Julie Clark
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Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup
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This Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup is an easy 30-minute soup with a store-bought rotisserie chicken, tender vegetables, egg noodles and a simply seasoned chicken stock. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end brightens the flavor.
Quick Look: Easy Rotisserie Chicken Soup
- Flavor: Classic homemade chicken noodle soup with a little brightness from fresh lemon
- Time: 30 minutes from start to finish
- Difficulty: Easy. Uses a store-bought rotisserie chicken
- Servings: 6
- Best for: An easy family dinner, sick-day soup or a quick meal on a chilly evening
Can I make chicken noodle soup with a rotisserie chicken?
Yes, and it’s delicious! Using pre-cooked chicken saves time and adds flavor since the chicken already has seasoning. The soup can be ready in about 30 minutes.
It tastes homemade. Starting with a rotisserie chicken doesn’t mean you have to settle for a canned-tasting soup. Sautéing the vegetables first and seasoning the broth as it cooks makes a big difference.
The lemon is subtle. A tablespoon of fresh lemon juice doesn’t turn this into lemon chicken soup. It simply adds a little freshness to the finished broth.
It’s one pot. Everything cooks in the same Dutch oven or soup pot. Which means fewer dishes to clean.
Have an uncooked whole chicken? Make my chicken noodle soup from scratch.
What is the secret to a good chicken noodle soup?
My biggest secret is to build flavor in layers rather than adding a lot of seasonings.
Start by sautéing the vegetables in olive oil. Then season the vegetables before adding the broth and sauté. The chicken broth, herbs and vegetables have time to come together as the soup simmers.
Then add fresh lemon juice at the end. This last step is small, but it makes a difference. The lemon doesn’t make this a lemon-flavored soup. It simply wakes up the flavors that are already there.
If you like a stronger lemon flavor, you may want to try my Lemon Basil Chicken Noodle Soup. It’s another quick chicken noodle soup that uses cooked chicken and is ready in under 40 minutes, but the fresh lemon and basil are much more noticeable.
Ingredients Needed
This simple soup is built from a base of chicken stock, carrots, celery, onions, rotisserie chicken, noodles and simple seasonings.
- Rotisserie chicken: Use a grocery store seasoned rotisserie chicken for the best flavor.
- Chicken stock: Or chicken broth. Either work!
- Onion, carrots and celery: This classic combination builds the base flavor of the soup. Slice the carrots and celery fairly thin so they become tender in the short cooking time.
- Garlic paste: Garlic adds another layer of flavor without making the soup taste heavily seasoned. Use a tablespoon of minced garlic if you prefer.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and amounts.
Easy Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup
This easy Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup is ready in 30 minutes! Made with a store-bought rotisserie chicken, vegetables, egg noodles and chicken broth, it's a simple homemade-style soup perfect for a quick family dinner.
Servings 6
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 whole rotisserie chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 10 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 1/2 cups egg noodles
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 cup finely diced yellow onion, 1 cup sliced carrots, 1 cup sliced celery
- Stir in the garlic paste, salt, black pepper, thyme and oregano. Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.1 tablespoon garlic paste, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 10 cups chicken broth, 1 bay leaf
- Add the dry egg noodles and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir every few minutes so the noodles don’t clump together or stick to the bottom of the pot.2 ½ cups egg noodles
- While the soup simmers, remove the meat from the rotisserie chicken and shred it into bite-sized pieces.1 whole rotisserie chicken
- Stir the shredded chicken into the soup during the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking, just until heated through.
- Remove the bay leaf and take the soup off the heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with fresh parsley.2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Notes
- Chicken: You don’t need to use every bit of meat from the rotisserie chicken. Save any leftover meat for another recipe.
- Noodles: Dry egg noodles work best, but you can substitute another noodle. Adjust the cooking time according to the package directions.
- Leftovers: The noodles will continue to absorb broth as the soup sits. Add a little extra chicken broth when reheating if needed.
- Freezing: For the best texture, freeze the soup without the noodles and add freshly cooked noodles when serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 2415mg | Potassium: 284mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3779IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg
How Do You Make Chicken Soup With Rotisserie Chicken?
Sauté the vegetables. Start by sautéing the onion, carrots and celery in olive oil for about 5 minutes. This gives the vegetables a head start on cooking and builds flavor before the broth goes into the pot.
Build the soup. Stir in the garlic paste, salt, pepper, thyme and oregano. Then pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf.
Cook the noodles. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the egg noodles and cook until they’re tender, usually about 10 minutes.
Prepare and add the chicken. While the soup is cooking, remove the meat from the rotisserie chicken and shred it into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken during the last few minutes of cooking, just long enough to heat it through.
Finish the soup. Remove the bay leaf, take the soup off the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice. Taste the broth and add more salt or pepper if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use leftover chicken?
Absolutely. This recipe is a great way to use leftover cooked chicken.
Do I use the rotisserie chicken bones?
No. This recipe is designed to be quick, so you can simply shred the chicken and discard the bones. The chicken stock provides the base for the soup, so you don’t need to simmer the carcass to get good flavor.
Can I use a different type of noodle?
Egg noodles are my choice, but you can substitute another pasta. Just adjust the cooking time according to the package directions.
Why did my noodles turn mushy?
Egg noodles cook quickly, so keep an eye on them. Once they’re tender, don’t continue simmering the soup for a long time. The noodles will also continue absorbing broth as the soup sits, so leftovers may have softer noodles than the freshly made soup.
Can I cook the noodles separately?
I don’t recommend it. The amount of stock allows for it to be absorbed by the noodles, so cook the noodles in the broth.
Can I simmer the carcass to add more flavor?
Yes! If you’d like, add some of the bones or the whole carcass to the stock as it starts to boil. Let it boil 30 minutes, then remove the bones and add the noodles to finish the soup. This adds a richness to the soup.
