This Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup recipe embodies both comfort and convenience. It harnesses the rich flavors of a store-bought rotisserie chicken, savory spices, rich broth, and an array of vegetables. The whole family will love these spoonfuls of tender chicken, nourishing vegetables, and perfectly cooked noodles, all within a bowl of soul-soothing goodness.
When life gets busy, we often crave the warmth and familiarity of a hearty bowl of soup, but time can be a limiting factor. That's where this recipe comes to the rescue.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Flavorful and Convenient: Since the rotisserie chicken is already cooked and seasoned, it provides a convenient shortcut for preparing a flavorful soup.
- Time-Saving: Using pre-cooked chicken significantly reduces the cooking time needed for the soup, allowing for quick and easy meal preparation.
- Rich Broth: The flavors from the chicken and spices infuse the broth, creating a rich and savory base for the soup.
- Comfort Food: Chicken noodle soup is a classic comfort food with depth and hearty ingredients.
- Less Waste: Use this recipe when you have leftover chicken you don't want to go to waste.
- Easy to Customize: The recipe can be easily adapted by adding various vegetables, herbs, or spices to create a personalized and flavorful soup.
- Family-Friendly: This is a soup that is likely to be loved by family members of all ages due to its familiar and comforting taste.
What Type of Noodles to Use
I like typically use egg noodles, but went with spaghetti here because those will also work. Using spaghetti reminds me of the homestyle Chicken noodle soup from Campbell's I ate growing up (that I wouldn't touch now lol).
Egg noodles will soak up the flavor of the broth without being mushy. You can use whatever noodles you want.
Rotini, orzo, or any rice noodles will work.
What Type of Chicken to Use
You can use any type of cooked chicken, including rotisserie chicken itself.
If you prefer to cook the chicken yourself, you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Both options work well and can be cooked through various methods such as grilling, searing, or baking. The important thing is to ensure the chicken is cooked thoroughly and is tender and juicy.
Whether you use rotisserie chicken or cook the chicken yourself, the key is to shred the cooked chicken or cut it into bite-sized pieces before incorporating it into the soup. This allows for even distribution of the chicken throughout the dish, ensuring each bite is flavorful and satisfying.
Juicy Chicken/Avoiding Dry Chicken
My first recommendation is to select the cuts of chicken with more fat, i.e. dark meat. Chicken breasts have very little fat and are more prone to drying out. I love to use chicken breasts for this soup, but keep in mind, breasts are a lot more dry than the other cuts of chicken. If you know this will bother you, don't use chicken breasts.
Instead of adding whole pieces of chicken to the soup, consider slicing or shredding the chicken. This allows the chicken to absorb the flavors of the broth and distribute its moisture more evenly.
Add the rotisserie chicken pieces toward the end of the cooking process. This will prevent them from becoming overcooked or losing their moisture in the broth.
Spices and Seasoning
I use salt, pepper, thyme, Better than Bouillon, and sometimes a bay leaf. I always add fresh lemon juice because I love the pop of flavor. Here are some other spices and blends you can use:
- Cajun Seasoning: I love to add this for a burst of flavor.
- Creole Seasoning
- Basil
- Rosemary
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Paprika
- Tumeric
- Italian Seasoning
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How to Make Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Add the olive oil to a Dutch oven or soup pot on medium heat with onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the veggies are translucent and fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth/stock, Better Than Bouillon, thyme, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste to the pot.
- Adjust the temperature on the pot to high to bring the broth to boiling.
- Once boiling, add the pasta. Within a couple of minutes the pasta should wilt down into the pot (if using long pasta/spaghetti).
- Place the lid on the pot and adjust the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 8-12 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
- Add in the chicken and stir.
Substitutions and Additional Toppings Ideas
- Fresh Spinach
- Kale
- Mushrooms
- Broccoli
- Potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Corn
- Peas
- Green Beans
- Chickpeas
How to Store
The dish will last for 3-4 days tightly sealed in the fridge. The texture of the noodles will change. I recommend making those fresh if you plan to eat leftovers or store the noodles separate from the broth and the rest of the soup.
How to Reheat
As mentioned above, the best way to enjoy leftovers is to store cooked pasta separate from the rest of the soup. The longer the noodles sit in the broth, they will become soft and mushy.
You can reheat the dish in the microwave or on the stove until warm. If using the microwave, heat the dish in small intervals. If using the stove, reheat on low heat.
The longer noodles are exposed to heat, the softer they become. By using gentle reheating methods and being mindful of the time, you can enjoy a piping hot bowl of chicken noodle soup with noodles that retain their desirable texture.
Freezer Tips
If you want to make this freezer-friendly, Make it and exclude adding the noodles. Make those fresh when you defrost the frozen broth, chicken, and vegetables.
Pair the Soup with These Recipes
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Lobster Grilled Cheese
Ham and Cheese Panini
Green Goddess Cobb Salad
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Shrimp and Avocado Salad
Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
More Soup Recipes
Chicken Lasagna Soup
Crockpot Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup
Sweet Potato Soup
Ham and Vegetable Soup
Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Pork Belly Ramen
Instant Pot Chicken Ramen Soup
Buffalo Chicken Soup
Autumn Squash Soup
Italian Sausage Soup
Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup
Want to save this recipe for later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later! You will also get our free digital cookbook with 30-Minute One-Pot Recipes and weekly recipes and tips.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onions
- ½ cups diced carrots
- ½ cup diced celery
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 7-8 cups chicken broth or stock See notes.
- ½ teaspoon ground thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon Better Than Boullion Chicken Flavor Optional for Flavor.
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Optional for flavor. Adjust to taste. Feel free to add this at the end so you can taste repeatedly.
- 7-8 oz egg noodles or spaghetti
- 1- 1 ½ pounds rotisserie chicken Shredded or diced into small chunks.
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a Dutch oven or soup pot on medium heat with onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the veggies are translucent and fragrant.1 teaspoon olive oil, ½ cup chopped onions, ½ cups diced carrots, ½ cup diced celery, 3 minced garlic cloves
- Add the chicken broth/stock, Better Than Bouillon, thyme, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste to the pot.7-8 cups chicken broth or stock, ½ teaspoon ground thyme, salt and pepper to taste, 1 tablespoon Better Than Boullion Chicken Flavor, 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Adjust the temperature on the pot to high to bring the broth to boiling.
- Once boiling, add the pasta. Within a couple of minutes the pasta should wilt down into the pot (if using long pasta/spaghetti).7-8 oz egg noodles or spaghetti
- Place the lid on the pot and adjust the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 8-12 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
- Add in the chicken and stir.1- 1 ½ pounds rotisserie chicken
- Cool before serving.
Notes
- The recipe makes 8-10 cups.
- Classic chicken noodle soup will use bone-in chicken pieces and often the whole chicken. Feel free to use it with no adjustment to cook time.
- For a thick and hearty soup with less broth, use 6-7 cups of broth. Use 8 cups of broth if you like a nice amount of broth in your soup.
- Nothing is worse than bland soup. Be sure to taste your broth repeatedly and add additional spices as needed.
- I like a lot of lemon flavor and usually use ½ a lemon. Taste repeatedly and use what works best for you or omit it if it isn't your thing.
- Better Than Bouillon is optional for additional flavor. You can omit it or substitute using a couple of chicken bouillon cubes.
- The dish will last for 3-4 days tightly sealed in the fridge. The texture of the noodles will change. I recommend making those fresh or storing them separately from the broth if you plan to eat leftovers.
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Heather says
I LOVE your slow cooker chicken noodle, but this looks like a great alternative in a time crunch. Thank you!
staysnatched says
It's so good for that!
Orvina says
I’ve taken some time off trying new recipes since my mom passed but I saw this posted on Facebook. I had almost all the ingredients (only missing celery), so I made the soup this afternoon. It was soo good and soooo easy. Perfect for the cold weather season!
staysnatched says
Sorry to hear about your mom. I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Skye says
Such a quick soup to bring together! Classic flavors with the ease of a rotisserie chicken.
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Ashley says
Such a yummy and easy recipe to put together without losing out on the classic flavor! Will definitely be making this on repeat!
staysnatched says
I'm glad to hear it will be on repeat!
K. Phillips says
We had a surprisingly chilly day that called for a pot of soup to warm us up. I loved how easy it is to bring this soup together and it tastes like it simmered all day. Plus, my kids loved the spaghetti more than the traditional egg noodle.
staysnatched says
Yay! The spaghetti is a great change of pace.