Slow Cooker Chicken Soup – a hearty, healthy soup made with a whole chicken that’s packed with flavor. Warm, comforting and perfect for family meals.
If you enjoy this recipe and want a different flavor profile, try the Greek classic Avgolemono Chicken Soup (Greek Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup).
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As cooler days arrive, this Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Soup should be on your must-make list. Slow-cooking a whole chicken with onion, celery and carrots produces a deeply flavored broth. The chicken gently poaches until it’s meltingly tender.
The shredded chicken and rich broth form the backbone of this soup. Add vegetables, orzo or noodles and fresh herbs for a wholesome, delicious meal that stores and freezes well.
Why you will love it
- Full of deep, comforting flavor
- Hearty yet healthy
- Simple to prepare and budget-friendly
- Makes enough to feed a crowd
- Comforting when you’re under the weather
- Freezer-friendly for easy meals later
Whole Chicken Soup Grocery List
Use quick-cooking vegetables so they finish with the pasta or orzo. Swap or omit items to suit your pantry.
- Large whole chicken
- Onion, celery and carrots
- Water and apple cider vinegar
- Bay leaves and whole peppercorns
- Tomatoes
- Noodles, long-grain rice or orzo
- Lemon juice
- Parsley and dill
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Soup
Full measurements and the printable recipe can be found on the recipe card. Read the steps and watch the video if you need guidance before you begin.
Make the broth
Place the whole chicken in a large slow cooker. Surround it with halved onion, celery sticks, whole carrots, parsley sprigs and bay leaves. Add apple cider vinegar and enough water to just cover the chicken.
Cover and cook for 6 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on LOW. When done, use a large colander to strain the contents into a bowl, reserving the liquid (the broth).
Transfer the chicken to a platter and shred the meat with two forks. Discard the skin and most of the cooked vegetables, keeping the carrots if you like their texture in the finished soup.
Make the soup
Into the slow cooker add diced shallots, diced celery, the reserved cooked carrots, the strained broth and bay leaves. Stir in lemon juice, the shredded chicken and orzo (or your choice of pasta). Season with salt, ground black pepper and thyme.
Cover and cook for about 45 minutes, or until the orzo is tender. Stir in half of the chopped herbs, reserving the rest for garnish. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Serve bowls of soup with crusty bread, a sprinkle of chopped herbs and a little grated Parmesan if desired.
Storing and Freezing
Store the soup in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Note that orzo and small pasta will continue to absorb liquid; add a splash of water or extra broth when reheating.
To freeze, omit the orzo or pasta and freeze the soup base. Add fresh pasta or rice when reheating for best texture.
Recipe Tips
- Reserve some shredded chicken for other meals: use it in a chicken pasta bake, salads, sandwiches or a different soup variety.
- To remove fat from the broth, cool the strained broth and refrigerate until the fat solidifies on top; then skim it off with a spoon.
Have you made this crockpot chicken soup? Please leave a rating and, if you like, share a photo on social media with the tag #supergoldenbakes.
Slow Cooker Chicken Soup
Equipment
- Large slow cooker
Ingredients
For the broth
- 1 large whole chicken (approx. 4 lb / 1.7 kg)
- 1 onion, halved
- 4 celery sticks
- 4 carrots
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- ¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 2 sprigs parsley (with stalks)
- Water, as needed to cover
For the soup
- 4 large shallots, finely diced
- 2 celery sticks, finely diced
- 4 carrots (use the ones from the broth), finely diced
- Reserved broth (plus extra water if needed)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, or to taste
- 3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 1 cup (200 g) orzo
- 1 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ½ tbsp fresh dill (optional)
To serve
- Grated Parmesan
- Bread
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
Make the broth
- Place the chicken in the slow cooker and arrange the onion, celery, carrots, parsley and bay leaves around it. Add apple cider vinegar and enough water to cover the chicken.
- Cover and cook for 6 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on LOW. Strain the contents through a large colander into a bowl and reserve the broth.
- Transfer the chicken to a platter and shred with two forks. Discard the skin and all vegetables except the carrots if desired.
Make the chicken soup
- Add diced shallots, diced celery, the cooked carrots, reserved broth and bay leaves to the slow cooker. Stir in lemon juice, shredded chicken and orzo. Season with salt, pepper and thyme.
- Cover and cook for about 45 minutes, until the orzo is tender. Stir in half the chopped herbs, reserving some for garnish. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve with crusty bread, extra herbs and grated Parmesan.
Notes
To remove fat from the broth, cool it and refrigerate until the fat solidifies on the surface, then skim it off with a spoon.
Nutrition
Calories: 422 kcal | Carbohydrates: 31 g | Protein: 29 g | Fat: 20 g
Nutritional information is approximate and will vary by ingredients and serving sizes.