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Crock pot chicken parmesan soup is basically what happens when you take everything good about chicken parmesan and turn it into soup form, which sounds weird until you taste how well it works having all those flavors in a bowl you can eat with a spoon. You throw chicken breasts into a slow cooker with crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and garlic, let it cook for a few hours until the chicken shreds easily, then stir in parmesan cheese, heavy cream, and uncooked pasta for the last twenty minutes until everything comes together into this creamy, tomatoey soup with tender chicken and al dente pasta throughout. The whole thing takes about five hours total but only twenty minutes of actual hands-on work, which means you can start it in the morning and come home to dinner that smells like an Italian restaurant. I discovered this recipe when my daughter went through a phase where she'd only eat chicken parmesan from one specific restaurant. I made this soup hoping to recreate those flavors, and when she ate two bowls without realizing it wasn't from her beloved restaurant, I felt like I'd won some kind of parenting victory. Now she requests "the chicken soup" constantly, which has saved us probably hundreds of dollars in takeout.
My coworker Sarah claims she can't use a slow cooker because every time she tries, dinner turns out "weird and disappointing." She came over once when I was making this, saw me dump everything in the crock pot at 9am, and insisted there was no way it would be good by dinner. When she came back at 6pm and tried a bowl, she went completely silent for like three minutes just eating, then admitted maybe she'd been using her slow cooker wrong all these years. Now she makes this every Sunday and meal-preps portions for the week. Her husband told me at a party that their grocery bill dropped significantly and dinner arguments stopped completely, which he credits entirely to me teaching Sarah that slow cookers aren't the enemy.
What Goes Into It
- Crushed tomatoes: One 28-ounce can creates the thick, savory tomato base with great body
- Tomato sauce: One 15-ounce can smooths out the texture for a more "soupy" consistency
- Chicken broth: Four cups thin the tomatoes to the perfect soup consistency while adding savory depth
- Chicken breasts: Two to three pounds of boneless skinless breasts provide the hearty protein that shreds beautifully
- Minced garlic: One tablespoon adds that essential Italian aromatic punch
- Parmesan cheese: One cup shredded adds saltiness and helps thicken the soup slightly at the end
- Heavy whipping cream: One cup creates a luxurious richness that balances the tomato acidity
- Rotini pasta: Eight ounces of dry pasta add substance and capture the sauce in their spirals
- Seasonings: One teaspoon each of salt and black pepper, plus an optional tablespoon of Italian seasoning
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Making This Soup
- The Slow Cook:
- In a 6-quart crock pot, stir together the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Nestle the whole chicken breasts into the liquid. Cover and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours. Avoid lifting the lid during this stage to prevent heat loss.
- Shredding the Chicken:
- Once the chicken is tender and easily pierced with a fork, remove the breasts to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, then stir the shredded chicken back into the pot.
- The Creamy Finish:
- Stir in the shredded parmesan cheese and heavy cream until well combined. The soup will transform into a creamy, peachy-pink color. Add the dry rotini pasta directly into the pot and stir to ensure every noodle is submerged.
- The Final Simmer:
- Put the lid back on and cook for an additional 20 minutes (still on High). Stir halfway through to prevent the pasta from sticking. Once the pasta is al dente, turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.
I've learned that the 20-minute pasta window is the most critical part of this recipe. The first time I made this, I walked away for an hour after adding the rotini, and I came back to a pot of tomato-flavored dough. Now, I set a timer and check the pasta exactly at 18 minutes. Taking the time to shred the chicken properly also makes a huge difference—smaller shreds allow you to get a bit of everything in every single spoonful.
Creative Variations
- Add Greens: Stir in two cups of fresh baby spinach during the final 5 minutes for extra nutrients and a pop of color
- Sausage Swap: Use Italian sausage links instead of chicken for a more aggressive, spicy flavor profile
- Extra Cheese: Stir in a dollop of ricotta cheese right before serving for a "lasagna soup" vibe
- Smoky Twist: Use fire-roasted crushed tomatoes instead of regular to give the broth a deeper, charred flavor
Storage and Reheating
This soup keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep in mind that the pasta will continue to soak up the broth as it sits, so the leftovers will be much thicker—almost like a creamy pasta dish. When reheating, add a splash of chicken broth or water to bring it back to a soup consistency. Freezing is possible for up to 2 months, though the pasta texture will be softer upon thawing.
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Ultimately, this chicken parmesan soup is the ultimate "set it and forget it" comfort meal. It delivers all the nostalgic flavors of a classic Italian dinner with a fraction of the effort and none of the breading or frying mess. Whether you're feeding a picky toddler or hosting a casual Sunday dinner, this bowl is guaranteed to disappear fast!
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I cook this on low instead of high?
- Yes! Cook on low for 6-7 hours instead of high for 3-4 hours. Then add the pasta, cream, and cheese and cook on high for the last 20 minutes.
- → What if I don't have rotini pasta?
- Any small pasta works great - penne, shells, bow ties, or even broken spaghetti. Just make sure it's a shape that fits on a spoon easily.
- → Can I use chicken thighs instead?
- Absolutely! Chicken thighs are actually more flavorful and stay juicier in the slow cooker. Use the same amount and cooking time.
- → Why add the pasta at the end?
- If you add pasta at the beginning, it'll get mushy and overcooked during the long cooking time. Adding it in the last 20 minutes keeps it perfectly tender.
- → Can I freeze this soup?
- The soup freezes okay, but the pasta gets a weird texture. If you want to freeze it, don't add the pasta. Cook fresh pasta when you reheat the soup.
- → How do I make this lower in calories?
- Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, reduce the parmesan to half a cup, and use less pasta. It'll still be creamy and delicious.