This is the chicken noodle soup I make when life is busy, we’re tired, and nobody is roasting a whole chicken on a weeknight. Rotisserie chicken keeps it tender and flavorful without extra steps, and the broth is layered so it tastes like you simmered it all afternoon. I’m not new to the “use what you’ve got” style of cooking. I’ve been developing soups and one-pot dinners for a decade, and I’ve picked up all the tricks for bringing real flavor out of store-bought shortcuts.
Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients
- Olive Oil
- Onions
- Carrots
- Celery
- Garlic
- Chicken Broth
- Ground Thyme, Salt, and Pepper
- Better Than Boullion Chicken Flavor Optional for Flavor.
- Fresh Lemon Juice Optional for Flavor.
- Egg Noodles or Spaghetti: 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).
- Rotisserie Chicken: If you prefer to cook the chicken yourself, you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
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.
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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 grab your FREE ebook with my best 30-minute one-pot meals! Dinner stress stops here.
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.
Substitutions and Additional Toppings Ideas
- Fresh Spinach
- Kale
- Mushrooms
- Broccoli
- Potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Corn
- Peas
- Green Beans
- Chickpeas
Frequently Asked Questions and Recipe Pro Tips
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.
Don’t skip the sauté. Onions, celery, carrots, garlic, get them in the pot with a little oil and let them soften and caramelize before adding liquid. That’s where the backbone of the soup comes from.
If you only season at the end, it’s too late. Add salt + seasoning when
sautéing the aromatics, adding broth, simmering, adjusting at the end.
Every layer should taste like something.
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.
Toward the end. Rotisserie chicken is already cooked, so you’re just warming it through. If you add it too early it gets stringy and dry, and nobody’s trying to chew cardboardy chicken in a comfort soup.
Wide egg noodles are the classic choice, but I actually like spaghetti. You can also use ditalini, fusilli, or bowties if that’s what’s in the pantry, just keep an eye on cook times.
If this happens you can try cooking the noodles separately and add them when serving. Noodles will keep absorbing broth as they sit, so if you’re meal-prepping or storing leftovers this makes a huge difference. Another option is to undercook the noodles slightly in the soup, but separate is the best move for texture.
Absolutely. Just store the broth and chicken separate from the noodles. When you’re ready to eat, warm everything and add noodles directly to the bowl. This keeps things from turning into chicken noodle porridge overnight.
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.
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
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.