The assembly of comfort food, particularly in the realm of classic “soup for the soul,” is something I truly enjoy. My most recent assembly features 13 stealth recipes that take chicken soup and make it an age-old standard with a twist.
From Classic Chicken Noodle Soup to Thai Coconut Chicken. Soup to Buffalo Chicken Soup, these recipes will all lend themselves to an experience that is anything but ordinary in the realm of slow-cooked poultry.
The 13 Best chicken soup crockpot recipes
1. Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
Comforting, classic chicken noodle soup stars chicken breasts—boneless and skinless—and provides a hearty chicken broth. Its accompaniment is a melange of diced carrots, celery, and onion.
Egg noodles finish the dish. The broth is savory with garlic.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces egg noodles
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Put the chicken breasts, chicken broth, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in the crockpot. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Cook and cover on low for 6-7 hours or until the chicken is entirely cooked and the vegetables are soft.
3. Take out the chicken breasts and shred them with two forks. Put the shredded chicken back in the crockpot.
4. Incorporate the egg noodles and cook on high for 20-25 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Season to taste before serving.
2. Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Comforting Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup stars boneless, skinless chicken breasts, wild rice, and a diced mélange of carrots, celery, and onions. It gets its unctuous texture from a base of chicken broth and heavy cream.
Ingredients
Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
Wild rice
Carrots (diced)
Celery (diced)
Onion (chopped)
Chicken broth
Heavy cream
Instructions
1. Combine the bird, the wild rice, the carrots, the celery, the onion, and the chicken broth in a slow cooker.
2. Either cover and cook for 6-7 hours on low, or cook until the chicken is done and the vegetables are tender.
3. Take out the chicken, shred it, and put it back in the pot.
4. Mix in the heavy cream and let it return to a gentle simmer for another 15-20 minutes before serving.
3. Chicken Tortilla Soup
Tortilla Soup is a satisfying dish that showcases tender chicken breasts, diced tomatoes with green chilies, savory chicken broth, black beans, fresh corn, and ground cumin. It’s the perfect gluten-free entrée for a flavorful and comforting meal.
Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can (1
4.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies
4 cups chicken broth
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Put the chicken breasts, diced tomatoes with green chilies, chicken broth, black beans, corn, and cumin in a slow cooker.
2. Please season with salt and pepper to taste, then cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked.
3. Take the chicken out of the slow cooker. Use two forks to shred the chicken. Return the chicken to the soup.
4. Serve soup piping hot, garnished with any of the following, as desired: tortilla strips; cubed avocado; chopped fresh cilantro; lime wedges.
4. Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
is a reassuring meal that you can prepare at home in way less time than it would take to bake a batch of cookies. Picture this: boneless and skinless chicken breasts get chopped and sautéed in a large pot along with some aromatics like onions and garlic.
Then, the pasta and the squeeze of fresh lemon juice come into play.
Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup orzo pasta
2 lemons, juiced (about 1/3 cup)
2 carrots, sliced
1 onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Put the chicken breasts, chicken broth, sliced carrots, and diced onion into the crockpot. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Place the cover on the slow cooker and set the heat to low for 6-8 hours, or to high for 3-4 hours. When the cooking timer goes off, the chicken should be done, with the juices running clear, and the veggies should be tender.
3. Take the chicken out of the crockpot, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot.
4. In the soup, add the orzo pasta along with lemon juice. Combine thoroughly, then cover and let cook on high for another 20-30 minutes, or until the orzo has reached that cooked, tender state. Before serving, make any necessary adjustments to the seasoning.
5. Chicken and Vegetable Soup
Chicken and Vegetable Soup is a comforting dish featuring cubed chicken breasts, chicken broth, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and thyme. This soup is not only delicious but also good for you.
It’s a perfect way to warm up on brisk winter days, and it comes together in less than half an hour, making it an uncomplicated weeknight meal reminiscent of summer harvests.
Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
1. Place cubed chicken, broth, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic into the crockpot.
2. Combine all ingredients properly by adding dried thyme and stirring well.
3. Cook covered on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. The chicken should be cooked through, and the vegetables should be tender.
4. Serve hot, and savor the deliciously warm and comforting bowl of chicken and vegetable soup.
6. Buffalo Chicken Soup
Hearty and warming, Buffalo Chicken Soup pairs perfectly shredded chicken with chicken broth, buffalo wing sauce, and cream cheese. It’s creamy, spicy, and packed with the comforting flavors of cheddar cheese and celery.
Ingredients
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup buffalo wing sauce
1 cup cream cheese, softened
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped celery
Instructions
1. In a crockpot, combine the shredded chicken, chicken broth, buffalo wing sauce, and chopped celery. Stir to mix.
2. Simmer for 4-6 hours on low until the celery is tender.
3. Mix in the cream cheese and heavy cream, and carry on cooking until the cream cheese is entirely melted and assimilated.
4. Mix in the shredded cheddar cheese and let it melt before serving. Serve hot.
7. Chicken and Kale Soup
Kale and Chicken Soup is a wholesome dish that centers on tender chicken, vibrant kale, and stout carrots. Garlic and onion add savory depth to this nourishing soup.
I use homemade chicken broth, which really elevates this soup, though you can use store-bought if you don’t have any on hand.
Ingredients
Chicken breasts or thighs, boneless and skinless (about 1 pound)
Kale, chopped (about 4 cups)
Chicken broth (4 cups)
Onion, diced (1 medium)
Garlic, minced (2 cloves)
Carrots, sliced (2 medium)
Salt and pepper to taste#
Instructions
1. In the slow cooker, combine chicken, onion, garlic, and carrots. Pour broth over all, then season with salt and pepper.
2. Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender. Cover during cooking.
3. About 30 minutes before serving, use two forks to shred the chicken in the slow cooker. Add chopped kale and stir. Cover and continue cooking. The chicken should be tender enough to shred and the kale should be wilted and tender by the time you are ready to serve. If either of those things is not true when it is time for you to serve, keep the lid on and continue cooking.
8. Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
Thai Coconut Chicken Soup is a cozy dish. It is made with boneless chicken thighs, rich coconut milk, and flavorful red curry paste.
There is also the savory taste of mushrooms, fish sauce, and a hint of lime.
Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 can (1
3.5 oz) coconut milk
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 cups sliced mushrooms
Instructions
1. In a slow cooker, mix together the chicken thighs, coconut milk, chicken broth, red curry paste, and fish sauce.
2. The crockpot should be set to low and cooked for 4-5 hours, or until the chicken is tender.
3. Add the sliced mushrooms and lime juice to the crockpot about 30 minutes before serving.
4. Using two forks, shred the chicken and then stir the soup well before serving it hot.
9. Italian Chicken Gnocchi Soup
A comforting dish, the Italian Chicken Gnocchi Soup consists of tender shredded chicken, potato gnocchi, and a rich broth with carrots, celery, and spinach that sings “chicken soup with a twist!” at you. Pour in the heavy cream, and you’ve got a soup that truly lives up to its name.
Ingredients
Chicken breasts (about 1 pound), cooked and shredded
Potato gnocchi (1 pound package)
Chicken broth (4 cups)
Heavy cream (2 cups)
Spinach leaves (2 cups, fresh)
Carrots (2 medium, sliced)
Celery stalks (2, diced)
Instructions
1. In a slow cooker, mix chicken broth, chopped carrots, and diced celery. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the vegetables are tender.
2. Shredded chicken, potato gnocchi, heavy cream, and spinach join my crockpot. They stir it up good. For the next half hour, we leave my crockpot undisturbed in its current low state. When we check back, it shouldn’t be a surprise to find my dinner waiting for me. The meal was prepared with patience.
3. Before serving, taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
10. White Chicken Chili
Hearty and comforting, White Chicken Chili is made with boneless chicken breasts, white beans, chicken broth, and diced green chilies. This dish, while serving up familiar “chili” vibes, strays from the traditional recipe that most of us know and love.
It’s seasoned with cumin and garlic powder for a flavorful twist.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 (15-ounce) cans of white beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 (4-ounce) can of diced green chilies
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Position the chicken breasts at the base of a slow cooker.
2. Incorporate the white beans, chicken broth, diced green chilies, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into the mixture.
3. Cook and cover on low for 6-8 hours or until you have chicken that is fully cooked and tender.
4. Take out the chicken breasts, shred them with two forks, and put them back in the crockpot. Stir well and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes before serving.
11. Chicken and Quinoa Soup
Quinoa and Chicken Soup is a nourishing and hardy dish made with chicken breast, quinoa, and a medley of vibrant vegetables such as celery, carrots, and onion—all steeped in a robust chicken broth.
Ingredients
Chicken breast, diced
Quinoa, rinsed
Chicken broth
Carrots, chopped
Celery, chopped
Onion, diced
Garlic, minced
Instructions
1. Put the chicken breast (diced), the quinoa, the chicken broth, the carrots (chopped), the celery (chopped), the onion (diced), and the garlic (minced) into a slow cooker.
2. Ensure even distribution of the ingredients by stirring them together.
3. Put the lid on the crockpot and set it to low for 6 to 8 hours, or to high for 3 to 4 hours, and let it do its thing until the chicken is done and the veggies are nice and soft.
4. Before serving, taste and adjust salt and pepper as necessary for seasoning.
12. Spicy Chicken and Corn Chowder
Chicken and corn chowder is a robust dish with succulent chicken breast, sweet corn, and diced tomatoes with green chilies, all simmered together in a warming, flavorful mixture of chili powder and cumin.
Ingredients:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups frozen corn kernels
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Instructions
1. Put the chicken breasts, corn, diced tomatoes with green chilies, onion, chicken broth, chili powder, and cumin into the slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the chicken is cooked all the way through and tender.
3. Take out the chicken, tear it into pieces using two forks, and put it back into the slow cooker. Mix well and serve.
13. Ginger Garlic Chicken Soup
Comforting and flavorful, Ginger Garlic Chicken Soup starts with boneless chicken thighs, chicken broth, freshly minced ginger and garlic, soy sauce, and fish sauce. The fish sauce adds a wonderful salty element that makes the other flavors pop, but if you don’t have any on hand (or don’t like it), feel free to substitute with extra soy sauce or salt to taste.
The recipe also calls for shiitake mushrooms, which give a nice umami flavor, but you can use any kind of mushroom you like.
Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 cup sliced mushrooms
Instructions
1. Put the chicken parts, chicken stock, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and fish sauce into a slow cooker.
2. The sliced mushrooms go into the crockpot and get incorporated with the rest of the ingredients.
3. Place the cover on the cooker and set it to low. Cook for 6 to 7 hours or set it to high and cook for 3 to 4 hours. You want to cook long enough that the chicken is tender.
4. Serve hot. Fresh herbs, like cilantro or green onions, make a zesty garnish, but the soup is equally satisfying if served plain.
