So far I’ve been pretty lucky this Winter, as I have yet to come down with a cold. Yet everyone around me seems to have some sort of illness. Either my immune system is really kicking ass this year, or it’s simply the fact that I work from home and therefore have lower exposure to germs.
I vote both.
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Of course, I understand how terrible a raging cold can be. When I was young and frequently sick, my Mom made me the best soups filled with spices, herbs, fresh vegetables and noodles. They were easy, inexpensive and a great way to get nutrients in when you weren’t feeling the best.
Did you know that soup can actually speed up the healing process of a cold? The warm liquid helps to move the mucus from the nose! The more you know.
Today I thought I would share my favorite recipe for chicken noodle soup, one of my favorite easy and comforting meals when feeling under the weather. I’m partnering with my friends over at Peapod, an online grocery and delivery service, for this recipe. When busy (or sick!), I love ordering groceries from them. They have an amazing mobile app that makes ordering your groceries both easy and convenient!
The best part is that you can get A LOT for a little. You don’t have to spend an insane amount of money to get your groceries delivered. Currently Peapod isn’t available everywhere, but if you live in the Chicagoland area, I highly recommend checking it out.
For all you busy ladies and gentlemen, I made this healthy chicken noodle soup even easier by making it in the slow cooker! Just throw all the ingredients, then let it cook all day long. To keep the noodles al dente, you’ll toss them in about 10 minutes before serving.
Nutritionally speaking, it’s made a little healthier than the original version because you can use whole wheat noodles or a multi-grain noodle with extra fiber. You can even make this recipe gluten free by using high quality gluten free noodles.
I hope you enjoy this comforting and healthy chicken noodle soup. If you want a vegetarian version, feel free to use chickpeas or white beans instead of chicken.
Make this recipe? Upload a picture to Instagram and tag #ambitiouskitchen! I love to see what you’re making! xo.
More healthy slow cooker recipes to try:
Slow Cooker Black Bean Quinoa Pumpkin Chicken Chili
Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Meal Prep Idea: Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken with Sticky Coconut Purple Rice
Amazing Slow Cooker Turkey Tacos + video
12 Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes to Make This Fall
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Comforting & Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup (with a hint of lemon & rosemary)
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups sliced carrots (from about 4 large carrots)
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fresh diced rosemary
- 1 teaspoon fresh diced thyme
- 6 oz whole wheat fusilli (see notes below)
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Place the chicken, chicken broth, sliced carrots, celery, onions, fresh lemon juice, garlic, black pepper, salt, poultry seasoning, rosemary and thyme in a large slow cooker and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high, or until chicken is fully cooked.
- Remove chicken with slotted spoon and transfer to a baking sheet or large plate; shred chicken with two forks once it is cool enough to handle. Return shredded chicken to slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Stir in the pasta, cover, and cook on high for 10-20 minutes longer or until noodles are al dente. Do not overcook or the noodle will get mushy!
- Taste and season soup with additional salt and pepper and extra herbs if desired. Serve with a side salad and soup crackers. Makes 6 servings.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
This recipe is in partnership with Peapod and their site FromThePod.com. I’m in a long term partnership with their brand and love bringing you some of my favorite healthy recipes!
I used to love chicken noodle soup as a kid, except I’d have it with rice instead!
This looks great! A perfect winter soup to warm me up in North Dakota.
Chicken noodle soup is such a comfort food for me! I love how its easily made in a slow cooker and you added the twist of lemon and rosemary.
This is definitely one of the best Chicken Noodle Soup recipes I’ve seen all winter! Would obviously like to keep my streak of not getting sick as well but this needs to be in my life, regardless!
Looks divine girl, and so super cozy!
I think getting groceries delivered is the best idea in town, I’d rather spend my time cooking up a comforting soup like this one!
We’ve had colds and we’re fighting hard to get rid of them. Looks like I need to make a big pot of this soup to help with that! Love the noodles that you used!
Oh, this looks perfect for the cold, rainy day that we are having here. Pure comfort food.
I really love that you added thume and lemon to your chicken noodle soup AND that it’s made in a slow cooker!
After a hard week, I was seeking some real comfort food – this will do just the trick!
If this were made over the stove vs. slow cooker, what would be the main difference in how it’s cooked?
I would saute carrots, celery & onion, then add broth and herbs/spices. Then add chicken; you could cut the chicken into pieces ahead of time, or just boil the entire thigh and shred once cooked. After that you’d add the chicken back in along with the noodles until they are al dente. Hope this helps.
My son has a cold and he just loves soup! Was trying to make him something nice and this will do just the trick – delicious!
Can I use Brown rice instead ? and when would I add this? Thanks 🙂
Yes, you can use uncooked brown rice and add it in the beginning with all the other ingredients.
Could I use boneless breasts or bone-in breasts? Not a fan of chicken thighs. If so, how would that change the cooking time? Thx!
Hi Monique, I followed your directionsite to a TV. Just letting you know that it may be better to cook the pasta separately, then add it after you shred the chicken. Putting them in the slow cooker, the noodles are mush the next day.
Gotta love autocorrect…. here it is corrected…Hi Monique, I followed your directions to a T. Just letting you know that it may be better to cook the pasta separately, then add it after you shred the chicken. Putting them in the slow cooker, the noodles are mush the next day.
Per the instructions, you do put the noodles in after you shred the chicken. You add the noodles right before you are ready to serve.
Just made this soup today. It looked beautiful in the slow cooker for about 5 hours and then the broth completely separated. What do you think went wrong? I’m a disaster in the kitchen but I think I followed the recipe perfectly. ?
I’m not sure what could have gone wrong, but that seems incredibly odd!
I made this tonight and it was amaz!!! Rather than the noodles, I added my mom’s homemade dumplings – such a treat!!!
Mom’s Dumplings:
Bring to boil ½ cup butter and 1 cup water. Then add 1 cup flour and stir over low heat till flour is well mixed in. Cool. Add 4 beaten eggs and mix well.
Drop by teaspoon into hot soup. Cook over medium heat uncovered for about ½ hour.
Making the soup now…smells amazing AND Michelle’s moms homemade dumplings. I’m stumped on leaving them uncovered while cooking. THey seem super goey still. 😬
This was WONDERFUL. Thank you for sharing. Definitely will be remaking this in the future.
So glad you enjoyed this one! It’s one of my favorites in the winter.
Have you ever froze this before? Did it work out okay?
I have not but I’m sure it would be fine!
Hi Monique, can I add Tumeric to the soup? to give it some colour.
So delicious and fresh!! I had a house full of sick family, and this soup was nourishing and healing for all!
I’m so glad you found this one! Hope everyone is on the mend!
Hi Monique! I recently started following your blog and am already a major fan! I made this soup today while working from home, and it was an absolutely scrumptious way to end my work day! I’ve made various soups in my crockpot before, but this was my first go at chicken noodle. Long story short, this recipe is FANTASTIC! Thank you for sharing such a delicious, simple method to achieve pure comfort and happiness!
I followed your recipe exactly as written except I substituted fusilli noodles for whole grain rotini because I had it in my pantry. Now, I’ve had my fair share of bland chicken noodle soups, but this was not one of them! In fact, I’d call it a truly perfect embodiment of the ideal chicken noodle soup. I can’t wait to try out more of your recipes! Thanks again! 🙂
Hi Paige! I’m so happy you loved this one 🙂 Hope you keep finding recipes here that you love!
If I don’t have fresh herbs, can I sub dried and if so how much?
Sure! I think the same amounts should be good to start — 1 tbsp. rosemary + 1 tsp. thyme 🙂
Is chicken seasoning the same as chicken buillon. What if I don’t have a slow cooker.
It’s not quite the same! This is what I’m talking about 🙂
If you don’t have a slow cooker, I’d recommend this similar + super popular recipe!
It feels like spring in Germany which means the allergies are in full force. This soup was exactly what I needed tonight after a long day of work and it was so delicious. I can’t believe it was posted in 2016 and this is the first time I’m trying it but it won’t be the last! Thank you, Monique, for another incredible meal. So nourishing and healthy!
Absolutely! I am so glad you are loving this soup ❤️
This was the first recipe on this site that wasn’t a home run. I would suggest cooking on low because after 4 hours on high my chicken was cooked but vegetables were crunchy. We also found the lemon to be overpowering and unpleasant, so I might reduce the lemon juice as well.
So sorry to hear this recipe didn’t turn out the way you had hoped. You might want to cut the veggies a bit smaller next time to help everything cook more evenly.
This looks delish! I am going to try this as a meal plan prep. Does this really call for 3 stalks of celery or should it be 3 ribs?
Hi! It should be 4 ribs 🙂