Homemade chicken soup (using leftover chicken!) is much fresher, tastier, and better for you than canned chicken. This leftover chicken soup recipe is naturally gluten-free.
Who else is cooking comfort food this week? Me, I might be cooking a little stress… But at least it’s cathartic and productive, right? So, yesterday I put together a pot of leftover chicken soup with some cooked chicken from the freezer, plus the ends of some celery and carrots from my fridge. Soup is always good food, as well as a bit of aromatic comfort in unstable times.
Although this homemade chicken soup recipe ticks all the boxes when it comes to comfort food, I will freely admit that it is not particularly photogenic. (Part of that is turmeric; while it’s good for you and adds something to the flavor, it also stains everything a very yellow hue.) However, trust me: sometimes it’s all about taste and comfort, rather than appearance.
Chicken soup
now, chicken soup later…
Chicken soup also freezes quite well, if you want to cook a batch and freeze individual portions in 8oz bowls of containers or bowls of 12oz containers. (I just ordered a new batch of these, as they tend to wander over the years…) It’s always good to have some homemade soup on hand for the future. Also:
- If you have extra cooked chicken, you can always double this recipe to make a bigger pot.
- Feeling spicy? Check out the leftover chicken taco soup.
- If you’re using fresh chicken, check out this older recipe for an incredibly fantastic large pot of homemade chicken soup.
- In the fall, try leftover chicken soup with pumpkin and kale.
- Want a brighter taste? Tuscan chicken and white bean soup should do the trick.
seriously… You can’t go wrong with chicken soup. (We always used to refer to it as Jewish penicillin in our home for a reason!)
Easy ingredients of
leftover chicken soup 1 tablespoon olive oil3 carrots, peeled and chopped2 celery stalks, chopped1 medium yellow onion, chopped2 teaspoons chopped garlic (about 4 cloves)4 cups chicken broth2 cups water1.5 cups leftover,
chopped or shredded cooked chicken1 bay leaf1 teaspoon thyme1 teaspoon parsley1/2 teaspoon turmeric1/4 teaspoon cayenneBlack pepper, to tasteSea salt, to taste
Directions
Chop the chicken, carrots, celery, onion and garlic
.
Heat the olive oil in a pot of Dutch soup or oven over medium heat until it shines, then add the carrots, celery and onion
.
Sauté for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and continue cooking over medium heat for another two minutes.
Add the chicken
broth, water, chicken and spices to the pot. Stir, increase the heat and boil the pot.
Dekim, if necessary (if you use chicken breast, you may not have to). Stir, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove and discard the bay leaf, and serve.
Note: Go light on the salt, because the broth is already salty. You can always try and add a little more at the end, if you want.
Basic chicken soup is a commodity
Comfort yourself in a basic bowl of chicken soup, which reminds us to slow down and find some solace in the little things. It’s easy to make this leftover chicken soup recipe with shredded roast chicken or leftover roast chicken, or you can poach a chicken breast or cook it in your Instant Pot.
The leftover chicken soup is just as good, with its classic veggies plus some garlic, turmeric, and cayenne. (We’re having leftover chicken soup leftovers for dinner here again tonight!) Homemade chicken soup is always fresher and better for you than canned, and naturally gluten-free.
Leftover chicken soup, printable
recipe
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