Chicken Noodle Soup Crock Pot Recipe
This comforting Chicken Noodle Soup made in a crock pot is perfect for cozy days. Loaded with tender chicken breasts, fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and classic egg noodles, the slow-cooked flavors meld beautifully to create a nourishing and hearty soup. Whether you choose the crock pot, stovetop, or even an Instant Pot, this recipe offers flexibility while ensuring delicious, soul-warming results every time.
- Author: Dana
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 to 8 hours depending on method (Crockpot: 3-8 hrs; Stovetop: ~1 hour; Instant Pot: ~30-40 min total)
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes to 8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Salt
Vegetables
- 1 cup celery, chopped finely
- 1 cup onion, chopped finely
- 1.5 cups carrots, sliced in small circles
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic, minced
Protein
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
Seasonings & Herbs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 4 bay leaves
Liquids & Others
- 8 cups chicken broth (low or no sodium)
- 3.5 cups egg noodles (8 oz)
- Crockpot Preparation: In your crockpot, combine celery, onion, carrots, garlic, chicken breasts, salt, black pepper, fresh rosemary, dried thyme, red pepper flakes (optional), bay leaves, and chicken broth.
- Crockpot Cooking: Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours to let the flavors develop deeply.
- Shred Chicken: About 20 minutes before serving, remove the chicken breasts, shred them finely with two forks, then return shredded chicken to the crockpot.
- Add Noodles: Turn the crockpot to high heat and add the egg noodles directly to the pot. Alternatively, you can boil the noodles separately on the stove to avoid sogginess.
- Cook Noodles in Soup: Let the noodles cook in the crockpot for 15-20 minutes until tender. The soup is now ready to serve.
- Pro Tip: To keep noodles from getting mushy, cook the pasta separately and serve the soup over the noodles instead of cooking them together in the soup.
- Stovetop Instructions – Vegetables: Finely chop all vegetables or use a food processor. In a large pot, heat some olive oil and sauté celery, onion, and garlic until fragrant and softened, about 5-10 minutes.
- Stovetop Instructions – Adding Carrots & Spices: Stir in carrots, salt, black pepper, rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaves.
- Stovetop Cooking: Add the chicken breasts and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes to an hour until the chicken is fully cooked and flavors are developed.
- Cooking Pasta Separately on Stovetop: While soup simmers, cook egg noodles in boiling water until al dente, then drain.
- Cooking Pasta in Soup Option: For convenience, after the soup has cooked for 25 minutes, bring it to a boil again, add noodles directly into the soup, and cook according to package instructions (usually 8-10 minutes). Note that this can lead to soggy noodles.
- Finalizing Stovetop Soup: Remove bay leaves and discard. Add cooked noodles to the pot, stir, and serve hot.
- Pro Tip for Stovetop: Serve soup over noodles cooked separately to prevent the noodles from becoming mushy.
- Instant Pot Sauté: Chop vegetables. Set Instant Pot to sauté mode for 10 minutes. Heat olive oil and sauté celery, onion, and garlic until softened and fragrant.
- Instant Pot Cooking: Add carrots, seasonings, bay leaves, chicken breasts, and chicken broth. Seal the lid, set valve to sealing, and cook on ‘Soup’ or Pressure Cook mode for 9 minutes. Allow time for pressure to build (about 10 minutes or longer if broth is cold).
- Pressure Release & Pasta: After cooking, perform a quick pressure release. Remove bay leaves and discard. Meanwhile, cook noodles separately in boiling water.
- Final Serving: Add cooked noodles to the soup in the Instant Pot, stir gently, and serve.
- Instant Pot Pro Tip: For best noodle texture, avoid cooking noodles in the Instant Pot with the soup; cook separately and serve soup over them.
Notes
- To avoid soggy noodles, it’s best to cook pasta separately and add to individual bowls before ladling soup on top.
- Red pepper flakes are optional and add a mild spice; omit if you prefer no heat.
- Low or no sodium chicken broth allows better control over the salt level in the soup.
- Crockpot times can vary; ensure chicken is fully cooked and noodles are tender before serving.
- Fresh herbs provide brighter flavor compared to dried; however, dried rosemary and thyme retain good flavor if fresh is unavailable.
- If cooking noodles in the soup, add them near the end and keep an eye to avoid overcooking.
Keywords: chicken noodle soup, crock pot soup, slow cooker chicken noodle, comfort food, easy chicken soup, homemade chicken soup, egg noodle soup, healthy chicken soup, slow cooker recipe