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Crockpot Chicken Parmesan Soup

Crockpot chicken parmesan soup with shredded chicken and penne simmered in a rich tomato-parmesan broth. Low-and-slow cooking keeps the chicken tender, then you add pasta last and finish each bowl with melted mozzarella.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours 5 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 630
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts (raw)
  • 1.5 lb chicken breasts
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
Onion
  • 1 onion
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried basil
Penne or rigatoni
  • 8 oz penne or rigatoni
Shredded mozzarella
  • 1.5 cup shredded mozzarella
Parmesan, grated
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated
Fresh basil
  • 1 fresh basil
Garlic breadcrumbs
  • 1 garlic breadcrumbs
Salt
  • 1 salt
Black pepper
  • 1 black pepper

Equipment

  • 1 Crockpot

Method
 

Cook the chicken & tomato broth
  1. Add the raw chicken breasts to the crockpot. Make sure they are arranged so they sit in the liquid rather than on dry edges.
  2. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and tomato paste to the crockpot. Stir gently so the tomato paste disperses and the broth looks evenly red.
  3. Add the minced garlic, diced onion, Italian seasoning, and dried basil. Mix until the seasonings are distributed through the broth.
  4. Cook on Low for 5-6 hours until the chicken is tender. The chicken should shred easily when pressed with a fork and the broth should be actively simmering.
Shred and cook pasta
  1. Remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred it, then return the shredded chicken to the pot. The broth should look thicker from the shredded chicken and tomatoes.
  2. Add the penne or rigatoni and cook on High for 25-30 minutes until tender. The pasta should be fully cooked but not mushy, with visible bite.
Finish like chicken parmesan
  1. Season the soup with salt and black pepper to taste. Stir and taste until the flavor is balanced and the broth is well seasoned.
  2. Top each bowl with shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan. The cheeses should mound slightly over the surface for maximum melt.
  3. Broil or microwave briefly to melt the mozzarella and soften the parmesan. Look for a bubbling, lightly browned top on the mozzarella.
  4. Garnish each bowl with fresh basil and garlic breadcrumbs. Finish with crunchy breadcrumbs visible on top for a chicken parm effect.

Notes

Pro tip: shred the chicken while it’s hot so it pulls into strands, then stir it back in to keep every spoonful chicken-rich. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave, adding a splash of broth if the pasta thickens. Freezing: yes, freeze soup without the cheese topping and consider undercooking pasta by 2-3 minutes so it holds up when reheated. For a lighter option, use part-skim mozzarella and reduce parmesan to 1/4 cup.