Description
A comforting and easy-to-make Chicken Noodle Soup using a rotisserie chicken and simple ingredients. This recipe offers two convenient cooking methods—stovetop or slow cooker—making it perfect for a hearty homemade meal with tender vegetables, flavorful broth, and satisfying noodles.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken (fully cooked, approx. 2 1/2 pounds, bone-in optional)
- 12 cups chicken broth
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 4-5 carrots, sliced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cups dry pasta
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked pepper
Other
- 1/4 cup corn starch (can use arrowroot powder)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for stovetop cooking)
Instructions
- Prepare Vegetables and Chicken: Chop the celery, carrots, and onion into bite-sized pieces. Carefully pull off the chicken breast meat from the rotisserie chicken and shred it if desired. Keep the bones if using for flavor.
- Sauté Vegetables (Stovetop Method): Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the chopped celery, carrots, and onion and sauté until the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add Broth and Seasonings: Pour the chicken broth into the pot, then add the shredded chicken along with the chicken carcass or bones. Add garlic powder, parsley, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and cracked pepper. You may place smaller bones inside a cheesecloth bag to avoid small bone pieces in the soup.
- Simmer Soup: Turn the heat to medium and bring the soup to a low boil. Allow it to simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes or until the carrots are fully softened.
- Remove Bones: Using tongs, carefully remove the chicken bones and bay leaf from the soup to ensure a smooth broth.
- Cook Pasta: Add the dry pasta to the pot and cook for 10-15 minutes or until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Thicken the Soup: Pour 1 1/2 to 2 cups of hot soup into a small bowl. Whisk in the corn starch (or arrowroot powder) until completely dissolved with no lumps. Stir the slurry back into the large pot and mix thoroughly to thicken the soup slightly.
- Serve and Store: Serve the soup hot and enjoy. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Slow Cooker Method – Combine Ingredients: Add all ingredients except the pasta and corn starch into the slow cooker.
- Cook in Slow Cooker: Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours, allowing flavors to develop and vegetables to become tender.
- Remove Bones and Add Pasta: Before adding pasta, remove chicken bones and bay leaf from the slow cooker. Add dry pasta and cook for 15-20 minutes or until al dente, checking frequently to avoid overcooking.
- Thicken Soup in Slow Cooker: Ladle 1 1/2 to 2 cups of soup into a bowl, whisk in corn starch until smooth, then stir back into the slow cooker to thicken.
- Serve and Store Leftovers: Serve warm and store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- You can omit the smaller bones by placing them in a cheesecloth bag for easy removal, which prevents small bone pieces in the soup.
- Arrowroot powder can be used as a gluten-free alternative to corn starch for thickening.
- Adjust pasta cooking time based on the type of pasta used and personal preference.
- Leftover soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- For a richer flavor, use homemade chicken broth if available.
