Chicken Noodle Soup from a Rotisserie Chicken

Name: Chicken Noodle Soup from a Rotisserie Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil; 1 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 3 medium (about 8 oz) (240 g) carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) rounds; 3 ribs (about 5 oz) (150 g) celery ribs, sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic, finely minced; ¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme; 8 cups (1900 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 2 cups (480 ml) water; 2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 6 ounces (170 g) wide dried egg noodles; 3 cups (about 14 oz) (400 g) cooked rotisserie chicken meat, skin removed, shredded or chopped into bite-size pieces, light and dark meat mixed; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A cozy, from-scratch-tasting chicken noodle soup built on a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Sweet sautéed vegetables, garlicky broth, tender egg noodles, and a squeeze of lemon bring it all together in under an hour.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 50 min
Makes: About 12 cups (6 generous servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 medium (about 7 oz) (200 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
3 medium (about 8 oz) (240 g) carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) rounds
3 ribs (about 5 oz) (150 g) celery ribs, sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
4 cloves (12 g) garlic, finely minced
¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme
8 cups (1900 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups (480 ml) water
2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
6 ounces (170 g) wide dried egg noodles
3 cups (about 14 oz) (400 g) cooked rotisserie chicken meat, skin removed, shredded or chopped into bite-size pieces, light and dark meat mixed
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Equipment (4)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) Dutch oven or heavy soup pot
Chef's knife and cutting board
Wooden spoon
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Pull the meat from the rotisserie chicken first (you need about 3 cups / 400 g); the chicken shreds most easily while still warm.
Use low-sodium broth so you can control the salt. Rotisserie chicken is already seasoned, so taste before the final salt.
Have all vegetables cut before you turn on the heat; the soup moves quickly once it starts.
Cook the noodles in the soup only if you plan to eat it right away. For leftovers, see the storage notes.

1
Prep chicken and vegetables
- Remove and discard the skin from the rotisserie chicken, then pull the meat from the bones and shred or chop it into bite-size pieces.
- Measure out about 3 cups (400 g) and set aside.
- Dice the onion, slice the carrots and celery, mince the garlic, and chop the parsley.
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Ready when: Chicken pieces are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) or smaller; vegetables are cut evenly.
Tip: Save the carcass in the freezer for making stock later.
2
Sauté the vegetables
- Heat the olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart pot over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery, and ¾ teaspoon salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 6 to 7 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion looks translucent and soft, and the carrots are slightly brighter in color, with no browning.
Tip: Lower the heat if the vegetables start to brown; browned onion makes the broth taste darker and heavier.
3
Bloom garlic and thyme
- Stir in the garlic and dried thyme.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 to 60 seconds.
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Ready when: The garlic smells fragrant but has not turned brown.
Tip: Move straight to the next step once you smell the garlic; burnt garlic turns bitter.
4
Add liquids and boil
- Pour in the chicken broth and water.
- Add the bay leaves and black pepper.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a full boil, about 7 minutes, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break across the entire surface of the broth.
Tip: Cover the pot to bring it to a boil faster.
5
Simmer until carrots soften
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so the broth bubbles gently.
- Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: A carrot slice can be pierced easily with a fork but still holds its shape.
6
Cook the noodles
- Raise the heat to medium so the soup returns to a steady simmer.
- Stir in the egg noodles and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally so they don't clump or stick.
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Ready when: Noodles are tender with a slight chew and no firm white center when you bite one.
Tip: Start tasting at 6 minutes; the noodles keep softening in the hot soup after the heat is off.
7
Warm the chicken
- Stir in the shredded chicken and simmer for 2 minutes just to heat it through.
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Ready when: Chicken is steaming hot and registers 165°F (74°C) in the center of a piece.
Tip: Don't boil the chicken for long; the meat turns dry and stringy.
8
Finish and season
- Turn off the heat.
- Fish out and discard the bay leaves.
- Stir in the lemon juice and parsley.
- Taste, and add more salt and pepper if needed, ¼ teaspoon at a time.
- Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
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Ready when: The broth tastes savory and bright, not flat; the lemon should not taste sour.
Tip: If the soup tastes flat, it usually needs a pinch more salt before more lemon.

Good to know

Tips

Mix light and dark meat from the chicken; the dark meat keeps the soup richer and juicier.
Cut the carrots and celery to a similar thickness so they soften at the same rate.
For a deeper broth, simmer the chicken carcass in the broth for 10 minutes in step 5, then remove it before adding the noodles.
Store leftovers with extra broth on hand; the noodles will keep absorbing liquid.

Make ahead

Make the soup through step 5 (without noodles) up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat to a simmer, then cook the noodles and add the chicken just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: up to 4 days in airtight containers; the noodles will soften and absorb broth, so add a splash of water or broth when reheating. Freezer: up to 3 months, best without noodles. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until steaming and 165°F (74°C), stirring occasionally.

Substitutions

wide dried egg noodles → small pasta such as ditalini, or 1½ cups (about 280 g) cooked rice. Cook small pasta for the time on its package; add cooked rice with the chicken in step 7.
dried thyme → 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves. Add with the garlic.
fresh lemon juice → 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Adds similar brightness; add a little at a time and taste.
fresh flat-leaf parsley → fresh dill. Use the same amount; dill gives a more classic deli-style flavor.