This warm and filling crockpot chicken soup is perfect for busy families who want to dump the ingredients into the slow cooker and go. Serve it with warm fresh bread for an easy dinner the kids will love.
I have learned here in the Carolinas fall is a calendar date, not a weather phenomenon. For the first few years we lived here, fall would sneak right past me. By the time our leaves turn and we dig out our jeans and sweaters, the stores are already covered in Christmas decorations.
Somehow I would forget to decorate the house for fall and consistently have to squeeze all the fun seasonal things into one big make-up the few days before Halloween.
RELATED: Check out my Fall Procrastinator Survival Tips to see more!
I vowed this year would be different. This year I chose to ignore the 90-degree weather and on the very first day of fall I donned a light sweater and went to Starbucks for my first pumpkin spice latte. My fireplace mantle is covered in pumpkins. My wall galleries are filled with apple-picking pictures and photos from our pumpkin patch sessions.
So when the Peanut requested chicken soup on a lazy Sunday, I ignored the fact that they planned to go swimming at the neighborhood pool before dinner and dug out the crockpot. For good measure, I dusted off the bread machine, too. We've all been desperately craving soup and cozy comfort foods. Who says we can't enjoy them while the air conditioning is still running?
Will kids like this crockpot chicken soup?
The Peanut loves chicken soup. She actually orders it whenever we find it on a restaurant menu. I have been hunting for the perfect recipe to make at home but most of my attempts have failed miserably. It always feels like a lot of effort for not-so-tasty soup.
Yesterday we tried something different. Since I had a little helper, I chose a recipe from America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution that involved lots of fresh ingredients. There were just a couple more steps to the recipe but overall it was extremely easy. All the putzy work is done at the start and then you have 4-6 hours to do something else.
I've tweaked the recipe to make it even more streamlined for you.
This crockpot chicken soup recipe was a huge hit with the family at dinnertime. I sent the girls off to school with leftovers in their lunch Thermos. It would be the perfect dish to stock your freezer or use as lunch food for the week.
Why is making chicken soup in the crockpot the best way to go?
This recipe is one of the very best chicken soups because:
- The veggies are fresh and healthy with the perfect texture.
- You use real chicken but take a shortcut with prepared broth.
- All the prep work is done at the front end so you can relax the rest of the time.
- The slow cooker makes the chicken tender and it simply falls off the bone.
- It freezes well, so the big batch recipe is perfect for meal prep later.
What can I serve with this crockpot chicken soup?
We love fresh bread with our soups, here are a few recipes you could use that your kids will love:
- This sweet sliceable applesauce bread is bread machine magic! (This is the recipe we made that evening!)
- Easy pineapple carrot bread fresh from the bread machine
- The best ever big batch pumpkin bread recipe
- Fresh bread from the grocery store
- Refrigerated biscuits or crescent rolls
- Cinnamon rolls for a special treat
How to make a simple crockpot chicken soup:
Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
This delicious and easy crockpot chicken soup is an easy healthy dinner to make on a lazy weekend afternoon or busy work night for your family. Tasty chunks of fresh vegetables and yummy egg noodles make this a big hit with kids.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped medium
- 1 onion, minced
- 2 celery ribs, chopped medium
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp fresh time or ½ tsp dried
- Sprinkle of red pepper flakes
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 bone-in, skin on split chicken breast
- 1 cup egg noodles (I threw caution to the wind and used a whole package to make it extra chunky)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
Instructions
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the carrots, onion, and celery and saute until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, thyme, and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in one cup chicken broth and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Pour remaining 7 cups of broth and the 2 bay leaves into the slow cooker. Nestle the chicken thighs into the broth so they are submerged. Season the chicken breast with salt & pepper and then wrap completely in a piece of tinfoil. Gently place the chicken foil packet on the top of the broth. This will cook the chicken through completely but keep its tender texture. Cover the pot and cook for 4 to 6 hours on low.
Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the chicken foil packet to a plate and set aside. Then remove the chicken thighs and move them to a cutting board. Dice the chicken thighs and return to the soup pot. Carefully unwrap the foil packet and pour any juices back into the pot. Remove the skin and discard it. Dice the white meat and return to the pot, discarding the bones. Discard the bay leaves. Pour in the peas and let them heat through.
In a separate pot of salted boiling water, cook the egg noodles for just a minute less than the minimum time the package suggests. This will prevent them from getting overly mushy as they sit in the leftovers. Drain and stir into the soup.
Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Want more healthy chicken soup recipes for the family?
Our family lives on chicken soup for most of the cold weather months. Here are some of our favorites:
- The only homemade chicken soup you need this flu season
- This Caribbean chicken soup will make you forget about winter
- This chicken wild rice soup is extra easy
- How to make amazing Tuscan Chicken Soup with a rotisserie chicken
Looking for our famous applesauce bread? Get the recipe right here.
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