Slow Cooker Chicken Soup – this hearty and healthy soup is made using a whole chicken SO full of flavor. A great warming soup that your family will love.
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Soup weather is just around the corner and this Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Soup has got to be on top of your must-make list!
Slow cooking a whole chicken with onions, celery and carrots created THE most incredible broth. The chicken poaches in the broth until it is literally meltingly tender.
The shredded chicken and broth make up the backbone of this amazing chicken soup. Add a handful of vegetables and some noodles, orzo and herbs you have a healthy and delicious meal that can see you through the week!
Here’s why you will LOVE it!
- It is simply PACKED with flavor
- Hearty and healthy
- Easy to make and thrifty too!
- Can feed a crowd
- Perfect if you a nursing a cold
- Freezer friendly
Crockpot Chicken Soup Grocery List
You can add any vegetables you like in this soup, provided they cook relatively quickly so they go in with the pasta.
- Large whole chicken
- Onions, 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 instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
MAKE THE BROTH
Place the chicken in your slow cooker and arrange the onion, celery, carrots, parsley sprigs and bay leaves around it. Add the apple cider vinegar and enough water to just cover the chicken.
Cover and cook for 6 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on low. Use a large colander to strains the contents of the slow cooker into a large bowl.
Transfer the chicken onto a platter and shred it using two forks. Discard any skin and all the vegetables apart from the carrots.
MAKE THE CHICKEN SOUP
Add shallots, celery, the cooked carrots from earlier, broth and bay leaves into your slow cooker. Stir in the lemon juice, shredded chicken and orzo. Add salt, pepper and thyme. Cover and cook for 45 minutes or until the orzo is cooked through.
Stir in half the chopped herbs, reserving some to garnish with. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning.
Serve with some crusty wholemeal bread, garnished with herbs and a little grated Parmesan.
STORING AND FREEZING
The soup will keep for up to three days in a covered container in the fridge. The orzo will absorb some liquid so you will need to add a bit of water when reheating the soup.
You can also freeze the soup, ideally without the added orzo. You can add the orzo or any kind of small pasta when you reheat the soup.
RECIPE TIPS
- Why not keep some of the shredded chicken to use in other recipes? You can make a chicken pasta bake, use it to make a Satay Chicken Salad, use it in sandwiches or make other types of chicken soup, such as this Sicilian Chicken Soup.
- To remove the fat from the broth, place the cooled slow cooker in the fridge for a couple of hours or until the fat solidifies. Scrape the fat using a spoon before using.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Soup
Ingredients
For the broth
- 1 large whole chicken approx. 4 pounds (1.7 kg)
- 1 onion halved
- 4 celery sticks
- 4 carrots
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- ¼ cup (60ml) apple cider vinegar
- 2 sprigs parsley with stalks
- water as needed
For the soup
- 4 large shallots finely diced
- 2 celery sticks finely diced
- 4 carrots ( use the ones from the broth) finely diced
- the broth we made earlier and extra water if needed
- 2 tbsp lemon juice or to taste
- 3 tomatoes seeded and chopped
- 1 cup (200g) orzo
- 1 tsp salt
- ⅓ ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley chopped
- ½ tbsp fresh dill (optional)
TO SERVE
- grated Parmesan
- bread
- lemon wedges
Instructions
MAKE THE BROTH
- Place the chicken in your slow cooker and arrange the onion, celery, carrots, parsley sprigs and bay leaves around it. Add the apple cider vinegar and enough water to just cover the chicken.
- Cover and cook for 6 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on low. Use a large colander to strains the contents of the slow cooker into a large bowl.
- Transfer the chicken onto a platter and shred it using two forks. Discard any skin and all the vegetables apart from the carrots.
MAKE THE CHICKEN SOUP
- Add shallots, celery, the cooked carrots from earlier, broth and bay leaves into your slow cooker. Stir in the lemon juice, shredded chicken and orzo. Add salt, pepper and thyme. Cover and cook for 45 minutes or until the orzo is cooked through.
- Stir in half the chopped herbs, reserving some to garnish with. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Serve with some crusty wholemeal bread, garnished with herbs and a little grated Parmesan.
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