Slow-Cooked Chicken Soup for the Win!
For days when you want to come home to a steaming bowl of delicious soup but know that making dinner on time will be very unlikely, this Italian Chicken Soup recipe made using a slow cooker is the key. Just throw the ingredients in the pot before you go about your day, and you will be rewarded with belly-warming chicken soup for dinner without any stove-babysitting involved. There is no need to supervise and stand around the kitchen; just let your crockpot do most of the work! And since the chicken and veggies have been simmering in the cooker full of herbed broth for hours, you are guaranteed a delicious and healthy meal for the whole family to enjoy. This is also a great dish to use up those half-forgotten veggies in your chiller. In this recipe, we used bell peppers, celery, tomatoes, and carrots. However, feel free to add or swap other vegetables like beans, leafy greens, mushrooms, corn, or potatoes.
Italian Chicken Soup vs. Minestrone Soup
Minestrone is a popular Italian vegetable soup often made more substantial by adding grains or pasta. I make mine using elbow noodles and various garden veggies in the slow cooker, and it is scrumptious! But on days when I want more protein from my meal, I make this flavorful Italian soup. It is quite similar to Minestrone but has chicken meat and uses egg noodles instead. These Italian-style soups are both fantastic. It would really depend on what you are craving for or your dietary requirements. If you are vegetarian, my Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup is the one for you!
What You’ll Need
All you need is your crockpot and a handful of ingredients to make this. Nothing fancy, just your everyday kitchen staples! Here’s the list of ingredients with alternatives.
How to Make Italian Chicken Soup using the Slow Cooker
Most of the work will actually be done when preparing the ingredients. This is when you peel, chop and dice the veggies and measure your ingredients. But once you have those done, it will involve dumping them in the slow cooker and setting the timer. Other than that, you are free to do whatever you want! Cook your protein and veggies. Add all the ingredients except the noodles and parmesan cheese into the crockpot. Cook on LOW setting for 9 to 10 hours. If you need less time, set it on HIGH and cook for 5 hours instead.
Shred the chicken. Once done, remove the bay leaf, scoop the chicken breast out of the pot, and place it on a cutting board. Using forks, shred the chicken into strips and put them back into the broth.
Add the noodles. Add the noodles into the pot and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the noodles are cooked. They should be tender but still, have a bite into them.
Garnish and Serve! Stir and scoop into serving bowls, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and serve while still hot!
Storing Instructions
If you have leftovers, make sure to let the soup cool down before placing them on lidded containers. Place the container in the fridge and consume it within three days.
Meal Prep / How to Freeze
If you are making this as part of your meal prep, you can freeze it for longer storage. Follow the instructions but skip adding the egg noodles. Place the soup in individual or family serving freezer bags. When you are ready to serve, defrost in the fridge overnight. If in a hurry, you can defrost using the microwave. Heat the soup on the stovetop. In a separate pot, cook pasta (al dente) according to package instructions. Add the pasta to the heated soup, garnish and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This soup is an all-in-one meal- with plenty of proteins, carbs, and veggies to make your tummy happy and your soul sing! They are perfect for lunch or dinner, especially served with the following:
Serve with a few slices of Ciabatta Bread or crockpot Bread on the side to clean the bowl with! Go classic with some homemade, Flaky Biscuits! I love to give them a little dive into the soup bowl. When feeding a hungry crowd, sandwiches and soups are the perfect combo! Serve your Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Soup with a Brocolli Grilled Cheese Sandwich or Italian sandwich sliders for a loaded yet healthy meal!
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