Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup is total comfort food. Toss some ingredients into the crockpot and let your house smell like heaven all day long!
Chicken noodle soup is a classic American comfort food. We eat it when we’re sick, when it’s stormy outside, or just when we need a pick-me-up. If you’ve been following us for awhile, you know that we are all about making things from scratch. There’s nothing quite like fresh veggies, real chunks of chicken breast, and egg noodles to satisfy in this homemade chicken noodle soup.
We do already have a popular recipe for chicken noodle soup on the stove, but we wanted to give a slow cooker version of it as well. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as knowing that your made from scratch dinner didn’t take much effort at all. Not to mention, your house will smell absolutely amazing while the chicken and vegetables cook low and slow all day long.
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Can I use other cuts of chicken in slow cooker chicken noodle soup?
Yes, other cuts of meat can be used in place of chicken breasts. You can use thighs and drumsticks, or even a whole chicken. Cooking times will remain the same. Be warned that chicken skin does not fare well in the slow cooker and the meat will need to be removed from the crockpot to remove the skin and bones and shred the meat. Some bits of fat and skin may end up in your soup.
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Noodle Options: Dry pasta, frozen, or homemade
When it comes to Chicken Noodle Soup, you have a few noodle options to choose from.
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Dry pasta is an inexpensive and convenient option and comes in several shapes. You are looking for dry wide egg noodles which can be flat and wide, or have a slight curl to them.
- Fresh homemade egg noodles are, of course, the classic option. They are less convenient than dry pasta or frozen, but they are still simple to make. You’ll need to start making them approximately 45 minutes before you’d like to be ready to eat.
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How do I prevent the noodles from getting mushy?
When using dry pasta, the noodles are added to the slow cooker about 15 minutes before serving. DO NOT let them sit longer than that in the crockpot or the noodles will start to get mushy. Another option is to cook your noodles separately on the stove and add them to the soup when ready to serve. Homemade-style egg noodles (fresh or frozen) are less likely to get mushy.
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How can I adjust the salt to make this recipe low sodium friendly?
Opt for low sodium chicken broth to give you better control over seasoning. You can then add salt to suit your own personal taste preferences and needs.
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Freezer Instructions:
Chicken Noodle Soup is great for freezing. You can make a large batch and freeze the leftovers. Let the soup cool down before freezing. We prefer to ladle ours into a gallon-sized resealable plastic freezer bag for freezing because it can lay flat. This is not only convenient for fitting into the freezer, but it also helps the soup thaw faster for reheating and serving. We simply break it up and add it to a saucepan or pot to reheat over a medium-low heat. Because the noodles can get mushy, we prefer to use frozen homemade-style egg noodles which hold up better.
If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other delicious soup recipes:
Made this yesterday & it’s delicious! Definitely in the Keeper box! So good!
I live in Ohio and “soup” weather is very close to me. This soup looks delicious. I’m going to make it, as soon as I can go to the grocer and get my stuff. I don’t want to cook the noodles in my slo cooker. Will it take away from the taste?
Very tasty
Very easy and very yummy. My mistake was putting too many noodles in. Next time will measure more carefully. But I do love noodles.
Me too but I cook them separately then add what is wanted to each bowl; some like less some like more
Excellent but just put noodles in after that way it doesn’t absorb all the wonderful broth
LOVE IT
I made this last night and it seemed mushy! Any suggestions to why?
did you add the noodles uncooked in the crock pot near the end or at the beginning? pro tip, cook the noodles near the end in a separate pot, then add them to the soup once they are done. this should prevent them from getting mushy or clouding the broth
Maybe cooked too long
Cook your noodles on the side. Add them to your bowl with your soup. Never cook them in the soup.
Agree 100%. Noodles cooked separate, put on bottom of bowl and add soup on top. I’ve done this for years. I also then freeze without noodles as well for a great outcome.
Why don’t you freeze ndls with the soup? Do you freeze them separately?
Very good I always make this during cold days.
My husband came down with a bad cold, so I quick gave him a tetra pak chicken soup I had, while I made this recipe. I have never made chicken soup in the slow cooker, but after having tried quite a few of your recipes, I trust them, because they work. So I made this during the evening, and I have to say, it is the best chicken soup I have ever made. I am so thankful for the work that you do here.
My grandmother was from Budapest, Hungary and lived in Ohio, where chicken noodle soup was on the menu several times a week in the winter time. I once asked her how she makes the broth in her chicken noodle soup so clear which makes the colorful vegetables even more appetizing. She said the secret is to not cook the noodles with the soup, but to cook them in a separate pot, drain them and then put the drained noodles in a bowl and the soup on top of the noodles. Cooking the noodles in the soup makes the broth cloudy.
I think that’s a very good idea Ray.
Thanks a lot
Thank you this useful tip
Stay safe and happy cooking