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Crockpot Chicken Parmesan Soup

Crockpot chicken parmesan soup with a rich tomato-parmesan broth, shredded chicken, and penne or rigatoni for a cozy, pasta-filled take on chicken parm. You slow-cook the chicken until tender, then finish with pasta and a quick melty mozzarella topping.
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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: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb chicken breasts Raw and boneless for best shredding.
Tomato base
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 4 garlic, minced Use fresh for the strongest flavor.
  • 1 onion, diced
Seasonings
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 pepper To taste.
Pasta and cheese
  • 8 oz penne or rigatoni Cooked last so it doesn’t get mushy.
  • 1.5 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated
Serving
  • 0.25 fresh basil For garnish.
  • 0.5 garlic breadcrumbs For a chicken-parm style crunch.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the soup in the crockpot
  1. Place the raw chicken in the Crockpot. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, minced garlic, diced onion, Italian seasoning, and dried basil.
Cook until the chicken is tender
  1. Cook on Low for 5-6 hours (or on High for 3 hours) until the chicken is tender and can be shredded easily. As it cooks, the broth will thicken slightly and the chicken will turn opaque throughout.
Shred and combine
  1. Remove the chicken, shred it, then return the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir to distribute the chicken evenly so every spoonful is saucy.
Cook the pasta
  1. Add the penne or rigatoni and cook on High for 25-30 minutes until tender. Keep an eye on the final minutes so the pasta stays springy in the broth.
Melt the cheese topping
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan. Broil or microwave briefly until the mozzarella is melted and lightly bubbly.
Finish and serve
  1. Garnish with fresh basil and garlic breadcrumbs right before serving. The basil should look bright, and the breadcrumbs should be added for crunch.

Notes

Pro tip: shred the chicken while it’s hot and return it to the pot before adding pasta so the flavor fully disperses. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove or microwave, and add a splash of broth if it thickens. Freezing is not recommended because pasta texture can soften after thawing. Dietary swap: use gluten-free penne/rigatoni to keep the same chicken-parm soup vibe without wheat.