Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

This Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup is the BEST, wholesome and extra flavorful thanks to a few secret ingredients. It's the perfect get-well-soon recipe for making it through cold and flu season, but it's so delicious that you'll get requests for it even when nobody is sick!

The BEST Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup with Text Overlay


 

If you enjoy slow cooker soups, you'll also love Slow Cooker White Chili, Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Soup, and Slow Cooker Chicken Black Bean Soup!

Anytime a member of my family gets sick, I get the instant, insatiable to urge to whip up a giant, pot of nourishment. Sometimes that takes the form of veggie-loaded Minestrone Soup...but more often than not, it means homemade chicken soup. So, since it's impossible for a family of five to avoid occasionally getting sick, this Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup has come to be the silver lining that we all look forward to during cold and flu season!

The BEST Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup in a White Soup Bowl with Parsley Garnish

When I make homemade chicken soup, I prefer using skin-on, bone-in chicken. Not only do I believe that cooking the bones in the broth makes for an extra-nourishing soup, but I also think the skin lends richer flavor. I end up skimming the fat and discarding the skin and bones at the end anyway.

But if you prefer to use skinless, boneless chicken, that will work just dandy, too. I would recommend using a mixture of white meat and dark meat, because I think the dark meat stays a bit moister and more flavorful and is a nice balance to the lighter white meat. But again...it's your soup. So if you're a fan of all white meat, have at it!

Two Bowls of The BEST Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

Secret Ingredients

I really do think this is THE BEST tasting chicken soup out there. There are a few secret ingredients added towards the end of the recipe that, in my humble opinion, take this soup from good to amazing.

  • First off would be the fresh rosemary. This recipe doesn't call for a ton, and the flavor is not overtly noticeable. But when I've left it out for one reason or another, I noticed that something was missing. This soup also has fresh parsley added at the end, which I think nicely brightens things up.
  • Next is the half-and-half (or milk, or heavy cream...depending on how light or how decadent you prefer to make this soup). One cup added at the end of the cooking time lends a touch of silky creaminess, which makes this chicken soup seem extra special. If you would rather cut the dairy, your soup will still be tasty...just add in an additional cup of chicken broth to make up for it.
  • Another one of the secret ingredients that sends this soup over the top is freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Again, you can't necessarily tell that it's in there, but it adds another delicious, complementary layer of flavor.
  • And finally, there's the sherry! Read on for a more thorough explanation of that one...
Close-Up Highlighting Mushrooms, Carrots, Diced Chicken and Noodles

Flavor-Boosting Sherry

I'll be the first to admit that, while I use beer and wine in some of my recipes, I'd never cooked with sherry before. So the first time I ever made this recipe, I was a little skeptical...but I bought a bottle and hoped for the best.

Well let me tell you that it never ceases to amaze me what a tablespoon or two of sherry does for this soup! Just like the other ingredients that make this Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup special, the inclusion of sherry is not obvious or in-your-face. It's just another subtle flavor layered in with all of the other subtle flavors to ultimately create a recipe that's better-than-average.

If you don't already have sherry in your pantry or liquor cabinet, I recommend buying a bottle of regular dry sherry...not cooking sherry (which contains oodles of salt and other unpleasantries) and not sweet sherry (which would be too, well, sweet).

I bought a bottle of medium dry sherry to use specifically for this recipe. Once opened, sherry should last indefinitely...which is a good thing since the only time I use it is when I make chicken soup. But this soup wouldn't be the same without it, so I'm happy to let that bottle take up cabinet space.

A little bit of sherry can go a long way, so the first time you make this recipe, I suggest adding one tablespoon (and tasting before adding more) to determine whether you prefer more or less.

Aerial View

Vegetable Options

As for the veggies in this Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup, feel free to customize them to your taste.

  •  When it comes to chicken soup, I feel like sweet, tender carrots are a given.
  • I love including earthy mushrooms in my chicken soup as well.
  • If you enjoy onion in your soup, you may certainly chop one up and toss it in.
  • Same for celery. My family doesn't particularly care for it, but if you'd like to include some, go for it!
Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup in white bowl.

And that's it...a simple crock pot recipe that will have you craving chicken noodle soup even when you aren't sick! In fact, as much as I'm looking forward to spring and a welcome respite from cold and flu season, you can bet I make this soup all year long when someone at our house gets taken down by a bug.

In fact, if I leave this printed recipe in a convenient location, perhaps the hubby will feel inspired to throw the ingredients in the slow cooker the next time that sickly someone happens to be me... 😉

More Cozy Chicken Soups

The Best Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

This wholesome, easy-to-make Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup is extra flavorful thanks to a few secret ingredients...and it's the perfect get-well-soon recipe for making it through cold and flu season!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours
Total Time: 7 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Calories: 702kcal
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Ingredients

  • 2 ½ to 3 pounds chicken pieces, *see Tips & Tricks below
  • 1 pound carrots (about 2 ½ cups carrots), peeled & sliced
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned & sliced
  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon garlic salt
  • ½ teaspoon lemon pepper
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 8 cups chicken stock or broth
  • 3 cups uncooked egg noodles
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons sherry, *see Tips & Tricks below
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Arrange chicken pieces in the bottom of a large (6-quart) slow cooker. Layer carrots, mushrooms, and garlic on top, and sprinkle with basil, oregano, thyme, garlic salt, lemon pepper, and bay leaves on top. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Pour chicken stock/broth over ingredients in slow cooker, cover with lid, and cook for 7 to 8 hours on LOW (or 3 ½ to 4 hours on HIGH), until chicken is cooked through and tender.
  • At end of cooking time, if you used skin-on chicken pieces, skim any fat from the surface of the soup. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and discard the bay leaves. Stir noodles into soup. Cover slow cooker and increase heat to High.
  • Remove skin, bones, and cartilage from the chicken (if applicable), and discard. Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken back to the slow cooker along with the fresh parsley, fresh rosemary, grated Parmesan, half-and-half, sherry, and salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Stir, cover, and cook for a few more minutes or until noodles are cooked to your liking.

Notes

  • I prefer making this soup with skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces (a mixture of light and dark meat) for the best flavor and nourishment (from the bones). Any skin and bones will be discarded, and while there will be fat to skim from the top of the soup if you include the skin, I think the extra flavor is worth it. You may also use boneless, skinless chicken pieces (including all or some boneless skinless chicken breasts), if you prefer, but keep in mind that white meat will be "drier." After it's cooked, I prefer to dice the chicken rather than shred it for the best texture in this soup, but you can do either.
  • Just for reference, for this particular batch of soup, I used a 1.4-pound package of skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs plus 1.2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts (because that happened to be what I had on hand).
  • If you like celery in your chicken noodle soup, you may add 1 ½ cups sliced celery at the same time as the carrots.
  • The addition of sherry at the end of this recipe is optional but I think it really gives a unique and delicious depth of flavor to the soup. DO NOT buy "cooking sherry," as it has added salt, etc., and also don't buy sweet sherry. A regular bottle of medium dry to dry sherry is what you are looking for, and it will last indefinitely in the pantry. I have a bottle that I use only when making this recipe...I bought it several years ago and it's still fine. The first time you make this recipe, I suggest adding 1 tablespoon of sherry at a time (and tasting before adding more) to achieve your desired flavor.
  • You may use whole milk (or even 2%) instead of half-and-half for a lighter soup. You may use heavy cream for a more decadent soup. And if you have milk and cream in your fridge but not half-and-half, use half milk and half cream (which is the same thing as half-and-half).

Nutrition

Calories: 702kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 195mg | Sodium: 790mg | Potassium: 1023mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 10105IU | Vitamin C: 11.1mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 3.4mg
Made this recipe? I'd love to see on IG!Mention @FiveHeartHome or tag #FiveHeartHome!

Adapted from Paula Deen.
Post originally published on February 22, 2015.

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Recipe Rating




23 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I can’t believe no one has rated this yet. This soup is absolutely delicious. I made it for a friend with fresh bread and she loved it, said it was the best meal she was gifted. The fresh herbs and Parmesan are what makes it. I can tolerate some hard cheeses but not milk so replace that with coconut cream and it works beautifully. Thank you heaps Samantha!

  2. Hi, this looks delicious! Have a question however. I love the taste of onion in recipes. Is there a reason you left onions out of this soup.

    1. It's just a matter of personal preference, Darlene. 🙂 My family doesn't care for onions in our soup so I leave them out, but you are welcome to add them! The recipe should work just fine either way...and adding them will give you that flavor you'd otherwise be missing. 😉

  3. Your photos are incredible. Just looking at the soup photos made my mouth water and then your descriptive copy topped it off. I can't wait to check out more of your crock pot recipes. Thanks.

    1. What a sweet compliment, Caryn...thank you! I hope you enjoy this soup if you have a chance to try it, and I hope you find a few more crock pot recipes on the site that appeal to you as well. 😉 I appreciate you taking the time to comment and hope you're having a great week!

  4. I am putting this on the menu for the week! Wow, does it ever sound good! My go to chicken noodle soup is actually a weight watchers recipe but I must try this, (despite the added calories!) because of how good you made it sound! Pinned!

  5. Oooo..yum!! Your soup looks simply heavenly! I absolutely love the mushrooms in this--I can't wait to try it out! 🙂 Pinned!

    1. Thanks so much, Anna, for the comment and the pin! I hope you love this soup when you try it, and hope you're having a great weekend! 🙂

    1. Thanks so much, Kristen...and I appreciate the pin! Hope you've been having a fabulous week! 🙂

  6. Wow when you make chicken noodle soup you don't hold back. Awesome hearty recipe. Plus visually it makes you want to dive in. It's my kind of soup---made in my friend the slow cooker. Perfect.

    1. Why thank you, Carol! Regular chicken noodle soup tastes kind of boring after this one. 😉 Hope you get to try it soon, and hope you've been staying warm!

  7. Whoa! I almost want to get sick just so I have an excuse to make this. Not that I need one. 😉 I can't wait to try this slow cooker version. Genius!!

    1. Ha, Erin...I hear you. I don't enjoy getting sick...but I typically make this soup when I do, so at least there's a silver lining! Hope you get to try it soon without having to get sick first. 😉

  8. I'm sick right now and this recipe, along with the pictures, is making my mouth water! I've pinned to try soon. :o)

    1. So sorry to hear that you're sick, Debi! 🙁 I hope you feel better soon. Thanks so much for the pin, and I hope you enjoy this soup when you have a chance to try it!

  9. This sounds delicious- I would never have thought to add the Sherry, but I bet it adds a delicious flavor. I am from an italian family where we always put Romano cheese on our soup (and most other things) and I really think it adds a nice extra *something* to soups!

    I popped in from Totally Talented Tuesdays.

    1. The Italians know their stuff, Jessy...I bet Romano would be delicious in this as well! And yes, I think a little splash of sherry in this soup makes all the difference. 😉 Thanks so much for hopping over!

  10. This soup looks soooooo good! Love the recipe and your photography is gorgeous! Hope that you are doing great!
    Cathy

  11. Funny story- when I just met my future husband, he got some nasty flu when we were supposed to have a date (2nd date it was I think). I was bummed of course, and made him a pot of chicken soup-- cream of soups and all the "good" stuff. I don't use canned soups much anymore, but the soup was good. I think it solidified his interest in me 100%.
    I absolutely love the additions you made: the sherry (been meaning to buy it), the Parm (of course!). Fresh herbs are the magic ingredients. I have a rosemary bush in my "garden", always clip some for beef pot roast.
    I will make this one soon, Samantha. Pinning to my "soups" board.

  12. Are the noodles dried or fresh? They look delicious? The soup sounds like what I want right now!

    Wishes for tasty dishes,
    Linda

    1. Hi Linda! These noodles are dried, but I bought slightly fancier organic ones for this batch of soup so they do look a little different. I just thought they'd look nice for the photos. 😉 However, I typically make this soup with regular egg noodles and they work great! Thanks for stopping by and hope you're having a great week! 🙂