Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Sauté the vegetables
- Melt the butter or olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften and smell fragrant.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly so it turns fragrant without browning. You should see small bubbles around the garlic.
Simmer the soup
- Pour in the chicken broth and add the thyme, dried parsley, and garlic powder. Stir to combine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Keep an eye out for steady bubbling across the surface.
- Add the egg noodles and cook for 5-6 minutes until almost tender. Stir occasionally so the noodles don’t stick.
- Add the leftover rotisserie chicken and simmer for 3-4 minutes until heated through. The broth should show gentle simmering bubbles around the chicken.
- Squeeze in the lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir until the broth tastes balanced and the lemon brightens the flavor.
Serve
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately. The parsley should look bright green on top of the hot soup.
Notes
For best noodle texture, cook the egg noodles only until almost tender, then simmer briefly once the chicken is added. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth if needed. Freezing is not recommended because egg noodles can soften too much. Dietary swap: use olive oil instead of butter to keep it dairy-free (the broth can also be low-sodium if preferred).