As a food blogger and home cook, I find myself making large batches of chicken soup quite often. While it’s delicious freshly made, chicken soup leftovers can get boring after a few days. However, with a little creativity, you can transform leftover chicken soup into a variety of new and exciting dishes!
In this article, I’ll share 19 of my favorite ways to repurpose leftover chicken soup so you don’t end up dumping it down the drain. From hearty casseroles to creamy dips, these recipes will help you get the most out of your homemade chicken soup.
Transform the Broth
The broth is the foundation of chicken soup, packed with flavor that shouldn’t go to waste. Here are some tasty ways to reuse it:
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Risotto Base Cook rice like Arborio in warmed leftover chicken broth instead of plain water or stock. The flavor infuses directly into the rice creating incredibly creamy, savory risotto.
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Sauce Starter Simmer broth with cream, Parmesan, and herbs to make a luxurious pasta sauce. Toss with your favorite noodles
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Braising Liquid: Braise pork chops, chicken thighs, or pot roasts in leftover broth for incredibly moist, fall-off-the-bone meat.
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Gravy: Reduce broth on the stovetop then thicken with cornstarch slurry for rich, meaty gravy, perfect for roasted chicken or turkey.
Reinvent the Chicken
Shredded poached chicken from your soup has heaps of possibilities beyond just chicken salad:
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Tacos: Toss with taco seasoning and fill tortillas along with standard toppings.
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Pot Pie: Mix chicken with vegetables, thicken broth into a gravy, and bake in a pie crust.
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Flatbreads: Top flatbread dough or naan with chicken, mozzarella, and pesto then bake until crispy.
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Salad Topper: Sprinkle on top of any salad for extra protein.
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Breakfast Burrito Filling: Add to scrambled eggs, cheese, veggies, and wrap in a tortilla.
Repurpose the Noodles and Veggies
Don’t discard those noodles and vegetables either! They still have flavor and texture to offer:
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Frittata: Incorporate chopped veggies and noodles into a frittata or crustless quiche.
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Stir Fry: Toss them into any stir fry recipe. They’ll soak up the sauce beautifully.
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Omelette Filling: Make an omelette stuffed with the noodles and veggies for a hearty breakfast.
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Casserole: Combine them with a protein, sauce, and cheese to make a chicken noodle casserole.
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Soup Topper: Cook noodles and veggies separately then add them as a topping to bowls of hot broth.
More Inventive Leftover Soup Uses
If you have entire containers of leftover chicken soup, get creative with these recipes:
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Creamy Dip: Blend until smooth. Serve with crackers, chips, or fresh veggies for dipping.
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Stuffed Potatoes: Scoop out baked potatoes and fill with warmed chicken soup and optional toppings like bacon and cheese.
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Soup Dumplings: Fill wonton wrappers with thickened soup and chicken pieces. Steam or pan fry into dumplings.
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Green Smoothies: Blend a mild veggie soup like butternut squash into your regular green smoothie.
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Bread Cubes: Pour soup over bread cubes, toast in the oven into croutons for salads or soups.
Tips for Proper Storage
When repurposing leftover chicken soup:
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Cool soup quickly before storage to prevent bacteria growth.
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Store in airtight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days.
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Frozen soup keeps for 2-3 months in freezer bags or containers.
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Always reheat thoroughly to 165°F before consuming or adding to dishes.
Making chicken soup from a carcass
I am a big believer in using the chicken carcass to make a homemade broth for soup (or any other dishes that call for stock). Not only is it delicious, it is cost effective and good for you.
You can read my full article about making a chicken bone broth here.
If you want to use the chicken bones for soup, simply toss the carcass in a large saucepan with an onion, carrot, a few fresh herbs, bay leaf and a sprinkling of black pepper.
This is all flexible and you can use whatever vegetables you have, but do read the article highlighted above first.
Fill the pan with water, bring to the boil and then let it simmer for at least an hour (longer if you can). Then strain it and it is ready to use in your soup.
Step 1: Saute the vegetables and herbs in the oil over a medium heat until soft.
Step 2: Add the stock, bring to the boil and allow it to simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Stir through the leftover chicken.
Step 4: Remove ⅔ of the soup and transfer to a large bowl. Use a stick blender to blend this portion of the soup. (You can also use a normal blender to do this if you dont have a stick blender).
Step 5: Return the blended soup to the pan. Heat through for 5-10 minutes until piping hot.
Note – you can choose to blend all the soup, or none of the soup, based on your preference. I prefer the depth of flavour that blending some of the soup gives, but like to retain the varied texture of the non-blended portion too. Personal preference!
Why you will love this recipe
- It not only uses up your leftover chicken but is a great way to use up any vegetables in your fridge.
- Its a very flexible recipe – you can use different vegetables or herbs, throw in some pasta, cannellini beans or rice – whatever you like!
- It is full of goodness and perfect for cold days or for when you are feeling under the weather.
Full ingredients with recipe instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
This easy chicken soup uses the following ingredients. Note that these ingredients are very flexible, so feel free to use up any vegetables from your fridge, use herbs from your garden and/or add in some pasta, cannellini beans or rice to the soup.
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Onion
- Carrots
- Cellery
- Herbs – I use thyme and parsley
- Chicken stock – I like to either use a pre-prepared chicken bone broth or make up a homemade chicken stock first with the chicken carcass (see below). You can of course use a shop-bought stock but remember: the better the stock, the better the flavour your soup will be.
- Leftover Roast Chicken – remove the leftover meat from the bones, remove any skin and chop the meat into small pieces.
Uses for Leftover Chicken Soup
FAQ
What can I do with soup leftover?
- Replace water with flavour. …
- Use it to make pasta sauce. …
- Use it to make Risotto. …
- Add it to make a casserole creamier or thicker. …
- Make healthy mashed potatoes. …
- Turn it into a dipping sauce. …
- Cut the fat.
How long is leftover chicken soup good for?
What can I use chicken soup for?
- 01 of 15. Chicken Noodle Casserole. …
- 02 of 15. Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak. …
- 03 of 15. Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole. …
- 04 of 15. Ground Beef Enchiladas. …
- 05 of 15. Creamy Tater Tot Casserole. …
- 06 of 15. Award-Winning White Chicken Chili. …
- 07 of 15. Cheesy Ham Potato Bake. …
- 08 of 15.
What could I make with leftover cooked chicken?
- Waste-nothing chicken & dumpling stew. …
- Easy leftover chicken curry. …
- Leftover roast chicken pad Thai. …
- Chicken & mushroom hot-pot. …
- Chicken & leek filo pie. …
- Spanish-style chicken pie. …
- Roast chicken & pea risotto. …
- Easy chicken & bean enchiladas.
What to do with leftover chicken?
If you’re looking for a rich, creamy chicken soup, this recipe is a great way to use up leftover chicken. The combination of spinach, cream, and chicken broth creates a velvety soup that’s both satisfying and comforting. The slight tanginess from the cream and the freshness of the spinach elevate this soup to something truly delicious. Ingredients:
What to do with leftover chicken soup?
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side. This spicy leftover chicken soup offers a bold, flavorful experience, with the creamy coconut milk mellowing out the heat from the chili powder and jalapeños. It’s perfect for those who enjoy a bit of spice in their meals.
What can I eat if I have leftover soup?
Beef, chicken, turkey, pork, tofu, shrimp, beans — any of these can be chopped small (where necessary) and added to a bowl of leftover soup for extra heft and flavor (and no waste!). Just like leftover proteins, extra cooked pasta or rice is a lovely addition to most soups, and can help stretch leftovers across several meals.
What to do with leftover chicken & barley?
This leftover chicken and barley soup is a warm and comforting dish, perfect for cool weather. The barley adds texture and substance to the soup, while the chicken provides rich flavor. The vegetables, combined with the savory broth, complete the soup, making it a wholesome and satisfying meal.
What happens if you eat leftover soup?
Tweaking the texture of leftover soup practically makes it into a whole, new soup, whether chunking it up with other ingredients or smoothing it out. A very convenient thing about having leftover soup on hand is that there’s a sensible place for leftover, fully-cooked proteins from other meals to find a delicious home.
What to do with leftover chicken & kale soup?
Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. This leftover chicken and kale soup is a perfect blend of nutrition and flavor. The kale provides a burst of vitamins and fiber, while the chicken adds protein to make the soup hearty and filling.