This Creamy Italian Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup is even better than the original! With garlic, spinach, roasted red pepper and a touch of cream and Parmesan it is hearty and flavorful!
September is HERE, friends, and we’re back to soup season!
School starts up tomorrow (I’m not going to cry, I’m not going to cry, I’m not going to cry), and we will be getting back to routine after two months of going wherever we want, whenever we want, camping and staying up late.
I love September (hello Birthday month!), I love fall, and I love back to school.
I think it’s the teacher in me that still gets a thrill out of fresh school supplies and our lives ticking along like clockwork again. Even though I haven’t been teaching for a few years now, I always pick up a new pack of cool pens or stickies or something just because I can’t resist.
But September also means that the husband is working from about 6:45 am until 8:30 pm or later, and often the kids don’t even see him for days at a time. This means that I am mostly on my own when it comes to meal prep, and sometimes healthy and homemade just doesn’t happen.
I’m learning to stop beating myself up when dinner ends up being cheese and crackers, but I’m also learning that the more I can prep ahead (on the weekends when we are a two-parent family is even better!), the easier it is to get a healthy meal on the table without any added stress.
I also know that when you scroll through social media it can feel like every other mom has got it together and all of the other kids have Pinterest-worthy lunchboxes, but that’s because so often we feel like we can only put our most perfect “feet” forward. It’s time to get real with each other again, because real feels good.
Probably every time you see a soup recipe over here, I have to proclaim my undying love of soup all over again, but I just can’t help it.
Reasons I love this soup:
- It’s healthy, but it tastes indulgent. The “Italian” flavors in here (I’m not Italian, so I’m not going to claim this as authentic of any other culture) make it feel homey and rich but it’s still got lots of good stuff packed in here (I’m looking at you Catelli Bistro Fusili — which packs a solid amount of iron without any trans fats or added perservatives — and it doesn’t hurt that my girls love the fun colours!).
- It’s easy to prep ahead, which means you can make supper when you actually have time, and not in that moment at 5:00 when everybody needs a piece of mom (or dad!) and there’s not enough to go around.
- It’s familiar meets a new twist — the kids aren’t going to look at their bowl and wonder what on Earth it is, but you might introduce them to some new flavours (maybe spinach is a hard one to get into them?) by adding them to an old favorite.
- Leftovers make great lunches — sometimes after I make supper there is not a lot left in me to pack a healthy lunch (or assist in packing — my daughter usually does a lot herself!). Any time we have a dinner that doubles as lunch the next day is a total win!
Things to note when making this Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup:
- I say this every time, but all slow cookers and crockpots are different, and they cook differently. For this recipe, I recommend a 3-4 quart slow cooker (the one you see pictured here is 2.5 quart and I love it, but a larger one would be easier to stir it up in). Larger slow cookers usually take longer to heat up and may need additional cook time.
- Watch the clock once you add the pasta — the other ingredients aren’t going to be affected much by extra time in the slow cooker, but for best results you need to catch the pasta right at the point of al dente, otherwise it can quickly become overcooked.
- All chicken broths and stocks will have a slightly different flavour and salt content, so you may need to adjust the seasonings to your tastes after cooking. It’s always easier to add later, so if you’re sensitive to the amount of salt please use a sodium-reduced broth and start with a minimal amount of salt.
- I tried to find the right balance between healthy and indulgent with this recipe so I opted for light cream (coffee cream or half and half). You can certainly use heavy cream for a richer flavour. If you opt for 1% or 2% milk, you risk the milk curdling when you add it to the hot liquid.
How to prep this Italian Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup ahead:
The night before you want to cook this soup, prep all of your vegetables. You can chop the spinach and roasted red peppers in advance, and throw them into the slow cooker.
Then you can add the broth and all of the seasonings, along with the chicken. Cover it and store it in the refrigerator up to 24 hours before cooking.
When you’re ready to cook, simply place the inner pot into the slow cooker and cook as per the instructions.
Variations of Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup:
- Dairy free: to make this soup dairy-free, you can simply substitute the cream for a dairy-free milk or cream, or you can skip the cream and Parmesan altogether. It will still have great flavor!
- Gluten-free: to make this soup gluten-free, simply swap the Bistro Fusili for one of Catelli’s gluten-free pasta varieties (be aware that they may require less or more cook time)
- Vegetarian: you can certainly skip the chicken in this chicken noodle soup if you prefer, but I recommend bumping up the veggie content if you do so. Try adding mushrooms, sliced zucchini, broccoli, green beans — start with the things your family enjoys and go from there!
*This post is generously sponsored by Catelli — thank you for supporting the brands that make The Recipe Rebel possible!
Creamy Italian Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast (or two small)
- ½ cup roasted red peppers
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup light cream or whole milk
- 1 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 cups short pasta (about 160 grams)
- 1 cup fresh spinach finely chopped
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Add chicken broth, chicken breast, roasted red peppers, parsley, garlic, salt, oregano, basil and pepper to a 2.5-4 quart slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours until chicken is cooked through
- Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Place back into the slow cooker.
- Whisk together the cream or milk and corn starch. Add to the slow cooker with the pasta* and spinach.
- Turn to high and cook for 15-20 minutes until pasta is al dente or cooked to desired tenderness (this can take up to 30 minutes). Turn off, stir in cheese and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Jason says
This was so good! We live in Guatemala so it’s a good hole comfort food! We made it in the instant pot and worked great other than needing some extra liquid. 12 minutes for the chicken and then 5 minutes (probably 4 would be better) with a quick release. One of the best meals we’ve had in a while!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Jason!
Rachel says
This recipe was really great and had great flavors but DO NOT cook the pasta in the dish. If I make it again I will absolutely cook the pasta separately and add the cooked pasta in. I followed the recipe exactly and when I put the pasta in i had to add A LOT more broth bc it wasn’t even covered in liquid. Then it took twice as long to actually cook and created a terribly gummy consistency and ruined the texture of the soup as well.
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Rachel. I’m sorry that happened! Different types and shapes of pasta will cook differently in the slow cooker, but I’ve never had any problems adding it right in
Hailey says
Very good flavor but mine doesn’t have any liquid to it. What did I do wrong?
Ashley Fehr says
It could be that the noodles were cooked pasta al dente and soaked up too much broth. You can always thin it out with additional broth.
Emily says
I LOVE this recipe. It’s so easy, adaptable, and husband approved. I’ve made it three times now, each a bit different based on what I have on hand. This time, I’m using kale instead of spinach (and I add more greens than the recipe calls for, just ’cause I love my greens). I also added the (not spicy) banana peppers from my garden because I don’t know what else to do with them. Oh, and I season to taste with every recipe, so I guarantee I’ve added more salt than called for every time…I’m sure I’ve added extra parm, too (high blood pressure and cholesterol, here I come!).
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Emily! I love that you shared your additions!
Chrissy says
I actually made on the stove cause I decided I wanted it last minute and did not want to wait. It is now one of my favorite soups. Thanks for the recipe
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Chrissy! I’m glad to hear that!
Traci says
What did I do wrong? Followed recipe exactly. The pasta took about 30 min to cook and then sadly turned to mush! I used regular uncooked rotini and it all became so starchy and mushy it was like paste. So sad.
Ashley Fehr says
I’m sorry to hear that Traci! There are some people who just prefer pasta cooked in boiling water, and I think you might like it better that way. With the slow cooker it is just important to monitor closely so you can turn it off right when it hits that perfect mark.
Gail says
Followed as printed. We thought it was pretty bland. Next time will up the spices and cheese.
Ashley Fehr says
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it! We have never found it to be bland.
Robb says
Delicious. My spin on it was to sauté some Frozen pearl onions until some good browning are on there and add that. Also added about a half cup of chopped sundries tomatoes for some brightness/acidity. My gf doesn’t like traditional pasta so I added potato gnocchi instead. Phenomenal.
Ashley Fehr says
I love the idea of adding gnocchi!
Julie Vivanco says
This was so good i will make it again and again i paired it with alvocado toast toast and used aged cheddar cheese from Kerry i found at Tony’s in North Riverside Il. Oh my goodness it was so good.
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad you liked it!
Krystal says
Just made this tonight, followed the directions for the most part. Made a few changes: I slow cooked the chicken first then added all ingredients and also added mushrooms and left out the red peppers. I cooked the noodles separately and added when soup was done. It was amazing, flavor was very good! Even my 3 teenagers loved it and came back for more!
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad Krystal! Thanks for sharing your swaps, too!
Tessa Bair says
I have made this recipe twice since I found it. The whole family loves it! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I recently got an instapot and want to know how to cook this recipe in it?
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Tessa! You would likely want to saute the chicken in the Instant Pot, then add all of the ingredients including the pasta but not the cream or thickening agents, and pressure cook for 2-3 minutes. Then whisk in the cream and corn starch at the end.
Susan Kimbley says
I love, love, love this recipe!! I make it at least once a week, and my whole family loves it!! So delicious!! Make it exactly as the recipe states, only add some fresh basil, and zucchini. So good!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Susan! I’m so happy you liked it!
Jen Vandeloo says
Made this tonight and the whole family actually ate it. Imagine that!!! Lol. Instead of slow cooking for 3 hours I pressure cooked (Instant Pot) for 20 minutes and then left on high slow cook for 20 minutes to cook the noodles. So good! Thank you.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Jen! I am so glad they liked it!