Can i make soup with frozen chicken

Simple and cozy, this from-scratch Slow Cooker Chicken Soup is hearty and delicious! Loaded with tender shredded chicken and vegetables this couldn't get any easier to make in your crockpot!

This slow cooker chicken recipe is great after a long day at work!

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🥘 Ingredients Needed
💭 Top Tips
📖 Variations
🔪 Instructions
🥗 Suggested Side Dishes
📋 Recipe Card
💬 Reviews and Comments

Easy and Comforting Soup

This meal isn't fancy or complicated. It will even clear out your freezer! Plus it takes no effort to make - what's not to love?

I enjoy soup (especially if someone else makes it), but I don’t usually have enough of a craving for it that I would make it myself.

However, every once in a while, a soup comes along that makes me think to myself ‘I really should make some soup one of these days!’

And this is that soup!

If you like soup, or if you like cooking with your slow cooker, this recipe is for you! And if you like both, you are going to think you have gone to crockpot soup-making heaven! 😋 Another great option is the Instant Pot; if you're looking for fast and simple soup recipes, try this Instant Pot Minestrone!

Simple is better!

Of all the recipes out there, what makes this one the BEST? It's really the simplicity. It's simple, easy, and delicious and you won't need to spend all day in the kitchen, chopping, and dicing.

It's really dump, cover, and go! Special thanks to my good friend Alice for inspiring this recipe!

🥘 Ingredients Needed

frozen peppers and onions, frozen cut carrots, frozen corn - keep these on hand to make this recipe any time you feel like it!
celery - fresh celery adds a depth of flavor to the soup.
frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts - no need to thaw the chicken, you can use it right from the freezer.
chicken broth - look for low sodium.
white wine - though optional, this adds a nice layer of flavor and don't worry, the alcohol cooks off.
rice - another optional ingredient, adding it will make the stew more filling and hearty.

This super simple slow cooker chicken soup is the perfect comfort food for a cold night!

💭 Top Tips

Do you use skin-on chicken?

Nope, not me, and that's not what I recommend. Skin-on may add flavor, but it also adds a ton of fat. And it's not very appetizing in the soup. The best choice for this recipe is boneless, skinless chicken.

Should rice be cooked before adding to soup?

Yes, if you're adding the rice be sure to cook it before adding it to the soup. If you add uncooked rice at the beginning of the cooking process, it will disintegrate during the cooking process.

Can you overcook soup in a slow cooker?

The beauty of this recipe is you really can't overcook this soup, even when it's cooked for an extended amount of time!

Can I freeze this soup?

Yes, this soup freezes really well! Just allow the soup to cool completely before storing in a ziplock freezer bag or storage container. (I like using freezer bags because they stack easily.

To reheat, simply thaw the soup completely and warm in pot on the stove or in bowls in the microwave.

Looking for more meals you can freeze? Check out my post with over 20 freezer friendly recipes!

Is slow cooking chicken soup safe?

Yes, slow cooking is absolutely safe. If you are wondering how it can be OK to have chicken cooking at a low temperature all day and still be safe to eat, check out this article on Slow Cookers and Food Safety!

📖 Variations

Mix up the vegetables by adding frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas and carrots).
Instead of rice, substitute cooked egg noodles, adding them at the end of cooking.
Add a can of condensed cream of chicken soup to leftovers to mix up the flavors on day two!
Finish your soup with a squeeze of lemon and some fresh chopped parsley. Add it right before serving to brighten the flavors of your meal.

🔪 Instructions

In five quick minutes your slow cooker chicken soup will be ready!

Add all of the frozen vegetables to the slow cooker.
Place the chicken on top.
Add the diced celery, the chicken stock and wine to the crockpot.
Set crock pot to LOW.
Before serving, remove the chicken breasts and shred.
Stir the shredded chicken and cooked rice in to the soup.

🥗 Suggested Side Dishes

I love serving this meal with Parmesan Dill Biscuits, Garlic Bread or Rosemary Focaccia Bread. Or take a look at these Easy Drop Biscuits - so quick and delicious!

If you're looking for something more substantial consider this Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich - it's so hearty and the perfect combination.

If you love this crockpot meal, here are more recipes you'll enjoy!

Using your slow cooker is one of the BEST ways to get a delicious meal on the table easily! Whether it's Slow Cooker Butternut Squash, Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice or Chicken and Dumplings - comforting meals are a simple solution for busy weeknight meals.

Crock Pot Guinness Chicken Stew

This Crock Pot Guinness Chicken Stew is a new twist on a traditional favorite. It's an easy and tasty alternative to the typical Guinness beef stew!

Everyone will love this meal!

As far as the kids were concerned, I got two enthusiastic thumbs up! The kids liked it, DH liked it, and I liked that dinner was already made when I get home.

It was a win-win-win situation. This one is definitely getting a dedicated spot in our dinner rotation!

This is a perfect warm-up during the chilly, rainy, early days of spring. A BIG thank you to Alice for inspiring this recipe!

Slow Cooker Chicken Soup

Love this recipe? Awesome! Please give it a 5 star rating below! And if you make this, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram. You can find me at DizzyBusyandHungry or #dizzybusyandhungry !

📋 Recipe Card

Simple and cozy, this from-scratch Slow Cooker Chicken Soup is hearty and delicious! Loaded with tender shredded chicken and vegetables this couldn't get any easier to make in your crockpot!

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 8 hrs

Total Time 8 hrs 5 mins

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 400 kcal

▢ 1 cup frozen chopped peppers and onions
▢ 1 cup frozen cut carrots
▢ ½ cup frozen corn
▢ 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (can be frozen)
▢ 2-3 stalks of celery (diced)
▢ 32 ounces chicken broth
▢ 1 cup white wine (optional)
▢ 1 cup cooked rice (optional, add just prior to serving)

Combine frozen vegetables in the crock pot.
1 cup frozen chopped peppers and onions, ½ cup frozen corn, 1 cup frozen cut carrots
Place chicken breasts on top.
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Add the diced celery and chicken broth. If desired, add the optional wine.
2-3 stalks of celery, 32 ounces chicken broth, 1 cup white wine
Set crock pot to LOW and cook all day.
Right before serving, remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Add it back into the soup, along with the cooked rice (optional).
1 cup cooked rice

You can use fresh or frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts. If you use frozen, there is no need to thaw prior to placing them in the slow cooker.
You can also substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs for even more flavor in your soup.
Swap in different types of frozen vegetables to mix things up.
If you don't have rice on hand, you can substitute some cooked pasta.
This tastes even better the next day! You can mix in a can of condensed cream of chicken soup to make it a little different.
Impress your guests by finishing your soup with a squeeze of lemon and some fresh chopped parsley right before serving.

Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.

First Published: March 7, 2013... Last Updated: March 3, 2020

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Happy cooking!

Is it OK to boil frozen chicken for soup?

According to the USDA, yes, you can safely cook your frozen chicken, as long as you follow a couple general guidelines. In order to skip the thawing step and turn your frozen chicken into a fully-cooked, safe-to-eat dinner, use your oven or stove top and simply increase your cooking time by at least 50%.

Can I use frozen chicken to make broth?

You can even use frozen chicken! Since I make broth so often, I store 3-4 chicken drumsticks in my freezer, so I have it ready to make into broth anytime I need and don't even need to defrost it.

What can you do with frozen chicken?

Great news, according to the USDA, it is totally safe — you just have to keep in mind that frozen chicken will take about one and a half times longer to cook than thawed chicken.

Can you put frozen chicken in a stew?

Q: Is it Safe to Put Frozen Food in the Slow Cooker? A: No, it is not safe to defrost food (particularly meat and poultry) in a slow cooker or crock pot.

Can you cook frozen chicken in hot broth?

FACT: Chicken can be cooked from frozen. It will take about 50% longer than thawed chicken and you must use a fast cooking method. Cooking it in the oven or on the stove is OK according to the USDA (under the Safe Defrosting headline) so boil and simmer away!

Can you cook chicken frozen chicken?

Fortunately, we can all take a collective sigh of relief, because the USDA says it is fine to cook chicken from frozen, just keep in mind that the cooking time will be about 50 percent longer. However, chicken should never be cooked from frozen in a slow cooker or microwave.