The best chicken soup is often the one you didn't plan to make. This leftover chicken soup transforms yesterday's roast chicken or rotisserie bird into today's cozy comfort. It's quick, economical, and honestly? Sometimes even better than starting from scratch.
The beauty of leftover chicken soup is its flexibility. Use whatever vegetables you have, whatever pasta or rice is in your pantry, and dinner is ready in 30 minutes. It's zero-waste cooking at its most delicious.
Best Leftover Chicken
- Rotisserie chicken: Already seasoned and tender
- Roast chicken: Use any leftover bits
- Grilled chicken: Adds nice char flavor
- Poached chicken: Super tender
Don't Throw Away the Bones!
- Save bones in the freezer
- Make homemade stock later
- Or simmer bones with veggies while you prep
- Even 30 minutes adds flavor
Customize Your Soup
- Any pasta shape works
- Rice, barley, or potatoes
- Clean out the veggie drawer
- Add herbs you have on hand
Leftover Chicken Soup
Quick comfort soup using pre-cooked chicken.
Nutrition per serving
245Calories
26gProtein
18gCarbs
8gFat
3gFiber
4gSugar
Ingredients
Instructions
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Sauté vegetables. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
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Add broth. Pour in broth and add thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer. If using pasta, rice, or potatoes, add now and cook according to package directions.
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Add chicken. Once vegetables and any starch are tender, add the leftover chicken. Simmer 5 minutes to heat through. Remove bay leaf.
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Serve. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in fresh parsley. Ladle into bowls and enjoy immediately.
Recipe Notes
- Quick stock: Simmer chicken bones in the broth for 20 minutes for deeper flavor.
- Rotisserie skin: Crisp it in the oven and crumble on top!
- Use any vegetables: Zucchini, peas, corn, spinach all work great.
- Storage: Refrigerate 4 days. Best eaten fresh.
