Ward off the sniffles with this comforting Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup recipe that is sure to warm you up and extend a hug when you’re not feeling your best.
I hope your holidays have been filled with wonderful memories and time well spent with those you love. If you’re anything like me, once the holidays have passed, it’s incredibly hard to transition from a season of making and baking ALL THE THINGS to one of kitchen cooking motivation.
Give yourself some grace (and a break) with this easy and comforting Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup.
Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
Nothing beats the wintertime blues more than comforting Chicken Noodle Soup. This one is made right in the slow cooker making it super easy.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 1- carton 32 ounces chicken broth
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups wide egg noodles
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place the whole chicken breasts on the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker and top with onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and rosemary.
- Add the chicken broth and season with salt and pepper (I used about 1/2 teaspoon of each but the broth you use will determine if you need more). Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours.
- Remove the chicken breasts and shred, using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the crockpot. Add the egg noodles.
- Cover and cook until noodles are tender, about 15 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
NOTE: If you’re not ready to enjoy the soup right away, skip adding the noodles and instead cook them separately and add to the soup when ready.
Baton Rouge has been experiencing record low temperatures lately (it was colder here in the Bayou State than it was in Alaska yesterday!), and with those chilly weekends and freezing temperatures…come runny noses and scratchy throats. I can no longer count on two hands how many people I know who have come down with the flu.
The combination of cold weather, runny noses AND not wanting to spend too much time in the kitchen made this Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup recipe a no-brainer. Homemade yet super easy, it is comfort food at its finest. And you don’t even have to crank up the stove.
Can I freeze Chicken Noodle Soup?
If you’re like my husband and me, you may not want to eat the soup for the entire week. YES, you can freeze half, BUT you will need to remove the soup from the slow cooker that you intend to freeze prior to adding the noodles.
Do I need to boil the noodles first?
No, you do not need to boil the noodles first. Noodles are added last in any slow cooker recipe because they will inevitably turn mushy after about 20 minutes, however. Same happens when you thaw and reheat.
What I’ve done the last two times I’ve made this Chicken Noodle Soup recipe is boil double the amount of egg noodles. I cook my Chicken Noodle Soup as instructed in the slow cooker. However, once it’s done, I remove and freeze half of the soup (before adding the noodles). Add the desired amount of egg noodles to the soup. Then, I use the remaining egg noodles to make this Tuna Noodle Casserole recipe. That way, in one day, I’ve knocked out two recipes!
Here’s some other favorites perfect for the cold weather and that are also made in the Slow Cooker: Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup, Crock Pot Chili, Crock Pot Loaded Potato Soup.
Because after a full day of de-Christmasing your home, the last thing you probably want to make is a recipe that requires a ton of attention. Oops, talking about myself there.
But that reminds me…..have you taken down your Christmas decor? Each time I think I’m done, I find something I’ve forgotten! Like those hand towels in the guest bathroom. Sigh.
Wishing you a warm, comforting and fabulous New Year!
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