Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup made as a cozy, dependable bowl with balanced seasoning and practical prep.
Slow-Simmered Chicken Noodle for Hands-Off Comfort
A reliably comforting bowl that simmers all day in your slow cooker, turning basic ingredients into a deeply flavored, easy weeknight dinner.
Cam Torres of Ember Pot keeps this version simple and satisfying: boneless, skinless chicken thighs nestle over sautéed carrots, celery, and onion in a bath of low-sodium chicken broth, scented with thyme and a bay leaf. Searing the vegetables in olive oil for 4–5 minutes brings out a warm, caramelized base, and a quick 30 seconds with smashed then minced garlic adds bright fragrance before everything goes into the slow cooker.
Cook Low for 4 hours (or High for 2½–3 hours) and you’ll end up with chicken so tender it falls apart into the broth, which has plenty of body from the softened mirepoix and long, gentle simmer. Kosher salt and black pepper are all you need to balance the flavors; the result is a clear, silky broth dotted with sweet carrots and savory bits of onion and celery.
Finish with egg noodles just before serving so they stay pillowy instead of turning mushy — they give the soup comforting weight without stealing the spotlight from the shredded chicken. If you need a hands-off strategy, assemble the pot ahead, refrigerate, then cook the next day, or freeze the soup base without noodles for an easy future meal.
This is the kind of soup that works for rainy nights, under-the-weather days, or any evening when you want something dependable and soothing with minimal fuss.
Ingredients
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
- Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat them dry; roughly cut carrots, celery, and onion into 1/2-inch pieces and smash then mince the garlic.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onion, carrot, and celery for 4–5 minutes until edges begin to soften; add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker, nestle the chicken thighs on top, pour in the chicken broth, then add thyme, bay leaves, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Cover and cook on Low for 4 hours (or High for 2.5–3 hours) until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board, shred with two forks, discard any bits of cartilage, then return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
- Add the egg noodles to the slow cooker and cook on High for 20–30 minutes (or on Low for 30–40 minutes) until noodles are just tender; stir occasionally so noodles don't clump.
- Stir in the chopped flat-leaf parsley and lemon juice, taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed, and discard the bay leaves before serving.
- Ladle into bowls and serve hot; leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days (reheat gently, adding a splash of water or broth if too thick).
Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup made as a cozy, dependable bowl with balanced seasoning and practical prep.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 4 hr
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat them dry; roughly cut carrots, celery, and onion into 1/2-inch pieces and smash then mince the garlic.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onion, carrot, and celery for 4–5 minutes until edges begin to soften; add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker, nestle the chicken thighs on top, pour in the chicken broth, then add thyme, bay leaves, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Cover and cook on Low for 4 hours (or High for 2.5–3 hours) until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board, shred with two forks, discard any bits of cartilage, then return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
- Add the egg noodles to the slow cooker and cook on High for 20–30 minutes (or on Low for 30–40 minutes) until noodles are just tender; stir occasionally so noodles don't clump.
- Stir in the chopped flat-leaf parsley and lemon juice, taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed, and discard the bay leaves before serving.
- Ladle into bowls and serve hot; leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days (reheat gently, adding a splash of water or broth if too thick).
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 35
- Saturated Fat
- 6
- Sodium
- 880
- Fiber
- 4
- Unsaturated Fat
- 15
- Protein
- 32
- Fat
- 21
- Cholesterol
- 120
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 480
- Sugar
- 2