Crockpot Chicken Parmesan Soup (Slow Cooker)
This Crockpot Chicken Parmesan Soup has all of the flavors of a decadent comfort food classic in an easy slow cooker soup! This family-friendly dinner recipe takes just minutes to prep.
“I grew up eating my mom’s chicken parm, and this is such a fun way to use those flavors in a soup! I used to make this recipe in college to rave reviews, and now years later I still turn to this soup for a comforting, easy meal.”
—Katherine
When I was growing up, my mom had a slow cooker that she used to make exactly one thing – her Beef vegetable soup slow cooker. Actually, she just called it “vegetable soup,” which I teased her about since it contained beef short ribs.
Midwest livin’, man. She also made her lasagna recipe cottage cheese instead of ricotta – another Midwest classic!
So from a young age, I associated slow cookers with crockpot soups like taco soup in slow cooker. It was only later in life that I discovered the pleasure of a slow cooker chicken burrito bowl and the ease of my crock pot green bean casserole recipe.
Crock pots really are a great way to make soup, as the ingredients have all day to slowly simmer, release their flavors, and come together into one harmonious bowl of deliciousness.
“I made this last night for my family and it was a huge hit! Thanks so much!”
—Marcie
About this slow cooker chicken parmesan soup:
This slow cooker chicken parmesan soup has all of the flavors of decadent chicken parmesan, but is much more waistline-friendly than the dish that inspires it.
You simply simmer chicken broth, chicken breasts and crushed tomatoes in a crock pot all day. You’ll also include garlic, onion, basil, oregano and red pepper flakes for an aromatic base.
Just before serving this crockpot chicken parmesan soup, you’ll remove the chicken breasts, shred them and return them to the crock pot (just like my mom did with the short ribs in her not-so-veggie soup).
Gemelli pasta, like I use in my gemelli pasta salad (or any long, tube-like shape of pasta) is stirred in at the same time, and in a half hour, the pasta will be cooked to al dente perfection.
Then comes a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and dinner is served!
Answers to some frequently asked questions about this chicken parm soup are below.
Can you used cooked chicken in this chicken parm soup?
Unlike with something like slow cooker beef stroganoff, where the beef needs to be browned before going into the slow cooker, the chicken for this recipe does NOT need to be cooked prior prior to going into the crockpot.
This crockpot soup recipe calls for raw chicken breast, because the crockpot will fully cook the chicken during the cooking time.
However, if you have some cooked chicken on hand and would rather use that, you definitely can! And if you have even more cooked chicken on hand after that, try it in place of shrimp in my shrimp wonton soup.
But, if you add cooked chicken at the beginning of the cooking time, the meat would get very dried out.
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we'll send it to your inbox.
So, I would stir in cooked, chopped chicken in the last 5 to 10 minutes of the pasta cooking time, just to warm it through.
Can I double this chicken parmesan soup recipe? Do I need to make any adjustments?
I’ve made a double batch of this crockpot soup recipe for a crowd many times. I didn’t make any adjustments other than doubling each ingredient amount. The cooking times remained the same.
However, before you double up, please make sure your crock pot is big enough to actually accommodate a double batch of this chicken parm soup – I used a 7 quart slow cooker when doubling.
And if you end up buying a whole bag of green peppers, be sure to try my fajitas veggies, too!
Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh herbs in this crockpot soup?
Definitely! But since dried herbs have a stronger flavor than fresh, Epicurious recommends to scale down the measurement to one-third of the fresh amount called for.
So, instead of 2 tablespoons (6 teaspoons) fresh basil, you’ll want to use 2 teaspoons dried basil.
And instead of 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, you’ll want to use 2 teaspoons dried oregano in this chicken parm soup.
Can I use quinoa / rice / gluten free pasta instead of the traditional pasta in this slow cooker soup recipe?
You probably can, but I haven’t tested this crockpot soup recipe with any of those things.
If you’re looking to use something other than traditional pasta in this crockpot chicken parmesan soup recipe, I would advise cooking that item separately and simply stirring it in when you return the chicken to the pot, then serving.
That way you can ensure that whatever alternative to traditional pasta you’re using is properly cooked when you dish up the soup.
What should I serve with crockpot chicken parmesan soup?
You could certainly double down on the parmesan magic and serve a DIY salad board with parmesan dressing (also great alongside salmon pesto pasta).
A side of homemade flatbread pizza (with or without the toppings) is always welcome with a hot bowl of soup, or even a batch of chicken sloppy joes.
A batch of mini cornbread muffins would also be delicious with this soup, or with my recipe for ham and bean soup or Irish colcannon soup.
More Foxes Love Lemons Favorites
Crockpot Chicken Parmesan Soup (Slow Cooker)
Ingredients
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- ½ medium white onion chopped
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 14.5 ounces
- ½ pound raw boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 5 cups low sodium chicken broth plus additional if needed
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese plus extra for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 ounces uncooked dry gemelli or penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter optional
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In 5-quart or larger slow cooker, stir together garlic, bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, chicken, broth, 1/2 cup cheese, basil, oregano, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook on low 7-1/2 hours or on high 3-1/2 hours.
- Transfer chicken to cutting board and use forks to coarsely shred; return to slow cooker. Stir in pasta. Cook on high 20-30 minutes longer or until pasta is cooked al dente.
- Stir in butter, if desired. If soup becomes too thick after pasta is cooked, stir in additional broth or water until desired consistency is reached, and warm through.
- Serve garnished with extra Parmesan cheese and chopped basil or parsley.
Video
Notes
- Home Chef Tip: The butter stirred in at the end is entirely optional. It adds a few calories, but it also adds a nice richness and mouthfeel to the soup.
Holy cow… Eating as I write this comment. Absolutely amazing! Cooking for just one but will be bringing some to work with me tomorrow for lunch and to share with co-workers at Trader Joe’s!
Thank you for sharing!
I am SO glad you liked it, Christine! Happy Thanksgiving!
This is SO tasty and so easy. I followed the recipe exactly and ate it for 5 lunches last week. However, It was more stew like (very thick) than soup like and as the week went on, the noodles seemed to absorb the rest of the liquid so by Wednesday I was eating a very moist (still delicious) pasta dish.
No complaints from me but if you’re looking for soup add more broth!
I’m so glad you liked it, Kelly! And it reminds me of when I used to work at a grocery store. We sold hot soups, and whenever it was lentil soup day, I swear, I spent half my shift just adding more liquid to that soup, since the lentils just sucked it all up! Same with any soup involving pasta, I guess 🙂
I’ve had this problem with most crock pot soups that call for dry pasta/rice. I just cook it separately and add a little to each bowl as I heat it. It’s a little more work, but if we’re not planning on eating it all in one sitting, I find it turns out better to separate them. Plus, this allows my sister who’s avoiding carbs to join us for meals and not feel left our or feel like she’s causing me extra work.
Ohhhh, smart idea, Lisa. Thanks for the great tip!
Hi – this looks fantastic. I will definitely add it to my rotation. My husband and I are doing weigh watchers – do you have any nutritional information? (or I can just add it up on my own) Also, to save time I imagine I could use shredded rotisserie chicken, right? Would the recipe serve a family of 5 or do you think I should double it? Thanks!
Hi TR! I do not have nutrition information, so I would recommend adding it using an online calculator like My Fitness Pal. You could definitely use rotisserie chicken, BUT the chicken in this recipe actually goes in the crock pot raw – it’ll be cooked by the time the timer goes off in 8 hours. So, I’m not sure how much time you’ll save by using a rotisserie chicken, if that makes sense.
For a family of 5, I would double the recipe, just to make sure you have enough. It reheats well, if you have any left over.
Just had a stupid question – i don’t like chunks of tomatoes in anything – can i use tomato puree instead? thanks
Oh, definitely. Go for it, Tiffany!
Hello- I’m crunched for time… Can this be made stovetop?
Absolutely, Sara! Just simmer until everything is cooked through 🙂
Amazing recipe! I have a question! Chicken is cooked when we put it in the soup or not? Thank U!!
The chicken is raw. The slow cooker will cook it for you 🙂
Lori, I’m about to make this again for my niece and her husband as their active twins are now 11 months old. Little time or energy for my niece to cook! They loved this first time around. A hit with this Italian American family. Thank you!
I am so glad to hear that, Leslie! So glad it was a hit with your niece and her family!
I just made a double batch of this for a Lenten lunch at church. I had some freshed shaved parmesan cheese for garnish. Everyone loved it and there was just enough left for me for dinner tonight. About the only thing different I would do is add a few more crushed tomatoes.
Delicious soup!!
So glad it was a hit for your group, Lory! I really appreciate you stopping by to tell me about it 🙂
Lori! Thank you for your extremely timely replies and just in the nick of time! I added 2 cups (warmed) chicken broth along with the whole box of pasta (about 16oz). It turned out delicious! Was more of a pasta dish rather than a “soup”…but that is what I was going for to fill up the family! Thanks so much for your advice! I’ll definitely be looking up more of your yummy recipes!
So glad it worked out for you, Jen! Thanks so much for stopping back and letting me know 🙂
Just came across this recipe and am making it tonight! Quick question…we are a Family of FIVE and I am concerned that adding only 4oz of pasta will not fill us up 🙂 do you know if I add more (maybe an entire box?), how much more liquid I would need to add? And I assume I would add chicken broth as the liquid or would water work too? Not sure if you’ll respond in time – fingers crossed! Thanks!
Hi Jen – I haven’t tested this, but maybe try 6-8 ounces of pasta and an extra cup of broth? If the soup is too thick once the pasta cooks, you could stir in even more broth to thin it out a bit. You definitely want to use mostly broth for flavor, but subbing a portion for some water is probably fine too. Good luck, and let me know how it turns out!
Oh sorry, I just realized you want to use a whole box of pasta. Hmmmm. You’d probably need to double the whole recipe and add quite a bit more broth for that, otherwise it won’t be much of a soup 🙂
I maybe over looking this,but do you put the chicken in with everything else?
Hi Amelia! Chicken goes in in step 1 🙂
On Jan. 5, 2015, our congregation began a 40-day Daniel fast. One of the restricted items is “fried food”. My daughter loves Chicken Parmesan and dislikes soup. She googled chicken parmesan to find a “baked” recipe and your wonderful soup recipe came up also. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe! However, it’s so good I don’t think any will make it to the freezer…:)
So glad this was a hit for you, Regina! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Can I begin w/ frozen chicken breasts?
Hi Diana! I haven’t personally tried starting with frozen chicken, but I’ve heard other people have tried it and it’s worked out fine. Just make sure to temp the chicken before pulling it out and shredding it – it needs to come to 165 degrees F to be safe. If it needs to cook a little bit longer to be cooked through, then just wait until it’s done before adding the pasta and finishing the recipe. Good luck!
The soup looks different than the picture! Followed the recipe as written. Looks like the chicken disappeared. I added more chicken and a little more pasta. Waiting to see how the soup turns out! Looking forward to tasting it!
Hope it tasted great, Wendell!
This looks SOOOOO good!! However, since I don’t do a lot of soup cooking (definitely need to change that this winter!) I have a somewhat silly question…do you put the raw chicken in with everything or do you cook it first? The recipe here makes it sound like you throw the raw chicken in, then just take it out to shred later. I guess I’m just used to pre-cooking the meat when I do crockpot cooking! Thanks. 🙂
Hi Krissy! Thanks so much for stopping by, and I’m glad you asked. The chicken goes into the crockpot raw. It’ll be fully cooked and ready to shred by the time you’re supposed to put the pasta in. I’m actually going to make a little note about the (raw) chicken on the recipe so it’s more clear for everybody in the future 🙂
Sweet, thanks!! That totally cuts prep time!
My hubby and I loooooved this! I followed the recipe (except forgot to add green pepper); it was fanfreakingtastic. And it was super duper easy! Great flavor, especially the fresh herb garnishes! Adding to regular rotation.
I’m so glad to hear that, Amy! Thanks so much for stopping by and letting me know 🙂