Here's a quick and easy recipe that uses leftover chicken meat and only takes 30 minutes to make. You can use leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken to make this flavorful comfort food. This homemade chicken soup recipe is a great alternative to chicken noodle soup that will soon become a family favorite! 🥣
This leftover chicken soup recipe is inspired by my Easy Roast Chicken and Homemade Chicken Stock recipes. Be sure to check them out!
Jump to:
Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
- Olive Oil: you can use any cooking oil. I just prefer using olive oil most of the time.
- Aromatics: Onion (white or yellow onions) and Garlic
- Vegetables: Carrots, Celery, Green Bell Pepper, and Tomatoes (I know it's a fruit! 😜)
- Chicken stock (preferably homemade)
- Fresh Herbs and Spices: Jalapeño Peppers, Cumin, Red Pepper Flakes, Chili powder, Cilantro, Salt, Ground Black Pepper. Bay Leaf would be a great addition and add a more minty and earthy flavor to the bone broth.
- Leftover roasted chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken: Save some chicken breast meat or mix in some dark meat for more flavor. Shred the chicken meat or cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- Tortilla chips (optional)
PRO TIP: Be very careful when handling jalapeños! They will leave residue on your hands and sting if you accidentally rub your eyes. I recommend using kitchen gloves when cutting jalapeños. If you don't have kitchen gloves, a quick hack is to use a piece of plastic wrap and use it to keep your hands from touching the peppers. 🌶
How To Make This Homemade Soup
In just four easy steps you can make this easy chicken soup.
- STEP 1: On medium heat, put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven or any large soup pot, add garlic, and onion, and sauté for about 2 minutes.
- STEP 2: Add carrots, celery, and jalapeños, and sauté for an additional 3 minutes.
- STEP 3: Add the chicken stock, diced tomatoes, and spices.
- STEP 4: Add the shredded roasted chicken or rotisserie chicken pieces to the pot. Simmer covered, for 20 minutes. Add more spices if needed.
What To Serve With Leftover Roast Chicken Soup
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and jalapeño slices if desired.
- Serve with tortilla chips, and avocado slices, or top with a dollop of sour cream.
- Serve with nice crusty bread.
- Serve on top of garlic fried rice, steamed rice, or brown rice.
- Serve with some cooked egg noodles.
Can You Freeze Roast Chicken Soup
Yes! This leftover roast chicken soup will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months and still be very flavorful. And if you used bay leaves, be sure to discard them before freezing the chicken broth.
How To Thaw Frozen Soup
Thaw the frozen soup overnight in the fridge or immerse the sealed container in cold water for a quick thaw.
How To Reheat Soup
- Stovetop: Place it in a pot and reheat it on medium heat on the stovetop until warmed through.
- Microwave: Using a microwave-safe bowl, heat the soup in 60-second increments until it's warm to your liking. Be sure to stir the soup to get rid of any cold spots.
What To Do With Leftover Roast Chicken
Check out these recipes in my blog that used leftover roast chicken.
- Homemade Chicken Stock: This recipe used the leftover chicken carcass from the roast chicken I made the other day.
- Chicken Flautas: Save some chicken breast then shred it to make this easy and delicious recipe. Great for a quick lunch or weeknight meal.
- Pancit Guisado: This Filipino noodle recipe uses chicken which if you use the leftover roasted chicken meat will add another depth of flavor to the dish.
Want more recipes? Go to recipe index to see other gourmet recipes sorted by category!
Other Soup Recipes You May Like
If you make this recipe, post a photo using the hashtag #JOZmahal. Let's be taste buds and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
📖 Recipe Card
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 cup Onion chopped
- 2 cups Carrots chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 stalk Celery chopped
- 1 fresh Jalapeño chopped
- 4 cups Chicken Stock
- 15 oz Canned Tomatoes diced
- 4 oz Chicken shredded
- 1 teaspoon Cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes ground
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder ground
- 1 teaspoon Coriander ground
- ½ cup Cilantro fresh
Instructions
- On medium heat, put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven/stockpot, add garlic and onion and sauté for about 1 minute.2 tablespoon Olive Oil, 1 cup Onion, 2 cloves Garlic
- Add carrots, celery, and jalapeños, and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.2 cups Carrots, 1 stalk Celery, 1 fresh Jalapeño
- Add the chicken stock, diced tomatoes, and spices. Stir and scrape off the browned bits at the bottom of the pot as this adds a delicious flavor.4 cups Chicken Stock, 15 oz Canned Tomatoes, 1 teaspoon Cumin, 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, 1 teaspoon Chili Powder, 1 teaspoon Coriander
- Add the shredded leftover roast chicken (or leftover rotisserie chicken) to the pot. Simmer covered for 20 minutes. Add more spices if needed. Garnish with fresh cilantro.4 oz Chicken, ½ cup Cilantro
Notes
- This recipe also works great with store-bought rotisserie chicken.
- Jalapeño is optional. However, if you like it spicy start with one jalapeño, then add more. You're my hero if you can handle more than three!
- Note with jalapeños, be very careful when chopping these as they can leave a burning sensation on your skin. So don't rub your eyes! Ouch!!
- If you don't have kitchen gloves to use when handling jalapeño peppers, get a piece of Saran wrap and use them to keep your hands from touching the peppers. I like to remove the seeds and chop the peppers for the soup.
- You can use fresh tomatoes, especially fresh from the garden will have a more robust flavor.
- The canned tomatoes, however, are quicker and will save you some prep time.
- Top with tortilla chips, sliced avocados, sour cream, or shredded cheese.
Nancy
Made this over the weekend and the spice was perfect!!
Kerrie Johnson
Yum! I am going to make this for sure!!!!
Joz
Awesome Kerrie! Let me know how it turned out.