Cozy Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
A comforting, gelatinous chicken noodle soup made in a slow cooker with tender chicken thighs, aromatic vegetables, and egg noodles. This recipe offers a rich, soul-soothing broth with minimal active prep time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 dried bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles
- Fresh lemon juice for serving
Instructions
- Prep the vegetables by washing and peeling carrots, slicing them into rounds, dicing celery and onion, and mincing garlic.
- Optional: Sauté onions, carrots, and celery in butter for 3-4 minutes until edges are caramelized.
- Combine vegetables (sautéed or raw), raw chicken thighs, chicken broth, dried parsley, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours until chicken is fork-tender.
- Remove chicken, shred into bite-sized pieces, and return to the pot.
- Add egg noodles to the pot, stir to submerge, and cook on HIGH for the final 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir in fresh lemon juice before serving.
Notes
Add noodles in the last 30 minutes to prevent them from becoming mushy. If using chicken breasts, check after 4 hours to avoid drying out. For a gluten-free version, use rice noodles or gluten-free pasta. Freeze broth and chicken separately from noodles for best texture upon reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl with crusty b
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
Keywords: slow cooker, chicken noodle soup, comfort food, easy dinner, one pot meal, cozy soup, healthy soup