water x
Amy says
Hi Joidie, no just the 2 litres of stock. 🙂
katie says
Hi, Im making this tomorrow for my lunches at work whilst the weather is still chilly. Thank you for the recipe xx
Amy says
Thanks Katie, hope you enjoyed it 🙂
Melinda Nibbelink says
Made this yesterday! Took to a Christmas Eve family gathering! Was a hit! Very good! Will make again!
Amy says
Thanks Melinda, glad it was a hit! Hope you had a fantastic Christmas 🙂
Max Jordan says
I’m sure this soup tastes delicious. All of your recipes that I have tried have been an absolute success!
Amy says
Thanks Max!
Katrina says
i made this and it was YUMMO!! so good and not super heavy!!
Amy says
Brilliant! Glad you liked it, thanks for taking the time to tell me. 🙂
Terra says
Hi. I’m not much of a cooker Haha crockpot recipes are my go to. Is the chicken supposed to be frozen or no?
Amy says
Hi Terra, I used fresh chicken. 🙂
Ivy says
I have frozen chicken and can take it out to thaw for 1.5hr can I then put it in the crock pot on low for 6hrs even if still 1/2 frozen?
Amy says
Hi Ivy, personally I wouldn’t cook frozen chicken in the slow cooker. Cooking from frozen means that the chicken will hover in the danger zone of warmth where bacteria can easily grow without being killed off in the cooking process.
Kate says
This recipe is absolutely AMAZING. I was looking for a chicken soup recipe that was
“different” and this fit the bill. My goodness, I could bathe in this (tho I promise I won’t) Thank you for posting this.
Amy says
Ha ha!! My first ever comment saying that someone would like to bathe in my soup!!!! Thank you for taking the time to rate and comment!
Debbie says
What other vegetable can I add to the soup?
Amy says
Hi Debbie, you could try adding corn, turnip, parsnip, spinach, broccoli…
Kirsten says
Hi Amy,
Thanks for your lovely recipes.
I made this earlier following the recipe exactly but with about 30g less chicken (next time id add even less chicken!) and it didn’t have much flavour. I wonder what I’ve done wrong as everyone else says it’s extremely tasty! I added 4.5 chicken stock cubes and 2l water, does that sound right?
Best wishes,
Kirsten
Amy says
Hi Kristen, sorry that this didn’t work out for you. I don’t tend to use stock cubes but I’d say 4.5 stock cubes sounds about right, is that what it said in the packet? Maybe the stock cubes weren’t flavourful?
Jill says
Hi Amy! I love this recipe. I’ve made it for my daughter several times, freezing it into individual portions. And I’m actually making it this week for the entire family. I was adding the ingredients to my shopping list, and noticed that the description of the dish is “A delicious and comforting soup with very little soup” 🙂 I’m sure the second “soup” was supposed to be “prep”! Wanted to let you know 🙂 Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Jill says
Amy, I love this recipe and have made it several times now for my daughter – freezing it into small portions. It’s amazing! I’m making it this week for dinner for the entire family. I came to the page to add ingredients to my shopping list and just noticed this so wanted to give you a heads up. Right under the name of the dish, the description says “A delicious and comforting soup with very little soup” 🙂 I’m thinking it meant to say very little prep! Haha. Thanks again for the great recipe.
Amy says
Hi Jill, thank you for your lovely comment. I’m delighted that you love this soup! Thanks for pointing out the error, I do get my husband to proofread but he misses a lot!
Janice says
Hi, this looks great. Can it be frozen?
Amy says
Hi Janice, yes. I usually freeze it before adding the noodles. 🙂
Cameron Gilmore says
I want to half the ingredients to get around 4 servings. Should I half the cooking time?
Amy says
Hi Cameron, no I wouldn’t half the cooking time. The heat may be distributed differently unless you use a smaller slow cooker. The soup freezes well so you could always freeze half of the soup.
George says
This was my first time making soup. This recipe is delicious and easy to follow. My family loved it!
your site is my go-to recipe book when I need to find a good recipe quick and I know it’s going to be good.
Thank you for sharing!
Amy says
Thanks so much, George. Comments like this really make my day and I really appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback. I hope you continue to enjoy the site 🙂
Sami says
Hi, I’ve just seen this recipe. Looks delicious will certainly be trying this. Just used my slow cooker for the first time in ages. I made a lovely beef stew and was looking for some soups I could make with it.
Amy says
Thanks Sami, hope you enjoy it 🙂
Sami says
Hi Amy,
It was absolutely delicious!
Thank you for the recipe.
Zoe says
Came across this recipe so I cooked it exactly the same and it was great 🙂
Amy says
Thanks for the feedback, Zoe. Glad you liked it 🙂
Kristie says
Kids loved this and so did I (with a little salt). Will be adding this to our meal plan rota. So easy! Thanks
Amy says
Fab, Kristie! I have actually just made this, ready for when we get back from soccer practice tonight!
Paige says
Wondering if I can leave the chicken cooking for more than 6 hours? Thanks!
Amy says
Hi Paige, I haven’t actually cooked it for longer but if cooking on low you could cook for longer. 6-8 should be good.
Brie says
Just put all the ingredients in. Can’t wait to try it!
I’m doing the 4 hours on high. Is there any difference between 4 on high or 6on low?
Amy says
HI Brie, sorry that I am just seeing this message now. There isn’t much difference between the two, it just depends on what timing works best for you. Hope you enjoyed it.
Pauline says
Can I use fine noodles?
Amy says
Hi Pauline, I’m sure you could – they might not need as long to cook.
Allison says
Quick Question-Do you cook the pasta before you put it in the crock pot or is that when it cooks? This looks so yummy!
Amy says
Hi Allison, it cooks in the slow cooker 🙂 Enjoy!
Sharon says
Loved this and my daughter did aswell ❤️❤️Had for dinner and now in soup cup for work tommorrow and l can’t wait to warm it up
Amy says
Excellent! Delighted you both liked it and thanks so much for taking the time to give feedback 🙂
Bec Ellis says
Prepared this today with great success. Absolutely beautiful! Husband, Mother-in-law and I all thoroughly enjoyed & thank you for posting such a simple yet delicious recipe. This will now be a winter staple in our household
Jennifer says
Hello your recipe looks both yummy and easy. What is the serving size approximately? 1 cup? Thanks
Amy says
Hi Jennifer, Sorry but I’m not sure, to be honest. It is more than a cup though.
Katrina says
Cooking this now, already smells great thankyou !! I’m cooking it on high but I found I could not use all the 2L in my slow cooker so I used 1 and half ..
Amy says
Hi Katrina, thanks for the comment. I hope you enjoyed it, did you find the 1.5 litres enough?
Bec Ellis says
I just scrolled back up to top & saw your photos of whole chicken breasts – doh! Sorry, please disregard my previous comment.
Amy says
Hi Bec, yes you just need to pop the chicken in whole (nice and easy!). You can also use skinless chicken thighs.
Bec Ellis says
This looks really yummy. Planning to try this week. Just wanting to know if I put the chicken breasts in slow cooker whole or should I cut into smaller pieces? Thanks
Abbey says
Hi there do I have to cook chicken (brown in a pan before putting in slow cooker)? Thanks in advance
Amy says
Hi Abbey, no need to brown the chicken before putting it is the slow cooker 🙂
Daniela says
Hi can i cook this on a higher setting in 4hours?
Amy says
Hi Daniela, yes 4 hours on high should work well 🙂
Jessie says
We have eaten this 3 days straight! Very tasty and kids love it.
Amy says
3 days 😉 good job! The recipe does make a lot!! Glad you like it, thanks for commenting and rating.
Marie says
Hi Amy, just put this soup on, only had 2 chicken breasts, ie 200g. Do I reduce the cooking time?
Thanks
Amy says
Hi Marie, I’d just keep it the same. 🙂
anh says
hello is their an easy alternative for the chicken stock instead of using slow cooker what else can i cool thr chicken stock by
Amy says
Hi Anh, I’m sorry – I don’t quite understand what you are asking.
Di says
Hi!
I’ll be trying this. Looks yummy!
Just a quick question, do you need to add oil in the slow cooker before adding the ingredients?
Amy says
Hi Di, no – I just add the ingredients straight to the cooker. 🙂
Emma Parfitt says
My pasta went dough like what did I do wrong I sfollowed exactly
Amy says
Hi Emma, I’m not sure what went wrong. Did you add the pasta at the end of cooking? Was it dried pasta or fresh? I used dried so fresh would need less time to cook.
Irene says
Hi! This looks like a yummy and easy recipe! Just wondering if I can leave the chicken cooking for more than 6 hours? Thanks!