Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 3 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups egg noodles
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: Add chicken, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken broth, dried thyme, dried parsley, dried oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper into the slow cooker.
- Slow Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks.
- Return Chicken: Place the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker and stir it in.
- Add Noodles: Stir in the egg noodles to the soup.
- Cook Noodles: Cover and cook the soup on HIGH for an additional 20–30 minutes, or until the noodles are tender.
- Finalize Soup: Remove the bay leaf, stir in fresh lemon juice if using, and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley before serving hot.
Notes
- Add noodles at the end of cooking to prevent them from becoming mushy.
- For deeper flavor, sauté the vegetables in olive oil before adding to the slow cooker (optional).
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze the soup without noodles to maintain the best texture upon thawing.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free
