Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup (Easy, Set-and-Forget)

What Makes This Recipe Work

Bone-in thighs release gelatin into the broth as they cook, so the soup tastes like a long-simmered stock even though the slow cooker did the work, and the noodles go in only at the end.

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup (Easy, Set

• 2 lb (900 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (5 to 6)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cups (1.9 L) chicken broth or bone broth
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 6 oz (170 g) wide egg noodles (about 3 cups)

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup (Easy, Set

1. Add the chicken, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, broth, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker and stir.
2. Cover and cook on LOW 7 hours or HIGH 4 hours, until the chicken is tender and shreds easily.
3. Lift the chicken onto a plate, let it cool 10 minutes, then shred it with two forks and discard the skin and bones.
4. Skim any fat from the surface of the broth with a spoon or a ladle.
5. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir in the egg noodles.
6. Cover and cook on HIGH 20 to 25 minutes until the noodles are tender but still have a bite.
7. Remove the bay leaves, taste, and adjust the salt before serving.

Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup (Easy, Set

• Do not add the noodles at the start; they break down into the broth. Stir them in only for the final 20 minutes.
• Shred the chicken while it is still warm; it pulls apart cleanly and stays moist.
• Skim the fat after the chicken comes out, when it is easy to see on the surface.
• Season at the end. The broth concentrates as it sits, so taste before you add more salt.

Variations and Substitutions

• Creamy slow cooker chicken noodle soup: stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup grated parmesan when you add the noodles.
• Slow cooker chicken and rice soup: swap the noodles for 3/4 cup long-grain rice and cook on HIGH 45 minutes, stirring once.
• For a lemony chicken and rice version, add the juice of half a lemon at the end.
• Short on time? Use a rotisserie chicken: add the shredded meat with the noodles in the last 20 minutes.

How to Store and Reheat

• Refrigerate for up to 4 days; keep the noodles in a separate container if you want them to stay firm.
• To freeze without mushy noodles, freeze the broth and chicken only, then add fresh noodles when you reheat the soup.

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup (Easy, Set FAQ