slow cooker chicken noodle soup
This hearty, flavorful soup is packed with tender chicken, vegetables, and perfectly cooked pasta – all simmered together to create the ultimate comfort meal.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker (6-quart capacity)
- Sharp Knife and Cutting Board
- Tongs or Forks
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 ounces spaghetti, broken into thirds
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Step-by-Step Instructions for Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
- Start by seasoning your boneless, skinless chicken breasts with a generous amount of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. The seasoning adds flavor directly to the chicken, setting the stage for the entire soup to be full of savory goodness.
- Once your chicken is seasoned, place it directly into your slow cooker. Add the chicken stock, diced onion, diced carrots, diced celery, minced garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaves. Season the mixture with more salt and pepper, to taste. Give everything a quick stir to combine the ingredients.The combination of fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and chicken stock will create the base for a deeply flavorful soup.
- Cover the slow cooker with its lid and set it to cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. This slow cooking process allows the flavors to develop, and the chicken becomes incredibly tender. If you’re short on time, you can set it to cook on high heat for about 4-5 hours, though low heat yields better flavor.
- Once the cooking time is up, carefully remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker using tongs or a slotted spoon. Place them on a cutting board and shred the chicken using two forks. It should shred easily due to the long, slow cook time.
Continuing with the Soup
- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and give it a quick stir to combine with the broth and vegetables. Now, add the broken-up pieces of spaghetti (8 ounces). This is where the soup turns into a classic chicken noodle soup! Stir the pasta into the broth and cover the slow cooker again.Cook on low heat for an additional 30-40 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. You can also check the pasta’s doneness by taking a small bite – it should be al dente, or just firm enough to give a slight resistance.
- Once the pasta is tender, stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice and chopped fresh parsley. The lemon juice adds a refreshing, bright kick that balances out the richness of the chicken and broth. The parsley not only adds color but a touch of freshness to each bite.