An easy peasy chicken vegetable soup that’s perfect to throw together on a night when you’re craving something easy but comforting.
Easy, cozy, comforting chicken vegetable soup.
I love a good rotisserie chicken soup recipe, and my previous rotisserie chicken soup recipe is fiery with habanero salsa. This version brings in classic, comforting flavors. I make it with lots of veggies and aromatics, shredded rotisserie chicken, chicken broth, and elbow pasta for a comforting soup loaded with veggie goodness.
How to make this chicken vegetable soup
This soup is easy, and most of the work is just picking the chicken and chopping the vegetables. If your store sells shredded rotisserie meat, you can save time there! I bought a whole rotisserie chicken and picked the meat from the bones; well, my husband did anyway! If you can delegate this task, even better!
What you need
- Veggies and aromatics: The soup starts with a base of celery, onion, carrots, fennel, and garlic. I add frozen peas at the end. You can get creative here! Add diced bell peppers, diced potatoes, parsnips, or turnips. You can add frozen cut green beans or corn at the end instead of frozen peas or use a cup of mixed frozen veggies. This is a great way to use scrappy veggies in your fridge, so don’t be afraid to chop up that limp celery lurking in your crisper!
- Cooked chicken: Use shredded or diced cooked chicken from a rotisserie chicken. It should yield between three to four cups in total. I used four cups, but it’ll be okay if your bird yields a little less or a little more!
- Chicken broth: Since you’re not making homemade chicken broth, I recommend using store-bought broth, like Better than Bouillon, to maximize the flavor. You can use water, but you’ll want to add enough salt to compensate.
- Dry elbow pasta: Any short pasta like ditalini or farfalle will work here! You can also use broad egg noodles instead.
- Lemon juice: Lemon juice brightens the soup at the end, so I recommend not skipping it!
- Step 1: Sauté the vegetables until soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the shredded or diced cooked chicken.
- Step 2: Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Step 3: While the soup simmers, cook the pasta in a separate pot.
- Step 4: Add the peas, pasta, and lemon juice to the soup and let simmer for 5 minutes.
From there, you’re ready to serve it up! Simply ladle the soup into bowls and dig in! You can finish with a few cracks of black pepper, a pinch of minced parsley, or a few sprigs of dill to add additional bright, herby flavors at the end.
It’s a delicious soup and a perfect way to use odds and ends in your pantry or crisper!
Chicken Vegetable Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 ribs celery (trimmed and diced)
- 1 red onion (about 4 ounces total, peeled and diced; see Note 1)
- 1 fennel bulb (about 6 ounces total, trimmed, cored, and diced; see Note 1)
- 3 carrots (peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into half-moons; see Note 1)
- 6 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
- 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt (plus more to taste; see Note 2)
- 4 cups cooked chicken (shredded)
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 6 ounces dry elbow pasta
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Sauté the aromatics:
- Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the celery, onion, fennel, and carrots. Season with 1 to 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Add black pepper to taste. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes until the vegetables soften.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Simmer the soup:
- Add the chicken to the pot and toss to coat. Cover with 6 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
Cook the pasta:
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the dry elbows and cook for 6 minutes. Drain.
Finish the soup:
- Add the frozen peas, cooked pasta, and lemon juice to the soup. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and season, then remove from the heat.
To serve:
- Ladle the soup into bowls and enjoy!
