Dinner

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

ByJeannette Jaeger December 1, 2025December 1, 2025

Introduction

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup is a hearty, comforting dish that’s perfect for chilly days or when you’re feeling under the weather. This easy recipe uses simple ingredients and lets your slow cooker do all the work, resulting in a warm, flavorful soup loaded with tender chicken and noodles.

A close-up view of a crockpot filled with chicken noodle soup, showing a mixture of thin, light yellow noodles and shredded white chicken pieces. Bright orange carrot chunks and small green celery pieces are evenly spread throughout the light golden broth, garnished with small green herb flakes on top. The slow cooker has a shiny metallic surface reflecting the white marbled texture below, with squeezed lemon halves and scattered green herb leaves on the surface around it. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

6 cups unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces uncooked broken spaghetti noodles
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Add the chicken stock, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, and parsley to your slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Step 2: Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the vegetables are tender.
Step 3: About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the shredded chicken and broken uncooked spaghetti noodles.
Step 4: Continue cooking on low until the noodles are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Step 5: Stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 6: Serve hot and enjoy your comforting bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup.

Tips & Variations

Use a 6-quart slow cooker for ideal results; if using a smaller slow cooker, halve the recipe but keep the same cooking times.
Choose good-quality, low-sodium or homemade chicken stock to control salt levels and enhance flavor.
Do not pre-cook the noodles; adding them uncooked to the slow cooker saves time and lets them soak up the soup’s flavors.
Add freshly squeezed lemon juice at the end to brighten the soup and balance its richness.
Avoid overcooking the soup to prevent dry chicken and mushy vegetables; remove from heat as soon as it’s done.

Storage

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When reheating, do so gently on the stovetop to avoid overcooking the noodles and chicken. For longer storage, freeze the soup without noodles for up to 3 months; add fresh noodles when reheating.

How to Serve

A close-up view of a black slow cooker filled with chicken noodle soup, showing three layers: the top layer is a yellowish broth with a shiny, smooth texture; the middle layer contains thin pale yellow noodles tangled throughout; and the bottom layer has soft white shredded chicken pieces mixed with small orange carrot cubes and light green celery slices, all sprinkled with green parsley flakes and tiny black pepper bits. The cooker sits on a white marbled surface scattered with fresh parsley leaves and a halved lemon with a bright yellow interior, creating a fresh, colorful setting. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use chicken broth instead of chicken stock?

Yes, you can use chicken broth, but keep in mind that broth tends to be saltier and thinner than stock. Opt for low-sodium broth if possible to better control the seasoning of your soup.

Should I pre-cook the noodles before adding them to the slow cooker?

No need to pre-cook the noodles. Adding them uncooked directly to the slow cooker allows them to absorb the soup’s flavors and saves you an extra step. Just add them toward the end of cooking to prevent over-softening.