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Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Noodle Soup

Slow Cooker Italian chicken noodle soup with a tomato-kissed broth, tender shredded chicken, and ditalini/egg noodles cooked in the final 30 minutes. Finished with wilted spinach and bright basil-parmesan topping for a classic Italian-American bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 21 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 1.5 lb chicken thighs
Carrots
  • 4 carrots, sliced
Celery
  • 3 celery, sliced
Onion and garlic
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 garlic, minced
Canned vegetables and broth
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained
  • 8 cup chicken broth
Seasonings
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
Pasta and greens
  • 8 oz ditalini or egg noodles
  • 2 cup fresh spinach
Garnish
  • 1 parmesan
  • 1 fresh basil

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Build the soup
  1. Add chicken thighs, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, dried basil, and red pepper flakes to the slow cooker. Stir to combine so the chicken is partially covered by the tomato-broth.
  2. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours or High for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is tender and fully cooked. Keep the lid on to maintain heat and build flavor.
Shred and finish
  1. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it with two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Stir well so the chicken is evenly distributed in the golden broth.
  2. Add ditalini or egg noodles, then cook on High for 20-30 minutes until tender. Look for the noodles to soften and soak up the tomato broth.
  3. Stir in fresh spinach and cook for 5 minutes until wilted. The soup should turn brighter green at the edges.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve hot with parmesan and fresh basil. Garnish each bowl so the cheese shaves and basil stay fresh.

Notes

For best texture, add the pasta only during the final High cook so it doesn’t get mushy. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; freeze yes (up to 2 months), but consider freezing without pasta/spinach if you plan to reheat later—add noodles and spinach fresh for the best bite. Dietary swap: use gluten-free ditalini/egg noodles to keep the same broth-and-shred method.