Leftover Roast Chicken Soup with Noodles
Leftover roast chicken sits at the heart of this quick and spicy Chinese noodle soup, and it's the perfect way to use up that Sunday roast.
It should take you no longer than 10 or 15 minutes to chop and prepare the ingredients for this recipe, and it cooks in around 8-10 minutes!
Quick and Easy Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup
So you have cooked yourself a wonderful roast chicken. The question is always, what do you do with what is left?
It's very much a nice problem to have, especially when cooking for two. Growing up, I would usually make a sandwich, but there are so many more options.
In recent years, this spicy chicken noodle soup has become my answer to leftover roast chicken.
It's wonderfully simple and uses ingredients that I usually have knocking around the kitchen.
It's quick too, chopping the ingredients will take 10-15 minutes, and cooking takes a lightning-quick 8-10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use leftover turkey?
Yes, this recipe is perfect to use up the mountain of turkey leftovers after Christmas, or Thanksgiving if you are in the US.
Can I use different vegetables?
Yes, you can throw anything in there that you have in your vegetable drawer. I tend to use stuff that I have left over from a Sunday lunch.
I've used everything from finely sliced carrot or swede batons, broccoli, sprouts and even thinly sliced parsnips and celeriac.
What is crispy chilli oil?
Crispy chilli oil is a fantastic Chinese ingredient that has a smoky, complex flavour and boatloads of heat.
I use a brand called Lao Gan Ma, which is widely available globally, but you may need to head to a Chinese store to find it.
Lee Kum Kee makes something similar called chiu chow chilli oil, which is often stocked in British supermarkets.
What noodles do you use?
Honestly, I use whatever I have lying around because this is one of those recipes!
I've always got a packet of dried egg noodles in the cupboard, and they work perfectly in this recipe.
Serving Suggestions
This is a simple soup aimed at using up leftovers, and as a result, I rarely serve it with anything.
However, if I wanted to bulk it out, I would likely add something to munch on before cooking it.
Some sesame prawn toast or crispy spring rolls would be ideal and would fit in with the Chinese vibes in this recipe.
Equipment Used
I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- Wok.
- Stirring spoon.
- A kettle, if you are steeping your noodles in water, and to make the stock.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Leftover Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g Roast Chicken 7oz Leftover
- 75 g White Cabbage 1 Cup (prepared volume)
- 1 Medium Echalion or Banana Shallot 50g
- 3 Garlic Cloves
- 15 g Ginger ½ Thumb Sized Piece
- 1 Bundle Dried Egg Noodles 65g or 2oz
- 500 ml Chicken Stock 2 Cups
- 3 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
- 2 tablespoon Shaoxing Wine
- 1 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Crispy Chilli Oil (I use Lao Gan Ma)
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon MSG (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Cornflour
- 2 tablespoon Ground Nut Oil
- 3 Spring Onions
Instructions
- Cook your noodles as per the instructions on the packet and then refresh them in cold water.
- Remove the skin from the leftover chicken and break it down into shreds.
- Remove the tough core from the white cabbage and then shred it as finely as you can.
- Cut the shallot in half, remove the skin, then cut it into half-moon shapes as thinly as you can.
- Peel and cut the ginger into batons as thin as you can.
- Peel and cut the ginger into batons as thin as you can.
- Mix the light soy sauce with the cornflour in a small bowl, then add the Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, crispy chilli oil, sugar and MSG and mix well.
- Cut the spring onion at a 45-degree angle to the stem as thinly as you can.
- Heat a wok over a very high heat and when it is hot, add the oil followed by the shallots and stir fry for 60 seconds.
- Add the garlic and ginger, then stir fry for 30 seconds.
- Throw in the cabbage and stir fry for 1 minute.
- Push the ingredients to the side of the pan and pour in the soy sauce mix. Once it begins to boil, stir it through the remaining ingredients.
- Pour in the chicken stock and bring everything to a boil.
- Add the chicken, reduce the heat and just heat it through; this should take no longer than a minute or two.
- Throw in the noodles, and again just heat them through, remove from the heat, stir through some of the spring onions, leaving a few for garnish, then serve.
Looks so delicious and comforting! I also love the bright colours! 🙂
I love simple soups like this. Simple and quick are always winners in my book. I also turn to Asian flavors mostly when I think of soups. They are my favorite!
What a tasty recipe! Love how you changed the flavors with this. So tasty!
Looks so delicious and comforting! I also love the bright colours! 🙂
Thanks Ellie.
I love simple soups like this. Simple and quick are always winners in my book. I also turn to Asian flavors mostly when I think of soups. They are my favorite!
Mine too.
What a tasty recipe! Love how you changed the flavors with this. So tasty!
Thanks Julie, and really simple too 🙂
I love how quick and easy this is! I need too cook more Asian dishes, yours always look so yummy!!
Thanks Whitney really is a fabulous simple little number 🙂
I love this Brian! And I love making quick soups too, especially in the winter. The Asian flavors and the star anise together sounds divine 🙂
Thanks Paige, it is a good job rotisserie chicken is not a thing out here in Hungary or I have a feeling we would spend months living off this soup 😀
Hi Brian,
Now THIS is my kinda food. I could have that for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Your version sounds SO Yummy!
Thank you Ann, me too so simple but the flavours are superb 🙂
This sounds so comforting! I love food with twists, so this is right up my alley!
Thanks Whitney, I love Asian flavours 😀
This looks so delicious...perfect winter food! Warm and comforting.
Than you Wajeeha 🙂
You nailed. Exactly the kind of dinner I want during the week. I'm going to look out for that vinegar next time I'm at my Asian Grocer - I've never heard of it before.
I hope you can find it, a very unique flavour but very common in chinese cooking sop hopefully you can find it, if not sub with balsamic, it aint the same but offers a similar richness and tartness 🙂
Thanks so much sir for sharing this with me and allowing me to share with others! It's a beautiful and comforting dish! Can't wait to see the new part of your website and hope we can share together again! Thanks!
You are more than welcome Sharee, thank you for your kind words... My new section is live and very new so not busy at the moment but just look for 'My Hungarian Adventure' in the menu bar at the top of the page, I'm looking forward to sharing a few bits and pieces behind the food in the coming months 😀
This is a great idea, Brian. This would be a great way to use up the leftover chicken in my house - since my partner is a vegetarian, I always have left over rotisserie chicken.
You could even do two versions and grill up some tofu for your partner and you enjoy the left over chicken 🙂
I've never actually made an Asian style noodle soup. I don't often include noodles in home soups now that I think about it... but the flavors in this dish are right up my alley!
You must give it a try Mary, they add a body to a simple brothy soup 🙂
Lovely! Perfect for day-after-Thanksgiving. 🙂
Definitely super simple too!
Brian this looks amazing and your photos are beautiful! I think I'm going to attempt to make this, this winter 🙂
Thank you Johlene, it is such a great simple dish on a day when you cannot be bothered.
I am obsessed with noodle bowls at the moment. Great way to use up leftover chicken. On my list for this week's lunches!
'Souper' Melissa, let me know how you get on 😀
Greetings from the FBC sharing group! 🙂 You have my taste-buds dancing here with this soup. I love all the flavors you have and I always try to use leftover roast chicken to make soup when I can. 🙂
Thank you Ramona 🙂
Heck yeah! I'd love to indulge on the chicken skin! haha! This looks so simple and delicious! I'll have to remember next time we have extra chicken!
Mmmmm Chicken skin, my favourite chefs perk 😉
I looove making chicken broth out of a whole chicken and then using the shredded chicken to add to soups for DAYS! I can literally eat chicken soup all day long and it is even better when turned into an Asian themed soup. Not sure I am familiar with Chinkiang Vinegar -- what does this taste like/what can it be replaced with if I can't find it?
I'm with you on the chicken broth, we keep chickens and often have too many roosters and they always end up in the stock pot... Chinkiang vinegar is a dark vinegar that does not really have a straight up replacement, but you can use balsamic vinegar as a push, it is not the same flavour however it is the same flavour profile, if that makes sense? It is a real staple of Chinese cooking though so if you have a good Asian store you should find it and it will last forever in your cupboard too and makes a great addition to all sweet and sour sauces.
That's great idea to use left over chicken for noodle soup. I will use it in my Udon noodle:D
Super, let me know how you get on 🙂
I love the sound of this. I always have leftover roast chicken and usually make a boring old sandwich the next day but I'm definitely gong to try this next time.
Aint nothing wrong with a good Chicken Sandwich, but a change is always nice 😀
Delicious! I'm a big fan of homemade chicken soup, and will whip up a batch on a whim any day once the weather turns cold. I'm intrigued by the Asian flavors in yours!
Thanks Jeff, I love Asian flavours, shame it is too late for coriander as it would work wonderfully.
This look delicious and love those bowls.
Cheers Molly, the bowls were super cheap from my favourite Asian Store, good job it is 160km away or I would be broke 😉
My husband would LOVE this! Awe, who am I kidding... so would I! And I'm the same way when it comes to noodle soups, somehow they all end up Asian influenced.
Thanks Jennifer, there is just something about Asian flavours that own broth based soups for me 🙂