Slow-Cooker Chicken & Vegetable Noodle Soup

Prep Time:

15 mins

Additional Time:

3 hrs 35 mins

Total Time:

3 hrs 50 mins

Servings:

Yield:

6 servings

Nutrition Profile:

Nut-Free Healthy Immunity Soy-Free High-Protein Egg-Free Low-Calorie

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Here's How We Made This Recipe Healthier

Soups tend to be high in sodium. To reduce the sodium content in this chicken noodle soup recipe, we opt for low-sodium broth, which has 40 milligrams of sodium per cup, as compared to regular broth, which has 530 mg per cup. We also cook the chicken in the broth (instead of adding already-cooked chicken), which infuses it with more savory flavor. Italian seasoning blend and fresh basil and parsley add even more flavor. Opting for whole-grain pasta over regular bumps up the fiber too—regular has 3 grams per 2-ounce serving while whole-wheat has 7 grams.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?

You sure can! Either bone-in or boneless will work here, just remove any skin and trim the fat before adding to the slow cooker. If you use bone-in thighs, use 1¼ pounds (to account for the weight of the bones) and discard the bones when you shred the cooked meat.

Can I use leftover chicken?

What a great idea! So the chicken doesn't get mushy, skip adding it at the beginning of cooking. Instead, stir in 1 cup of shredded cooked chicken when you add the pasta.

Can I use other vegetables?

Yes, you can. Soup is actually a great way to use up leftover bits of vegetables in your refrigerator. You can add just about anything at the beginning of cooking, but if you want to use up cooked vegetables (say, some leftover roasted carrots) or some particularly soft veggies, such as peas, add those with the pasta in Step 2.

I don't have rotini pasta, can I use another shape?

Any shape will work here! What a great way to use up part of a box.

Can I make this chicken noodle soup recipe ahead of time?

Who doesn't love having leftover soup in the fridge? This one is a great candidate for making ahead of time, although, for the best results, we suggest cooking the rotini in a pot of boiling water and storing the cooked pasta separately. Pasta notoriously soaks up liquid, leaving you with mushy noodles. So at the end of Step 1, shred the chicken and stir back into the soup. Let the soup cool to room temperature, then refrigerate the soup and pasta separately for up to 3 days. Add the cooked pasta to your soup as you reheat it. Or if you don't mind mushy noodles, you could add some more broth or a bit of water to thin the soup when you reheat it, if desired (to account for the liquid absorbed by the pasta).

Can I freeze this chicken noodle soup?

Yes, definitely. Again, we suggest skipping the pasta in the recipe. If you'll eat the entire batch when you reheat it, you can bring it to a simmer on the stove and then cook the pasta in it before serving. Otherwise, follow the advice above for cooking the pasta separately.

What are some other ways I can flavor this soup?

There are so many ways to season this soup. You could trade the Italian seasoning for curry powder, and serve with cilantro and mint instead of parsley and basil. Or leave it as is and stir in a spoonful of pesto to amp up the basil flavor. Taco seasoning would be another good alternative to the Italian seasoning. If you go that route, cilantro is a good substitute for the fresh herbs, as is cotija cheese for the Parmesan.

I don't have a slow cooker, can I make this chicken noodle soup on the stovetop?

This recipe was developed for a slow cooker. If you don't have one, we suggest trying one of these other recipes that were created specifically for the stove:

5-Spice Chicken Noodle Soup

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken

Chicken Noodle Soup with Dill

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Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 (14 ounce) can no-salt-added fire-roasted diced tomatoes
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped orange bell pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
6 ounces whole-wheat rotini pasta
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Combine chicken, tomatoes, broth, onion, bell pepper, garlic, Italian seasoning, pepper, salt, crushed red pepper and bay leaf in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on High until the chicken is tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165 degrees F, about 3 hours. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Transfer the chicken to a plate; let rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir pasta into the mixture in the slow cooker; cover and cook on High until the pasta is tender, about 30 minutes.
Coarsely shred the chicken and stir it back into the soup, along with basil and parsley. Ladle the soup evenly into 6 bowls; sprinkle with Parmesan and garnish with parsley, if desired.

Equipment

4-qt. slow cooker

Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, November 2019

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

256	Calories
5g	Fat
29g	Carbs
24g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Serving Size about 2 cups
Calories 256
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 29g	11%
Dietary Fiber 4g	14%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 24g	47%
Total Fat 5g	6%
Saturated Fat 2g	8%
Cholesterol 48mg	16%
Vitamin A 1038IU	21%
Vitamin C 38mg	42%
Folate 27mcg	7%
Sodium 663mg	29%
Calcium 93mg	7%
Iron 2mg	11%
Magnesium 27mg	6%
Potassium 516mg	11%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.