Rotisserie Chicken Soup
This rotisserie chicken soup delivers the deep, slow-cooked flavor of an all-day simmer in about an hour. The whole bird—meat and bones—goes into the pot, so the carcass builds a rich broth while the shredded chicken stays tender and juicy. Wide egg noodles go in near the end so they stay bouncy, and one grocery store chicken stretches into eight hearty servings. It's the classic chicken noodle soup you grew up on, with a much shorter to-do list.
Equipment
- 7-quart Dutch oven or large stockpot must hold at least 6 quarts
- Sharp chef's knife
- Large cutting board
- Long-handled tongs for lifting out the carcass
- Meat shredding claws (optional) make shredding quick
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
- Large bowl for the shredded chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole rotisserie chicken about 3 pounds; meat shredded (about 4 cups) and carcass, bones, skin, and juices reserved
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion diced, about 1/4 inch
- 3 medium carrots peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 3 ribs celery sliced to roughly the same thickness as the carrots
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Pull all the meat off the rotisserie chicken, shred it into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups), and refrigerate. Reserve the carcass, bones, skin, and juices for the broth.
- Peel and slice the carrots into 1/4-inch rounds, slice the celery to match, dice the onion, mince the garlic, and finely chop the fresh parsley.
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened and translucent.
- Stir in the garlic, dried parsley, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant without browning the garlic.
- Pour in the broth and scrape up any browned bits. Add the reserved carcass, bones, skin, and juices, pushing them down to submerge. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low, cover, and simmer gently 25 to 30 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Use tongs to lift out the carcass, bones, and skin, then discard them along with the bay leaf. Taste the broth and add a pinch more salt if it tastes flat.
- Return the pot to a boil, stir in the egg noodles, and simmer uncovered about 7 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken and cook 3 to 5 more minutes, until the noodles are al dente and the chicken is hot, about 10 to 12 minutes total.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh parsley. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, then ladle into warm bowls and serve right away.
Notes
- Use reduced-sodium broth: rotisserie chickens are already seasoned, so low-sodium broth lets you control the salt at the end.
- Simmer, do not boil hard: a gentle simmer keeps the broth clear and the flavor clean.
- Add the chicken late: stirring the shredded meat in near the end keeps it juicy instead of stringy.
- Do not skip the carcass: the bones and skin are where the deep, savory flavor comes from.
- Watch the noodles: wide egg noodles soak up broth quickly, so pull the pot off the heat as soon as they are al dente.
- Make it the same day: cook the soup within a day or two of buying the chicken, since the flavor and freshness are best.
- Storage: refrigerate up to 4 days in airtight glass containers; freeze up to 3 months. For the best texture, freeze without the noodles and cook a fresh batch when reheating.
- Reheating: thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm over medium-low heat (or microwave in 60-second bursts), adding a splash of broth or water since the noodles absorb liquid. Leftovers should reach 165°F.
- Variations: swap in orzo, small shells, elbow macaroni, or rotini; use 1 cup long-grain white rice instead of noodles; stir in peas, corn, mushrooms, zucchini, or spinach at the end; add 1/2 cup half-and-half for a creamy version; finish with lemon juice and dill for a lemon-herb twist.
- Slow cooker option: combine everything except the noodles, fresh parsley, and shredded chicken and cook on low 6 hours, adding noodles and chicken in the last 20 to 30 minutes and removing the carcass and bay leaf before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1BowlCalories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 28gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 1100mgPotassium: 350mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 50IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 8mg
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