Classic Chicken Soup (Slow Cooker & Instant Pot)
There is no better cure for anything than Chicken Soup. The chicken and broth warms the soup, and the vegetables brighten everything up. It’s a classic for a reason! Plus this Slow Cooker Chicken Soup is simple to make and easily freezes!
Classic Slow Cooker Chicken Soup
I am SO excited about this soup. Growing up in a Jewish home, chicken soup was a staple (and still is) for holidays and anytime someone started to come down with something. I’ve eaten A LOT of chicken soup in my day, and this is hands down my favorite. PLUS, it’s literally the easiest recipe to throw together. It has all the flavors of your classic chicken soup just like grandma used to make. Packed with tons of veggies and tender chicken, this classic comfort soup is perfect for anytime you need to warm yourself up on a chilly day.
Crockpot Chicken Soup Ingredients
- Whole Chicken
- Garlic
- Onions
- Carrots
- Celery
- Fresh Dill
- Salt and Pepper
- Bay Leaf
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Soup
What I love most about this recipe is how simple is to make. Simply:
- Add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours.
- Shred the meat off of the chicken, and stir back into the soup.
- Serve hot, or cool down before storing in the refrigerator.
Want to make it faster in the Instant Pot?
- Place veggies in the bottom of your Instant Pot.
- Top with chicken, herbs, and spices.
- Add 6 cups water.
- Push ‘Soup’ and let cook for 30 minutes. Let slow release or use quick release.
- Shred chicken, discarding skin and bones.
- Adjust salt and pepper as desired.
- NOTE 1: For frozen chicken, cook for 40 minutes.
- NOTE 2: For chicken breasts, cook for 23 minutes.
Should Noodles be Cooked before Adding to Soup?
While this recipe doesn’t specifically call for noodles, you could add them if you want. If you cook the noodles in the soup they will suck up most of the broth, so it’s best to cook noodles separately. However, it’s better to add the noodles directly to single hot bowl of soup instead of to the whole pot because the noodles will continue to suck up the liquid of the soup and become waterlogged.
If you like this soup recipe, check out these others:
If you like this slow cooker recipe, check out these others:
- Pork Carnitas (Instant Pot and Slow Cooker)
- How To Make Chicken Broth (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)
- Slow Cooker Baked Potato Bar
- Instant Pot Mongolian Beef (Paleo)
Watch the video:
Classic Chicken Soup (Slow Cooker & Instant Pot)
There is no better cure for anything than Chicken Soup. The chicken and broth warms the soup, and the vegetables brighten everything up. It’s a classic for a reason! Plus this Slow Cooker Chicken Soup is simple to make and easily freezes!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours and 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 5 carrots, diced
- 2 onions, diced
- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 1 3-pound whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- 6 cups water
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, more for salting the chicken and more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- Optional: Fresh chopped parsley, for serving
Instructions
Slow Cooker:
- Place garlic, carrots, onion, and celery into the insert of your slow cooker.
- Pat chicken dry and season generously with sea salt, then add the chicken into the slow cooker.
- Add in the water, dill, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.
- Set on low for 8 hours.
- Once done, discard the bay leaf and remove the chicken to shred. Discard the skin and bones.
- Place chicken back into the slow cooker. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
Instant Pot:
- Place veggies in the bottom of your Instant Pot.
- Top with chicken, herbs, and spices.
- Add 6 cups water.
- Push ‘Soup’ and let cook for 30 minutes. Let slow release or use quick release.
- Shred chicken, discarding baby leaf, skin, and bones.
- Adjust salt and pepper as desired.
- NOTE 1: For frozen chicken pieces, cook for 40 minutes.
- NOTE 2: For chicken breasts, cook for 23 minutes.
Notes
- For chicken noodle soup, add cooked pasta individually when serving.
- The more carrots and celery the better here! You can’t go wrong with more!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: As served
- Calories: 478
- Sugar: 4.2g
- Sodium: 566mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 4.6g
- Carbohydrates: 10.9g
- Fiber: 2.7g
- Protein: 67.2g
- Cholesterol: 202mg
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38 Responses
Chicken soup is a winter must! Chicken soup always reminds me of my dad and how he would be cooking huge batches the entire day on cold winter weekends for us! So good and so comforting!
Been looking for a good chicken soup recipe, can’t wait to try later this week. Suppose to cool down a bit in Florida. Could you use chicken breasts and if so would you leave whole or chop first? And if you wanted to add noodles when would you do this? Thank you so much for all your great recipes!
Leave them whole the chicken breasts if boneless, and I would pre-cook the noodles and add as you eat, or they’ll get soggy!
Great!!! Thank you so much for responding. Planning on making for tomorrow night. Thanks again!!!
Of course! Enjoy!
I don’t have an insert for my slow cooker… any recommendations?
It’s just the part you put food into!!
I’m making this right now and it smells divine! I’m planning to freeze some for colder days ahead! Love the addition of dill!
I have some frozen too! Perfect for Winter! Enjoy!
I have this cooking and it smells divine! Love the addition of dill!
I only have dried dill.. do you suggest using that and how much?
Thanks,
Danielle
Start with 1/2 teaspoon and taste and add more as desired.
This sound incredible. If i don’t have 8 hours, can I cook on high for 4 hours?
Yes that should work okay!
Can I use chicken breast and if so how many pieces??
After cutting the whole chicken into 8 pieces, do I discard the backbone or leave it all?
Either. I add all. I also ask my butcher to cut it for me!
Is there nutrition info anywhere for the recipe? Is the serving size 1 cup?
We’re working on adding nutritional data. In the mean time, feel free to use any free online calorie calculator like myfitnesspal! Serving size for soup is usually about 1 cup.
Thank you!
Hi there. What size onions do you use for this recipe?
You can use any!
Could I add zucchini?
How many pieces of chicken breast would you recommend to substitute the whole chicken?
First of all, your cinnamon bun muffins are a staple for my 3 yo each week! Such a great switch from his daily morning Little bites before our lifestyle change. Yuck!
I searched more of your recipes knowing how much we loved that recipe!
I made your chicken soup last night- and it’s a game changer! Soooo yummy! I was nervous about just water, but it turned out delicious! It’s my new chicken soup recipe!
So light, and yummy! And no more chicken broth boxes!
Thanks so for your amazing recipes!
I’m making your sheet pan steak fajitas tonight! 🙂
Next, I think I need to just buy your book! Ha!
★★★★★
I only had dry dill and think I added too much (should have read comments first). Hoping taste weakens over night.
Can you add matzo balls to this soup? If so, do you need to add more liquid?
How much is considered a serving size?
Just wondering if you take the skin off
or cool and strain the fat prior to eating? I feel like it might be fatty….
Instant Pot instructions please.
Should be back! Sorry!
Or stove top? Dutch Oven?
Do you see it now?
I have a 4.5 quart crockpot, would I follow the same directions for my crackpots size? Thanks!
Yes, but I’d just make sure all of it fit in the slow cooker according to the appliance instructions (ie that it fits below whatever maximum your slow cooker instructs).
Hi!
How long can this stay good in the freezer for? Preparing PP meals to freeze, due end of February.
Thanks!
Hello, how many servings in this recipe please?
Can I use a little whole chicken not cut into 8 pieces?