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Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup with clear golden broth, tender egg noodles, and shredded chicken. Cook on Low for 6 hours so the flavors meld, then add noodles for a springy, never-mushy bite.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

bone-in chicken thighs
  • 1.5 lb bone-in chicken thighs Discard skin and bones after cooking.
carrots
  • 4 carrots Slice into coins.
celery
  • 4 celery Slice into pieces.
onion
  • 1 onion Dice before adding to the slow cooker.
garlic
  • 4 clove garlic Minced.
chicken broth
  • 8 cup chicken broth
dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
dried dill
  • 1 tsp dried dill
bay leaves
  • 2 bay leaves Remove after slow cooking.
garlic powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
onion powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
egg noodles
  • 8 oz egg noodles Add last 30 minutes.
salt and pepper
  • 1 salt and pepper Season generously at the end.
fresh dill or parsley for garnish
  • 1 fresh dill or parsley for garnish Use for topping right before serving.

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Load the slow cooker
  1. Add the bone-in chicken thighs to the slow cooker, then layer in the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Pour in the chicken broth so the ingredients are mostly submerged, and sprinkle in dried thyme, dried dill, bay leaves, garlic powder, and onion powder.
  2. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours or on High for 3-4 hours. The chicken is ready when it is very tender and the broth smells fragrant (look for gentle bubbling around the edges).
Shred and add noodles
  1. Remove the chicken thighs to a plate and discard the skin and bones. Shred the meat into bite-size pieces and return it to the slow cooker.
  2. Remove the bay leaves from the broth. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker so the soup base is well mixed.
  3. Add the egg noodles and cook on High for 20-30 minutes until tender. Stir once or twice so the noodles cook evenly and you can see them soften (they should be tender but not mushy).
Season and serve
  1. Season the soup generously with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust so the broth is well balanced.
  2. Garnish with fresh dill or parsley right before serving. Add it on top so the herbs look bright against the golden broth.

Notes

For best noodle texture, add the egg noodles during the final High-cook window and avoid letting them sit too long after cooking. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; freezer: yes, but freeze soup base (without noodles) for up to 3 months and add fresh noodles when reheating. Dietary swap: use gluten-free egg noodles to keep the same method.