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This Classic Slow Cooker Chicken Soup Recipe is the ultimate comfort food that warms you up from the inside out. Packed with chicken and veggies in a savory broth it’s hearty, satisfying, and so easy to make!
You can easily turn this into an Instant Pot chicken soup recipe, too! Either way, it’s a family-friendly meal that’s gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, Whole30, and great for meal prep.
The Best Classic Slow Cooker Chicken Soup Recipe
Growing up in a Jewish home, chicken soup was (and still is) a staple for the holidays and anytime someone started to come down with something. As a result, I’ve eaten a lot of chicken soup in my day, and can confidently say I’ve nailed the technique for the absolute best recipe.
Not only is this slow cooker chicken soup hands down my favorite version, but it’s literally the easiest recipe to throw together. All you have to do is combine the ingredients, and the slow cooker does all the work. No hovering over the stovetop required!
This soup has all the comforting flavors you know and love and is packed with tons of veggies and tender chicken to keep you full. Plus, it tastes even better the next day and works fabulously as a freezer meal for an easy meal prep option. Try it out, and you’ll never need another chicken soup recipe again!
Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
*Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient list!
- Vegetables: Garlic, carrots, onions, and celery add lots of savory flavor, texture, and nutrients to the soup.
- Chicken: I use a 3-pound whole chicken cut into 8 pieces. See notes in the post, but you can use any chicken you like- even frozen!
- Water: As the chicken and veggies cook, they will turn the water into stock. So, I don’t recommend substituting broth or stock.
- Herbs and Spices: Chopped fresh dill, parsley, fine sea salt, black pepper, and a bay leaf create a savory, herbaceous taste.
- Turmeric and Lemon: For flavor and nutrients!
Where I Buy My Chicken
- 100% Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished Beef
- Free-Range Organic Chicken
- Humanely Raised Pork
- Wild-Caught Seafood
Delivered to your door! The latest ButcherBox deal can be found right here!
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Soup
- Combine: Add the veggies to the insert of your slow cooker.
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, and season it generously with salt. Then, transfer it to the slow cooker, and add the water, dill, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.
- Cook: Cover the slow cooker, and cook on low for 8 hours.
- Shred: Once the chicken is fully cooked, discard the bay leaf, and shred the chicken. Discard the skin and bones, or save the bones to make chicken broth!
- Serve: Stir the chicken back into the soup, season to taste, and enjoy!
Instant Pot Option
Don’t have a slow cooker? Want to speed up the process? No worries! You can make Instant Pot chicken soup just as easily.
- Combine: Place the veggies in the bottom of your Instant Pot, and add the chicken herbs, and spices along with 6 cups of water.
- Cook: Cover, and set your Instant Pot to “Soup.” Cook for 30 minutes or until the chicken cooks through, and slow release or quick release the pressure.
- Shred the chicken: Shred the chicken on a cutting board, discarding the bay leaf, skin, and bones.
- Serve: Season to taste, and garnish with fresh herbs like fresh parsley, fresh thyme, or fresh rosemary. Enjoy!
Kitchen Tools I Use
How to Store
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
- Freeze your crockpot chicken soup recipe for up to 3 months! Thaw leftovers in the fridge.
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave. Or, transfer larger batches to a slow cooker set to “warm” or to a pot over medium heat on the stove.
FAQs
Yes, as long as the chicken cooks completely, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s safe to cook in a slow cooker.
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 a 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.
Nope! Feel free to use chicken thighs, chicken breasts, or any part of the chicken you like best. Bone-in, skin-on chicken will have the most flavor, but boneless chicken will also work. I don’t love breasts as much as I do thighs!
This recipe is plenty filling enough to serve on its own. However, I love to serve it with a side of crusty bread and noodles for adding!
More Easy Soup Recipes
Watch the Video:
Classic Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 5 carrots diced
- 2 onions diced
- 4 celery stalks diced
- 1 3- pound whole chicken cut into 8 pieces (*See Notes)
- 6 cups water
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill more for garnish
- 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
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- Fresh parsley chopped, for serving
- Additional fresh dill for serving
Instructions
Slow Cooker:
- Add garlic, carrots, onion, and celery to the insert of your slow cooker.3 garlic cloves, 5 carrots, 2 onions, 4 celery stalks
- Pat the chicken dry and season generously with sea salt. Place it on top of the vegetables.1 3- pound whole chicken
- Pour in water and add dill, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.6 cups water, 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 bay leaf
- Once done, discard the bay leaf. Remove the chicken, shred the meat, and discard the skin and bones. Return the shredded chicken to the soup.
- Stir in turmeric and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and dill.Fresh parsley
Instant Pot:
- Add garlic, carrots, onion, and celery to the bottom of your Instant Pot. Place chicken on top, then add dill, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and water.
- Secure the lid and set to the Soup setting for 30 minutes. Let it naturally release pressure or quick release. See note for frozen chicken
- Discard the bay leaf. Remove chicken, shred the meat, and discard skin and bones. Return shredded chicken to the soup.
- Stir in turmeric and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve hot, topped with fresh parsley and dill.
Notes
- You can use chicken thighs or any chicken you wish. I don’t love breasts, though!
- Frozen Chicken Pieces: Cook in the Instant Pot for 40 minutes.
- Chicken Breasts Only: Cook in the Instant Pot for 23 minutes.
- For Chicken Noodle Soup: Stir in cooked pasta just before serving (don’t add it to the pot or it will get mushy).
- More Veggies? You can’t go wrong with extra carrots or celery—add more if you like!
Storage Tips
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 4–5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Microwave individual servings, or reheat larger portions on the stovetop or in a slow cooker set to “warm.”
Instant Pot instructions please.
Should be back! Sorry!
Just wondering if you take the skin off
or cool and strain the fat prior to eating? I feel like it might be fatty….
How much is considered a serving size?
Can you add matzo balls to this soup? If so, do you need to add more liquid?
I only had dry dill and think I added too much (should have read comments first). Hoping taste weakens over night.
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!
How many pieces of chicken breast would you recommend to substitute the whole chicken?
Could I add zucchini?
Hi there. What size onions do you use for this recipe?
You can use any!
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!
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!
Can I use chicken breast and if so how many pieces??
This sound incredible. If i don’t have 8 hours, can I cook on high for 4 hours?
Yes that should work okay!
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.
I have this cooking and it smells divine! Love the addition of dill!
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 don’t have an insert for my slow cooker… any recommendations?
It’s just the part you put food into!!
Great!!! Thank you so much for responding. Planning on making for tomorrow night. Thanks again!!!
Of course! Enjoy!
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!
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!