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Crockpot Chicken Parmesan Soup

Crockpot chicken parmesan soup with tender shredded chicken, a tomato-parmesan broth, and pasta cooked right in the slow cooker. Finished with melted mozzarella and parmesan for a classic chicken parm feel in spoonable soup.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts (raw)
  • 1.5 lb chicken breasts Trim if needed; keep raw until added to the crockpot.
Crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
Diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
Chicken broth
  • 4 cup chicken broth
Tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
Garlic
  • 4 clove garlic Minced; some can be reserved for breadcrumbs garnish if desired.
Onion
  • 1 onion Diced.
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried basil
Penne or rigatoni
  • 8 oz penne or rigatoni Added last for the final cook so it stays tender, not mushy.
Shredded mozzarella
  • 1.5 cup shredded mozzarella Use as topping; melt just before serving.
Parmesan, grated
  • 0.5 cup parmesan Grated for topping; adjust to taste.
Fresh basil
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil Chopped for garnish.
Garlic breadcrumbs for serving
  • 0.25 cup garlic breadcrumbs Use prepared garlic breadcrumbs; toast if you want extra crunch.
Salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt To taste.
Black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Slow-cook the soup base
  1. Place the raw chicken in the crockpot, then add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, garlic, onion, Italian seasoning, and dried basil.
  2. Cook on Low for 5-6 hours (or High for about 3 hours) until the chicken is tender and easily pulls apart, with the broth actively simmering around the edges.
Shred chicken and add pasta
  1. Remove the chicken, shred it, and return the shredded chicken to the crockpot.
  2. Add penne or rigatoni, then cook on High for 25-30 minutes until the pasta is tender, stirring once or twice so it cooks evenly.
Melt the cheese and serve
  1. Top each bowl with mozzarella and parmesan so they sit on the hot broth and begin melting at the edges.
  2. Broil or microwave briefly until the cheese is melted and lightly bubbly, then garnish with fresh basil and garlic breadcrumbs right before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: Season with salt and pepper after the chicken is back in the pot (and after the pasta is added) so the broth tastes right once everything concentrates. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; the pasta will thicken, so add a splash of broth when reheating. Freezing is not recommended because pasta texture can soften. For a lighter option, use part-skim mozzarella while keeping the parmesan for flavor.