Description

A comforting and hearty slow cooker chicken soup packed with fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and tender shredded chicken. This easy-to-make soup simmers gently all day, resulting in a flavorful broth perfect for any occasion. Optional additions like noodles and herbs make it versatile and delicious served with crusty bread.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables

1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 carrots, chopped into 1½ cm pieces
2 leeks, halved and sliced

Herbs and Seasonings

1 bay leaf and 3 thyme sprigs, tied together
½ small bunch of dill or parsley, finely chopped

Protein and Liquids

1 whole medium chicken (about 1.4kg)
2 liters chicken stock
1 lemon, juiced

Optional

Crusty bread, to serve
Noodles (broken spaghetti or egg noodles), if desired

Instructions

Prepare the slow cooker: Set your slow cooker to low heat. Add the finely chopped onion, celery, carrots, and sliced leeks into the base of the slow cooker.
Add the herbs and chicken: Place the tied bunch of bay leaf and thyme sprigs on top of the vegetables. Nestle the whole medium chicken (about 1.4 kg) on top of the herbs and vegetables.
Pour in the stock: Pour 2 liters of chicken stock over the chicken and vegetables, ensuring the contents are submerged.
Cook the soup: Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, allowing the flavors to meld and the chicken to become tender enough for shredding.
Shred the chicken: Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the meat from the bones. Discard the bones and return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
Season and finish the soup: Remove and discard the tied bunch of herbs. Stir in the juice of one lemon and season the soup to taste.
Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with finely chopped dill or parsley, and serve with crusty bread on the side. Optionally, add noodles by stirring broken spaghetti or noodles into the soup about 1 hour before the end of cooking.

Notes

For added heartiness, add broken spaghetti or noodles into the soup 1 hour before cooking finishes.
Turn leftover chicken soup into an egg-drop noodle soup by bringing it to a simmer with soy sauce and shredded ginger, then stirring in a beaten egg until set, and adding cooked noodles.
Use fresh herbs like dill or parsley to enhance the final flavor and presentation.
Serving with crusty bread makes for a more filling meal.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6-8 hours
Category: Soup
Method: Slow Cooking
Cuisine: British

Keywords: slow cooker chicken soup, easy chicken soup, healthy chicken soup, homemade chicken broth, comfort food, slow cooker recipes