Few things in life compete with cozying up to a bowl of chicken noodle soup. So how to make it even better? Make it extra-healthy, easy, and made for you in your slow cooker while you're at work! We packed our soup with extra veggies, poached the chicken in the soup liquid to avoid adding extra oils, and used tons of aromatics (and one secret ingredient!) to amp up the flavor. It's as nourishing as it is delicious.
SLOW-COOKER CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP RECIPE
(Makes approximately 4 1/2 quarts)
Recipe Notes: We used egg noodles in the spirit of traditional chicken soup, but you can swap in your favorite whole-wheat or gluten-free pasta if you prefer. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time as needed. You can easily halve this recipe if your slow cooker is on the smaller side.
Ingredients:
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 small leek, cleaned and thinly sliced
- 4-6 large carrots, cleaned, peeled and sliced into 1/4″ rounds
- 2 celery ribs, cleaned and sliced 1/4″ thick
- 4 cups cabbage, cleaned and sliced into 1″ ribbons (approximately 1/2 of a small cabbage)
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 10 cups good-quality chicken broth or stock
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Parmesan cheese rind
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 8 ounces egg noodles
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Directions:
1. Place onion, leek, carrots, celery, cabbage, and chicken breasts into your slow cooker and cover with the chicken broth. Stir to ensure chicken is fully submerged in the liquid. Add olive oil, Parmesan rind, bay leaf, rosemary, and thyme, and cover and cook on medium or high for 5 to 6 hours, depending on your slow cooker.
2. When chicken is fully cooked (it should be tender and fall apart easily when you push it with a fork), remove from soup and place on cutting board. Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. Return to soup.
3. About 30 minutes before you're ready to eat, add kosher salt and noodles to the soup and cook for 15 to 25 minutes until al dente. Season to taste with extra salt and pepper.
4. Ladle into bowls, and garnish with parsley and freshly ground pepper.
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(Recipe and photos via Jessica Smith Wall / Brit + Co)