Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

A hot bowl of soup may seem like a winter food to many, but I’m the kind of girl who doesn’t think that food has to be limited to seasons. I can eat ice cream in the middle of winter with a hoodie on while I binge watch Netflix. I can drink a mug of hot cocoa barefooted on the front porch in a pair of shorts and tank top in the summer. And I can eat a cup of soup with a grilled cheese or a warm loaf of Italian bread any day. I’m a strong believer that, if you like it, a dish shouldn’t be limited to certain months on the calendar.

And if I happen to be feeling under the weather, I want chicken-broth-based soup no matter if it’s a cold winter evening or a bright summer day. Plus, there’s nothing like the smell of warm soup to make your kitchen feel cozy!

My chicken noodle soup is so easy to make that you will hardly believe it could possibly taste as good as it does.

Here’s what you need:

• 1 frozen chicken breast
• 2 cups of rigatoni noodles
• 4 cups of chicken broth
• 1 cup of chopped carrots
• ½ cup chopped celery
• a dash of Italian seasonings
• a pinch of salt & pepper

Put your crock pot on low and cook your chicken breast for four hours, keeping an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t get overdone. (Tip: if you put it in frozen, as it thaws, water will form, and you won’t need to add any water to your crock pot!)

Near the end of your four hours, go ahead and chop your carrots and celery and measure out your noodles and your broth.

Upon the four-hour timer, shred your chicken with a fork (or, if you find it easier to use dueling forks, double up and shred the chicken from the middle pulling outward). Once the chicken is shredded, add in your other ingredients – except for your noodles and spices. I like to dump in my veggies before I add in the broth, so the chopped vegetables don’t cause a splash.

Keep this mixture (still no noodles) in the crock pot on low for another 2-3 hours.

Cook your noodles on the stovetop as normal. Drain in a colander and rinse, then add the cooked noodles to your crock pot. Stir really well to ensure that your veggies and chicken get intermixed with your noodles. At this point, sprinkle and stir in salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste. Personally, I like a lot of Italian seasoning and just a small pinch of salt and pepper.

Keep this full mixture in the crock pot for another 30-45 minutes. I suggest taste-testing a carrot to make sure it’s the texture and softness you want before serving. Stir well to make sure you get a little seasoning in each dish and every bite!

I also really like to buy a loaf of baked Italian bread to serve with my soup – especially if I’m serving it to more than just myself. I slice the bread (or by it pre-sliced) and then wrap it in tinfoil and put it in the oven to warm it, then serve with butter. Another delicious option is to slice it, lay pieces out on a baking sheet, drizzle olive oil on top and sprinkle on some Italian seasonings, and warm before serving.

I hope you enjoy this homemade chicken soup recipe – no matter the season!

• WordPress
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest