This Easy Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup takes less than an hour to make and is the ultimate comfort food. Perfect for busy weeknights!
I don't know what the weather is like in your neck of the woods, but where I live there's getting to be a chill in the air. I even had to turn the furnace on yesterday!
This summer was so hot and full of mosquitoes that I'm actually ready to say "see you next year" to the grill, and start embracing warm, comforting meals. Hello soup!
Just kidding. I make soup all year anyway. Actually, this Easy Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Soup is so quick to make that you can make it anytime you want - lunch or supper!
How to make Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup:
This easy chicken noodle soup recipe is so quick to make mostly because it doesn't rely on cooking a chicken or making homemade chicken stock. It uses leftover rotisserie chicken with the bones and skin removed, cut into bite-sized pieces.
Rotisserie Chicken FAQs:
Can I use another type of leftover cooked chicken for chicken noodle soup?
If you don't have rotisserie chicken, you can certainly use any other type of leftover cut-up chicken (or turkey) you have on hand.
You could even cook up some frozen chicken breasts specifically to make this soup if you want.
Just make sure you have 1 pound of cooked chicken (or turkey) to add to the soup.
Where do I buy the best rotisserie chicken?
Rotisserie chickens are roasted chickens that are available hot and ready-to-eat in the deli/hot food section of many grocery stores.
Depending on the store, they may have a specific seasoning (eg. Superstore in Edmonton carries adobo and Portuguese-style chickens), but most are just lightly seasoned.
The chickens can also vary in size and price, but where I live at least, are generally $10 or less. Some stores (including Costco, which already has rotisserie chicken at a low price) sell their chickens from the previous day at a discount. This is when I tend to buy mine, since I almost never use them hot anyway.
Note that hot rotisserie chickens are typically not available early in the morning, as they take time to cook. So if you plan to buy one hot, make sure you arrive to your store after 10 or 11AM.
Once you've got the chicken meat cut up, there is a little bit more light chopping to do. The carrots, celery, and onions will need to be diced. However, if you're not in the mood for that, many stores have frozen mirepoix blends available. Look for it in the frozen food aisle with the other frozen vegetables.
Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients:
- Olive oil - or substitute with a neutral-flavored cooking oil
- Carrots
- Celery
- Yellow onion
- (Instead of using the fresh diced carrots, celery, and onion above, replace it with 4 cups of frozen mirepoix blend to save on chopping time)
- Kosher salt (this is a great recipe to use MSG-salt instead of regular kosher salt)
- Garlic
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Dried thyme
- Bay leaf
- Chicken stock - I love using Better Than Boullion concentrated stocks in my soups and cooking in general, but if you happen to have frozen or other homemade chicken stock, feel free to use it
- Dried pasta or egg noodles: choose what you have on hand - I like to use alphabet pasta because my kids like it. See tips for measuring in the recipe notes below.
- Meat from rotisserie chicken: or any other cooked chicken or turkey meat (see FAQs above)
Want more Easy soup recipes?
Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup Nutrition Notes:
To make this soup gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta or replace the pasta with an equal amount of rice. This recipe is dairy-free as written.
While this soup contains 3 food groups and can be considered a complete meal, if you want it to be a heartier meal, consider serving it with fresh bread and/or a green salad.
Easy Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup
Recipe Equipment
- 1 Large Saucepan or Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced (see notes)
- 2 medium celery stalks diced (see notes)
- 1 medium yellow onion diced (see notes)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or MSG-salt
- 2 medium cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 6 ounces dried pasta or egg noodles (see notes)
- 1 pound meat from rotisserie chicken, bones and skin removed, cut into bite-sized pieces
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally until softened and just starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, pepper, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil. Add the pasta and the bay leaf then reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 10-12 minutes until the pasta is soft and fully cooked.
- Stir in the rotisserie chicken and cook until the chicken is heated through, about 3-5 minutes. Add additional salt and/or pepper to taste if needed. Remove the bay leaf and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: I try my best to make sure the nutrition information I provide is accurate to provide you with the best information possible. However, due to ingredient discrepancies and other factors, the above nutrition information should be considered an estimation only.
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