This Rotisserie Chicken Soup is a hug in a bowl! It’s rich, creamy, and loaded with bacon, veggies, and mini raviolis. Bonus: it’s so easy to make.
When the weather is cold THIS is what you want to be eating. This rotisserie chicken soup is quick and easy to make, has a super flavorful broth, and is absolutely loaded with goodies: bacon, veggies, and pasta. PSST – don’t forget the bread for dunking!
Is rotisserie chicken good for you?
Yes! Rotisserie chicken — store-bought or homemade — is a great, convenient source of lean protein and is also packed with vitamins and minerals. Bonus: it’s very versatile. Turn it into soups, stews, casseroles, tacos, pastas, sandwiches, and more!
Ingredients
The secret ingredient to this recipe is pesto. A little stirred in at the end makes this rich and comfy soup ultra fresh.
- Bacon – cooked until crispy. For the best results, use high quality thick-cut bacon. The texture and flavor is much nicer and it’s easier to work with — it doesn’t stick to the pan as much as “regular” cut. Bacon adds a great, smoky flavor and crispy texture, but if bacon isn’t your thing, replace with 1/4 – 1/2 cup unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil.
- Onion, Carrots, and Celery – aka a “mirepoix”. This trio of vegetables is a very common base for soup recipes which provides flavor, texture, and nutrients. If you’re short on time, some grocery stores will carry chopped mirepoix in the produce section — you’ll need about 2 cup(s) for this recipe.
- Garlic – provides a subtle, nutty flavor and *bonus* is loaded with good-for-you vitamins and minerals. Buy jarred minced garlic to save on prep time.
- Spices: Italian Seasoning, Basil, Oregano, Salt, and Pepper – our homemade spice blend that compliments the flavors of the pesto. Most dried spices last 1-3 years when stored in a sealed container placed in a dark, cool pantry.
- Chicken Broth – provides a rich, flavorful base for our soup. Vegetable broth may be substituted if that’s all you have on hand. Beef broth would make this too rich and salty whereas water wouldn’t provide enough flavor. Use your favorite store-bought variety of chicken broth or feel free to make your own. If you’re using homemade broth, you’ll need 64 oz or 8 cups.
- Heavy Cream – makes this soup ultra rich and creamy. Want it lighter? Try half-and-half or whole milk.
- Rotisserie Chicken – our MVP! Any cooked and cubed (or shredded) leftover chicken will do, but use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for ease. For the best results, remove the meat from the skin and bones while it’s still hot.
- Frozen Ravioli – simmered in the soup until al denté (simply follow the directions on the package). For the best results, use a mini variety, so it’s easily eaten on a spoon. I used a cheese variety, but feel free to use your favorite flavor of ravioli.
- Pesto – adds a bright, earthy, fresh flavor to balance out the richness of the heavy cream. I would recommend using homemade pesto or a fresh store-bought variety like Rana Basil Pesto Sauce, which is found in the produce section. The most important thing is that you enjoy the taste of the pesto!
- Parmesan – adds a nutty, sharp flavor to the soup. Feel free to use a pre-grated variety. I also love using a “parmesan, asiago, romano” cheese blend for extra flavor.
How to make
This soup is packed with veggies, protein, and carbs! It’s a one pot meal the whole family will love.
- Cook bacon until crispy in a large stockpot, then remove, but reserve the grease.
- Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, salt and pepper and sauté until the carrots have softened.
- Deglaze the pan with broth, scraping up any any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, then stir in the cream and chicken.
- Stir in the frozen ravioli, then simmer according to pasta directions.
- Remove from heat, stir in cooked and crumbled bacon, pesto, and cheese, then taste and re-season, if necessary!
Can you use other chicken?
Yes. Any simply seasoned leftover cooked and cubed or shredded chicken will work in this recipe. You need about 1 pound. Be sure you’re not using an overly seasoned or sauced chicken (example: leftover saucy buffalo chicken wouldn’t be great).
Do you cook the veggies first?
Yes. Diced onions, carrots, celery, and garlic sauté in bacon grease for 10 minutes before stirring in the remaining soup ingredients. Bonus: although you’re sautéing the veggies first, everything is cooked in one pot!
Can you boil raw chicken in soup?
You can, but I prefer to use an already cooked, rotisserie chicken. If you’d like to use raw chicken, sauté 1 pound boneless, skinless cubed chicken in the bacon grease with the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and spices. Don’t worry if it doesn’t cook all the way through, it should finish cooking when the pasta is simmering to al denté in the soup.
Should you cook chicken before adding to soup?
It depends on the recipe. If following this recipe, the chicken will already be cooked before adding it to soup. If you’d like to use raw chicken, see Can You Boil Raw Chicken in Soup for instructions.
What to serve with rotisserie chicken soup
Potato soup is great served next to bread for dunking and a salad!
How to store
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing soups that contain pasta.
To reheat, heat either on the stove or in the microwave until warm.
Other rotisserie chicken recipes
If you love this soup made with rotisserie chicken, here are other easy recipes you may also enjoy:
- Chicken Potato Soup
- Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Crockpot Chicken and Noodles
- Crack Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken Tetrazzini
- Chicken Florentine Soup
- Chicken and Dumplings
– Jennifer
Rotisserie Chicken Soup
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
- 8 slices raw bacon roughly chopped
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 carrots diced
- 3 ribs celery diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 (32 oz) cartons chicken broth
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 1 rotisserie chicken meat removed from the skin and bones, then roughly chopped
- 1 (24 oz) package frozen mini cheese ravioli
- 1 (7 oz) container pesto I used Rana Basil Pesto Sauce (found in the produce aisle)
- ¼ cup grated parmesan plus more for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large stockpot over medium heat, add bacon and cook until crispy, then reserve grease, but remove bacon and set aside.
- To the hot stockpot with grease, add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Saute for 10 minutes, or until the carrots have softened, stirring regularly.
- Deglaze the pan with broth, scraping up any any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, then stir in the cream and chicken.
- Bring to a simmer, stir in the frozen ravioli, then simmer according to pasta directions (mine said 6-8 mins).
- Remove from heat, stir in cooked and crumbled bacon, pesto, and cheese, then taste and re-season, if necessary!
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Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.