This Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup is so easy to make and BIG on flavor! A hearty crockpot meal that is sure to please!
Table of Contents
I love soup.
And you love soup (well, most of you love soup).
There is just something about this Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup that hits the spot more than anything else on a cool Fall day (or a cool Winter day, or a cool Spring day).
The chicken and vegetables simmer all day which gives the broth even more incredible flavor, and just before it’s done we through in some egg noodles, cream and a touch of corn starch for a comforting, indulgent soup that is also pretty healthy.
Get your crusty bread/dinner rolls/breadsticks ready for dunking, because Fall is well on its way and with it Soup Season!
No slow cooker? Try my Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe or this Chicken Noodle Soup!
If you’re as excited as I am, check out these 30 Crockpot Soups for more dinner inspiration!
Why we love this Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup:
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup is awesome.
- Winter is cold (at least here in Manitoba), soup is warm.
- It ticks all of my Best Ever Soup Recipes boxes: it’s thick, it’s chunky, it’s creamy, and it’s got just the right balance of veggies and carbs
- It makes the house smell amazing while it cooks!
- Crockpot soups mean that at 5:00 you don’t have to wonder what’s for dinner 😉
How to thicken soup:
There are a few different ways to thicken soup, and I’m going to go through 3 different options and tell you why I prefer doing it the way I do 🙂
Milk or cream + flour to thicken soup:
You can whisk together a mixture of milk or cream and flour to thicken soup, and stir it in when you stir in the noodles.
This is a great option if you need easy and don’t have corn starch on hand.
The downsides? It takes some time for the flour taste to cook out and the soup to thicken, so if you go this route you may even want to add it to the soup an hour before it’s done.
Using a roux to thicken soup:
You can also cook up a roux on the stove or in the microwave.
Using a roux to thicken soup is great if you want a really (really!) thick soup, and you don’t mind a little extra effort.
To make a roux, you melt some butter in a pan and add an almost equal amount of flour. Cook that for a couple minutes, then whisk in some milk gradually, until you have a nice thick creamy paste or sauce (depending on how thick you want it, you add more or less milk).
You can also make a roux in the microwave, but it is a little more finicky because you have to keep an eye on it the entire time as it bubbles up quickly and needs lots of stirring.
Milk or cream + corn starch to thicken soup:
Although my original recipe called for milk and flour to thicken this soup, after additional testing I changed my mind.
I now prefer using cream (not milk!) and corn starch to thicken for a couple reasons.
I know cream sounds indulgent, but using cream (and about half as much cream as I used milk!), will give you a creamier, richer soup with less corn starch or flour.
The problem with relying on too much corn starch or flour is that it can affect the flavor if you add too much, and both need some time to cook out in the soup.
This way, we get amazing flavor, and just the right amount of creaminess with less starchy flavor.
Note that you absolutely can still use milk and flour or milk and corn starch if you prefer not to use cream — your soup may be a little thinner, or you may have to use more corn starch that you would with cream, but all of the above options work fine!
More Crockpot Soups you’ll love:
- Crockpot Vegetable Beef Soup recipe
- Turkey Noodle Soup (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)
- Chicken Rice Soup – Stove Top or Slow Cooker
- Creamy Italian Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
Easy Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 lb chicken breasts raw, chopped (or boneless, skinless thighs), about 3
- 5 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup cream* I recommend 18% or higher
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 3 cups wide egg noodles or other short pasta
Instructions
- *I like to prepare the carrots through parsley the night before and place them in a large freezer bag in the fridge. Then all I have to do the next morning is dump them in and add the broth.
- Add broth, chicken, carrots, onion, celery, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper to the slow cooker. Cook 7-8 hours on low or 3 hours on high, until vegetables are tender.
- Turn slow cooker to high.
- Whisk together cream and corn starch and add to the slow cooker with the egg noodles.
- Cover and let cook for 10-20 minutes, until noodles are cooked and soup has thickened slightly.
- If desired, you can whisk together more cream and corn starch to thicken further, but keep in mind the soup will continue to thicken as it sits.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Christy says
This was great! I used half and half and an extra tablespoon of corn starch and it turned out great. ❤️
Korraya says
Followed the instructions exactly and mine came out much whiter than the pictures and the cornstarch did not dissolve very easily. I’d cut back on the noodles as they had trouble cooking and absorbed more than I would’ve liked. It tasted good the first night but it does not reheat well.
You said you could use milk in place of cream but used less cream, so how much milk did you used to use?
The Recipe Rebel says
I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe, Korraya. Not sure about the coloring, could be the type of broth used? 1 1/2 cups milk.
Diane says
I made this recently and it was delicious–one of the best soups l’ve ever had! I did add some fresh lemon juice to it and that added even more flavor! Definitely a keeper!
The Recipe Rebel says
So happy to hear you enjoyed it, Diane!
Moira says
My husband enjoyed the soup.
I would make the soup again, however, I would reduce the amount of noodles to two cups as they absorbed all the liquid and I had to add extra liquid.
The Recipe Rebel says
Thanks Moira!
Amber says
Can I put the chicken in the crock pot frozen??
The Recipe Rebel says
I wouldn’t recommend it Amber.
Megan says
When talking about “cream” is that referring to heavy whipping cream?
The Recipe Rebel says
Yes! Enjoy!
Brie says
Turned out fantastic. I didnt have corn starch so i used a tablespoon of flour and it was still delicious!!
The Recipe Rebel says
Great to hear, thank you Brie!
Sarah G says
Could I use long noodles? Such as a spaghetti noodle.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Sarah! You probably could but you would need to watch them after they go in. I think they will cook quicker than the egg noodles. Enjoy!
Kam says
Hav e you ever added potatoes to this? If so, how much? And is the cook time the same?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Kam! I haven’t tried this recipe with potatoes. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
Ginger says
This recipe was super easy. Put the veggies in the Vitamix to chop small enough. Chopped the chicken into chunks. Used heavy cream because that’s what I had. It was amazing!
JJ says
This is cooking right now, making the house smell delicious! But I made a double and now I’m thinking I could/should freeze some. Have you done that? Any tips for freezing or thawing?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi JJ! I haven’t tried to freeze this due to the noodles in the soup. Not sure they would come out of the freezing/reheating process well. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Lynn says
I have also used mashed potato flakes as a thickener for soups and sauces. Kind of the lazy mans way 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
That’s a great idea!
Linda says
I have cooked shredded chicken leftover from another recipe. Wondering if using and adding after initial cook and before thickened if I will get the same results. Thanks
Ashley Fehr says
Yes, absolutely!
Alicia says
When you say cream are you talking about heavy whipping cream?
Ashley Fehr says
You really can use any! Heavy cream will give a thicker consistency and richer flavor
Tania says
How much milk and corn starch should I use ? What are the measurements for each.
Ashley Fehr says
All of the measurements are in the recipe card
Dia says
Can you specify on what type of cream to use?
Ashley Fehr says
18% fat or higher
Leanne says
Can you use barley?
Ashley Fehr says
You could, but you’d likely want to add it at the beginning of the cook time
Taylor says
Is this good reheated? And how would you recommend reheating for leftovers?
Ashley Fehr says
I like it reheated, but the noodles will swell in the liquid. You can always leave the noodles out and add them just when serving if you prefer
Sammi says
This looks SO yummy! I cant wait to try it! I do have a couple of questions. About how much soup is one serving? Also, could I use homemade chicken stock in place of the low sodium chicken broth? My husband has higher blood pressure and I’m trying to cut down on sodium!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Sammi! You can absolutely use homemade chicken stock. With regards to serving size, I don’t know the volume or weight, but it would be easy to figure out once it is made. You will just measure the total amount and divide by 8
Miriam says
Can I do it without a slow cooker? As I don’t have one
Ashley Fehr says
You can make it on the stove top as well
Mandy says
This recipe is delicious! Our family eats this all the time! The cream def makes a huge difference. 😋 We love cajun and creole spices so we always use Tony’s Creole Seasoning. Also use Jovial Egg Tagliatelle and arrowroot starch to keep it gluten free and the whole family eats it up! Thank you for this great addition to our meal rotation!
The Recipe Rebel says
Great to hear, thank you Mandy!
Max Santiago says
Make this in a crock pot for my roommates and it was an instant smash, the cream and corn starch made it goopy like a chicken noodle stew and it was absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe can’t wait to try out more
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Max! I’m glad you liked it!
Kathy says
I made this the other night. Husband wasn’t happy about how much thyme, and I even reduced the amount. Next time I think I’ll omit it completely. Otherwise it was easy and delicious to the rest of us.
I made it in the crockpot
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for sharing Kathy!