There is nothing quite like a bowl of chicken noodle soup to warm the soul! This slow cooker chicken noodle soup is made using a whole chicken, tender egg noodles, plenty of vegetables, and fresh herbs.
It is prep-ahead friendly, and best of all, it freezes incredibly well. So, make a big batch and stock up for soup season! It just makes you feel right at home.
This slow cooker chicken noodle soup is made using a whole chicken. Slow cooking a whole bone-in chicken really gives the broth depth of flavor, and the chicken comes out so tender!
I usually make this crockpot version during the weekends, but on busy weeknights, I’ll go for my quick Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup instead. Both are delicious!
This slow cooker chicken noodle soup has all your classic veggies: carrots, celery, and onions. And the aromatics and herbs infuse the broth with incredible flavor.
If you love whole chicken recipes, try my Slow Cooker Whole Chicken or Dutch Oven Roast Chicken! Both are currently in my dinner rotation.
Looking for more chicken soups? Check out my Turkey Orzo Soup and Chicken Gnocchi Soup!
Why I love making slow cooker chicken noodle soup:
- A comfort food classic. There’s truly nothing better than chicken noodle soup, especially if it’s cooked low and slow.
- Easy one pot meal. The slow cooker does it all for you!
- Rich flavors. Cooking a whole bone-in chicken adds richness.
- Prep ahead and freezer friendly. Pre-chop all the veggies ahead to make it extra easy. It also freezes and reheats very well, so it’s very convenient.
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Ingredients Notes
Below, I included a few ingredient notes from recipe testing that you might find helpful. As always, the quantities for this slow cooker chicken noodle soup are listed in the recipe card down below.
- Whole chicken: I recommend using a small chicken, like a 3-pound chicken, to ensure adequate liquid-to-chicken ratio. You can also use bone-in chicken pieces like thighs, breasts and drumsticks.
- Carrots, celery, and onions: Your classic vegetables! Can’t miss this trio, but feel free to add any extra veggies you like.
- Garlic: Adds great flavor.
- Fresh thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, Italian parsley: Fresh herbs make everything so much better.
- Water: This liquid base. You can also do half water and half canned chicken broth if you want a richer broth.
- Wide egg noodles: These are an excellent and classic choice, but feel free to use any type of noodle.
- Lemon: A squeeze at the very end really adds brightness and takes this crockpot chicken noodle soup to the next level.
- Better Than Bouillon, salt and pepper to taste
Step-by-Step Tutorial
For this slow cooker chicken noodle soup recipe, you need a large slow cooker so that everything fits nicely. Let me show you how to make it!
Step 1 | Arrange vegetables and chicken
Add the carrots, celery, onions, garlic, salt and pepper to a large slow cooker. I use a 8-quart slow cooker. Place the whole chicken on top of vegetables. Add water, leaving about 1.5-inch space from the top so it doesn’t spill over while cooking.
Step 2 | Add herbs and aromatics
Add the rosemary, thyme, Italian parsley and bay leaves around the chicken. I like to tie them with kitchen twine to make it easier to remove later. Push gently to submerge, just to make sure they infuse the water.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, or on HIGH for 3.5 hours.
Step 3 | Cook noodles and shred chicken
Remove the chicken. Shred, and discard the skin and bones.
Add the wide egg noodles into the slow cooker. Cover and continue cooking them for 15-20 minutes or until tender. After the noodles have finished cooking, return the shredded chicken and add chopped Italian parsley. This adds a touch of freshness to the soup! Also, season with more salt and pepper as needed.
Step 4 | Serve with a squeeze of lemon
This is my secret for best flavor! Serve your with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice, as well as more parsley for garnish. The lemon use adds brightness and really brings out all the flavors. It’s amazing!
This crockpot chicken noodle soup goes really well with toasted bread, or even better, this Cheesy Garlic Bread!
Tips for Success
- Use a large slow cooker, ideally a 7 or 8-quart. If using a smaller one, you can just adjust the ingredient quantities accordingly.
- Use a small 3-pound whole chicken so that the ratio between chicken and liquid is adequate. If your chicken is too large, break it down and use half of it or use ⅔ of it.
- For an extra boost of flavor, I’d highly recommend 1-2 teaspoons of Better Than Bouillon (chicken base flavor). I love it!
- Do not start with a frozen chicken. It must be thawed.
- Tying the herbs with kitchen twine makes it easier to remove later.
Stovetop Method for Chicken Noodle Soup
If you don’t feel like waiting hours for your chicken noodle soup to cook in the slow cooker, you can make it on the stovetop instead! It takes about 2 hours, including prep time.
On the stovetop:
- Place the whole chicken in a large stockpot along with the vegetables, aromatics and seasonings.
- Add water and bring to a boil, then simmer. Cover and simmer for 75-90 minutes, until tender and fully cooked.
- Remove chicken and add noodles, simmer for another 10 minutes. Shred chicken and return to the pot.
Prep Ahead and Freezing
Prep ahead: Peel and chop all the veggies. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days until ready to cook. Make sure to thaw the whole chicken as well, if frozen. When ready to cook, it’s all about throwing everything into the slow cooker.
Freezing: Store cooked chicken noodle soup (cooled completely) in an airtight freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating: If frozen, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave oven or over the stovetop in a pot. You can also reheat from frozen in a medium pot.
Recipe FAQs
You need a relatively small chicken, about 3 pounds is ideal for a large 8-quart slow cooker. If the chicken is too large, you won’t be able to fit enough liquid.
You can use bone-in chicken pieces, such as thighs, drumsticks or breasts.
Add the noodles towards the end, after everything is done cooking. For egg noodles, about 15-20 minutes is ideal. If using a different pasta, such as rotini, check after 15 minutes and continue cooking as needed until al dente.
More Cozy Slow Cooker Dinners
The slow cooker can be an absolute lifesaver on those busy days or lazy weekends. Here are some flavorful and delicious cozy slow cooker dinners on my site:
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- Slow Cooker BBQ Baby Back Ribs
- Slow Cooker Cuban Sandwiches
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Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
Equipment
- Kitchen twine for the herbs
Ingredients
- 3 pounds whole chicken - thawed if frozen
- 4 medium carrots - peeled and chopped
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
- Salt and pepper
- 8 to 10 cups water - as needed
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon - optional
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme and rosemary - tied with kitchen twine
- 2 bay leaves - fresh or dried
- ½ small bunch fresh Italian parsley - tied with kitchen twine
- ½ pound extra wide egg noodles
- Chopped Italian parsley - to add at the end and garnish
- 1 lemon - squeezed at the end for serving
Instructions
- Add the carrots, celery, onions, crushed garlic, 3 teaspoons salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper into a large 7 or 8-quart slow cooker.
- Place the whole chicken on top.
- Then, add water (amount depends on your slow cooker size, add enough leaving about 1.5 inches space from the top so it doesn't spill over). The chicken doesn’t need to be fully submerged, just almost. Optional: add 1-2 teaspoons of Better Than Bouillon for even better flavor.
- Add the thyme and rosemary sprigs, Italian parsley, and bay leaves around the chicken, gently pushing down to submerge. Cover and cook for 3.5 to 4 hours on HIGH, or 6 to 8 hours on LOW until the chicken is fully cooked through and tender.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Set aside.
- Add the egg noodles, cover, and cook for another 15-20 minutes until al dente.
- Meanwhile, shred the chicken, and discard the skin and bones.
- After the noodles are done, add the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Finish with chopped Italian parsley.
- Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use a 3-pound whole chicken so the liquid-to-chicken ratio is adequate.
- If your chicken is on the larger side, cut it and use about 2/3 of it.
- Do not use a frozen chicken. It needs to be thawed before using for food safety.
- Egg noodles: I use extra wide egg noodles. I like the texture better!
- Prep Ahead: Peel and chop vegetables then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days refrigerated. Thaw chicken up to 1 day ahead in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Place cooled chicken noodle soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat soup in a medium saucepan on the stovetop until warmed through. You can also reheat in a microwave safe bowl until warmed.
- Freezing: Place leftover soup without noodles in a freezer safe airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating, or reheat from frozen over the stovetop.
- Whole chicken: Bone-in pieces breasts, thighs, or drumsticks.
- Egg noodles: Short pastas, like rotini, farfalle, or ditalini.
Tania says
We just made another big batch of this soup and froze it! The chicken is incredibly tender it just falls off the bone so easily.