Slow Roasted Whole Chicken Soup

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There is no better way to kick soup season off than with this Slow Roasted Whole Chicken Soup recipe! Whole chicken slowly roasts in an intensely aromatic broth infused onions, garlic, & fresh herbs, until it's fall-off-the-bone tender. Serve the roasted chicken noodle soup with egg noodles & crusty bread for the perfect cozy meal. If you've never made chicken soup with whole chicken, you are in the right place - this is the coziest & easiest homemade chicken soup recipe you'll ever make!
Close up of browned whole chicken in a large white Dutch oven with soup aromatics before roasting.

Here’s the deal: there is absolutely nothing that makes me more giddy & excited than sharing a really, really cozy & comforting, makes-your-house-smell-like-heaven, damn good type of recipe.

The only thing that makes it better is when said recipe also just so happens to be the easiest (/borderline laziest), put-it-in-the-oven-&-forget-about-it-for-a-few-hours type of recipe. The combination of low effort & high reward is absolute my favorite when it comes to the kitchen.

So that’s exactly what we’re doing today. The coziest, laziest homemade chicken soup is here…

Meet your new favorite homemade chicken soup recipe: Slow Roasted Whole Chicken Soup.

Close up of browned whole chicken in a large white Dutch oven with soup aromatics before roasting.

This is the BEST homemade chicken soup I’ve ever made: whole chicken slowly roasts in an intensely flavored broth with onions, garlic, & fresh herbs. It’s the simplest one-pot operation & results in the extra rich & flavorful soup with fall-off-the-bone tender chicken. Add some egg noodles & crusty bread on the side, & you’ve got the most perfectly cozy fall meal.

Better yet, everything you need to make this soup is available at ALDI, my absolute favorite place to shop. Not only does ALDI bring in a huge assortment of fun, seasonal items every fall, they also always have the best basics – high-quality produce, proteins & packaged goods – & it’s all offered at the most affordable prices.

I always stock up on staple veggies & cooking broths at the beginning of the soup season so I can always whip up a pot of soup or stew on a whim during the week.

Next time you’re at ALDI (or next time you place a curbside or Instacart order online!), be sure to do the same…I’m pretty sure you’re going to want to be able to make this roasted chicken noodle soup on demand all winter long…

Slow roasted chicken soup in a white soup bowl atop a white surface. The soup is garnished with fresh herbs & there is a gold soup spoon nestled into the soup. A light blue & white striped linen napkin is placed next to the bowl, as well as a small plate with sliced bread sits next to the bowl of soup.

Good-for-the-body & good-for-the-soul – classic, cozy goodness. ♡ Read on to learn more about this Slow Roasted Chicken Soup, or jump straight to the recipe & get cookin’!

Homemade Chicken Soup Ingredients

Among the many reasons I’m obsessed with this homemade chicken soup is the fact that it is so easy. From its simple ingredients list to its straightforward preparation, this whole chicken soup is seriously easy to throw together, but you’d never guess it based on its deeply rich flavors.

It all starts with using high-quality ingredients.

Note: full ingredients list & measurements provided in the Recipe Card, below.

To make this roasted chicken soup recipe, you’ll need:

  • Mirepoix, the classic combination of celery, carrots & onion. I always buy these staple veggies at ALDI. I prefer a mirepoix made with lots of carrots & very little celery – you can adjust the recipe accordingly to suit your tastes.
  • Aromatics, namely a whole head of garlic, whole peppercorn, bay leaves, & fresh herbs like rosemary, sage, & thyme.
  • Lemon: A secret ingredient that adds much-needed acidity to offset the richness of this whole roasted chicken noodle soup. A little bit of fresh lemon adds the perfect zippiness to rich, brothy soups without making them overly lemony.
  • Chicken broth: While most scratch-made chicken soup recipes will use water, I think it’s silly not to opt for an ingredient with built-in flavor, such as broth or stock. I’ve written about it before – the Simply Nature Organic Chicken Broth from ALDI is a pantry staple in the PWWB kitchen. It’s certified USDA Organic AND it’s incredibly flavorful, which is not always an easy combination to find. Bonus points for being incredibly affordable. I highly recommend!
  • & lastly, whole chicken

What chicken is best for soup?

You’ll need a 3-4 pound whole chicken for this roasted chicken noodle soup recipe. Since it’s the primary ingredient in this homemade chicken soup, be sure to buy the highest quality chicken you can find.

It should come as no surprise that I absolutely looove the Never Any! Fresh Antibiotic Free Whole Chickens at ALDI, which are antibiotic-free & fresh, never frozen. Extremely high-quality with extremely affordable ALDI prices – a win all around!

How to make this Slow Roasted Whole Chicken Soup from scratch

If you’ve never learned how to make chicken soup with whole chicken, you are in for such a treat today! There’s no better smell than the aroma of a slowly simmered soup bubbling away in your kitchen, & there’s nothing more satisfying than diving into a big, cozy bowl of homemade soup.

A major bonus? This homemade chicken soup recipe is so easy to throw together.

Here’s what you’ll do:

Pouring Simply Nature Chicken Broth (sponsored) into large white Dutch oven with browned whole chicken, soup aromatics before roasting.

Note: full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are provided in the Recipe Card, below.

First, brown the chicken:

While it’s not traditional to brown the bird when making chicken soup with whole chicken, I really grew fond of doing so as I tested this recipe, for a few different reasons.

First, browning promotes crispiness. There is nothing better than crispy roasted chicken skin, which you don’t normally get with traditional homemade chicken soup. Second, browning helps “lock” in all of the chicken juice, preventing it from drying out as it cooks. Third, as the chicken browns, it leaves browned bits on the bottom of the pot, which helps create an even more intensely flavored chicken stock for the soup.

Next, build the broth:

With the chicken browned, you’ll add in the rest of the soup ingredients: poultry herbs, thinly sliced onion, garlic, lemon, bay leaves, & whole peppercorns. Pour the chicken broth into the pot, & your soup is ready to roast!

Roast the whole chicken soup:

Put the soup pot directly in the oven & roast for 90 minutes to 2 hours, until the chicken is cooked through. The skin on top of the chicken will be super crisp & the broth will have an intensely golden hue. Plus, your kitchen will smell like absolute HEAVEN.

Whole roasted chicken soup after roasting. A whole roasted chicken sits in a large white Dutch oven with a rich yellow broth & spent herbs, lemon wedges & garlic.

Finish the soup!

Remove the chicken from the soup. It’ll be fall-apart tender & so easy to shred into perfectly bite-sized chunks. Strain the broth to remove the spent aromatics. Return the soup to the stove with some fresh veggies, & let it simmer until they’re tender. Add the shredded chicken to the pot & serve immediately!

Easiest homemade chicken soup ever.

Whole roasted chicken soup in a large white Dutch oven. Shredded chicken meat is in a rich yellow broth with soup veggies (carrots, onion, celery) & topped with fresh herbs.

Serving & Storing Noodle-y Soups:

It wouldn’t be homemade chicken soup without adding some noodles into the mix! I always love using egg noodles, which are so nostalgically comforting & cozy – the Reggano Wide Egg Noodles from ALDI are perfect! – but you can use whatever short pasta shape you like best. Elbows or shells would be great, as would ditalini, orzo, or even alphabet pasta.

To add noodles to your whole chicken soup, simply boil the pasta separately as you finish simmering the soup. Once cooked, drain it off & spoon the pasta directly into your soup bowls for serving.

Slow roasted chicken soup in a white soup bowl atop a white surface. The soup is garnished with fresh herbs. A small wooden bowl of fresh thyme sprigs sits next to the bowl, as does a second bowl of chicken soup. There is a light blue & white striped linen napkin on the surface.

Whatever you do, do not dump the warm noodles directly into the soup pot. When left in a broth or stock, pasta will soak up liquid like crazy. This means your noodles will be soggy when you re-serve the soup AND the overall ratio of liquid in your soup will be wonky. Doubly no good!

Here are some tips for storing & freezing your roasted chicken noodle soup.

How long is homemade chicken soup good for?

When stored properly, this whole chicken soup will keep for up to 5 days. To store, transfer leftover whole chicken soup to an airtight container & pop the cooked noodles in a separate airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, bring the soup to a simmer on the stovetop or microwave for a few minutes. Add the pasta directly into the warm soup; the soup’s residual heat will warm the pasta.

How to freeze your whole chicken soup:

Transfer leftover roasted chicken soup to freezer-safe containers or plastic freezer bags & freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight & reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave as described above. Boil a fresh pot of pasta & serve.

Variations & Customizations – What else to add to chicken soup to give it flavor:

One of the perks of making roasted chicken soup from scratch is you have a lot of freedom to tweak & customize the flavors to your liking. As written, this homemade chicken noodle soup is pretty classic. With a couple of tweaks, you can take the flavor profile in a completely different direction.

Here are a few ideas:

  • Lemon herb chicken soup: While this roasted chicken noodle soup is made with both lemon & herbs, the recipe yields a very balanced homemade chicken soup. If you’d like to really play up on those lemony & herbaceous notes, double the amount of lemon & herbs.
  • Ginger turmeric chicken soup: Ginger & turmeric are 2 of my favorite immunity-boosting ingredients for the cold weather season. Add some thinly sliced fresh ginger & a couple of teaspoons of ground turmeric to the soup before you roast it for the most delish golden chicken soup.
  • Italian-style homemade chicken soup: There’s no meal that isn’t made better with a little bit of Italian flair. Add a few teaspoons of Italian seasoning & a parmesan rind to the soup before you roast it. Take it totally over the top by stirring a few spoonfuls of homemade pesto in your whole chicken soup just before serving.
  • Autumnal chicken soup: Amp up the coziness by adding some autumnal produce to your soup, like finely diced butternut squash or shredded kale.
  • Thai-style coconut curry chicken soup: Add a few tablespoons of your favorite curry paste to the soup before you roast it, & finish the soup off with thinly sliced onion, bell peppers, & a can of coconut milk. Best chicken curry ever!

But really…you can’t go wrong with a big ol’ cozy bowl of the classic, either.

Slow roasted chicken soup in a white soup bowl atop a white surface. The soup is garnished with fresh herbs. A small wooden bowl of fresh thyme sprigs sits next to the bowl, as does a second & third bowl of chicken soup. There is a light blue & white striped linen napkin on the surface, as well as 2 gold soup spoons.

Make this Slow Roasted Whole Chicken Soup next time you’re in need of a cozy & comforting home-cooked meal. It’s so simple to throw together on a lazy Sunday afternoon, & it feels like the most special meal.

If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know!: Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your PWWB creations! Happy cooking! ♡

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Browned whole chicken in a large white Dutch oven with soup aromatics before roasting. The pot is filled with chicken broth.

Slow Roasted Whole Chicken Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 11 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours
  • Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
  • Category: Soup, Stew & Chili Recipes, Main Dishes
  • Method: Stovetop, Oven Roasted
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Whole chicken slowly roasts in an intensely aromatic broth infused onions, garlic, & fresh herbs, until it’s fall-off-the-bone tender. If you’ve never made chicken soup with whole chicken, you are in the right place – this is the coziest & easiest homemade chicken soup recipe you’ll ever make. 


Ingredients

Scale

for the roasted chicken:

  • one (1) 4-5 lb whole Never Any! Fresh Antibiotic Free Young Chicken, giblets removed
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • one (1) 0.75-ounce pack “poultry blend” fresh herbs (or approx. 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 2 sprigs fresh sage, & 1012 sprigs fresh thyme)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
  • 1 lemon, cut into quarters
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
  • 64 ounces Simply Nature Organic Chicken Broth

to finish the soup:

  • 8 ounces Reggano Wide Egg Noodles
  • 23 medium carrots, finely diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 medium stalk celery, finely diced
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, ensuring a rack is positioned in the center of the oven. 
  2. Prepare the chicken: Remove the chicken from its packaging. Using paper towels, pat the surface of the chicken as dry as possible. Season the entire chicken, including its cavity, liberally with 1 tablespoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Optional: Using kitchen twine, tie the chicken’s legs together, securing them tightly against the breasts.Ingredients for whole roasted chicken soup arranged on a white surface: whole chicken, aromatics (mirepoix, garlic, peppercorn, bay leaves, herbs), chicken broth, lemon & egg noodles.
  3. Brown the chicken: Add the olive oil to a large (5-quart), heavy-bottomed, oven-safe Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, carefully place the chicken in the pot, breast side down. Brown 3-4 minutes. Using tongs, carefully flip the chicken, continuing to brown 3-4 minutes per side. Once browned, position the chicken in the center of the pot, breast side up.Browned whole chicken in a large white Dutch oven with soup aromatics before roasting.
  4. Build the soup: Tie the poultry herbs together using kitchen twine for easy removal (or finely chop if you do not have twine), then add them to the pot along with the thinly sliced onion, garlic, lemon, bay leaves, & whole peppercorns, arranging everything around the chicken. Pour the chicken broth into the pot, taking care to avoid pouring directly over the top of the chicken (which causes the crispy browned skin to get totally soggy!). Pouring Simply Nature Chicken Broth (sponsored) into large white Dutch oven with browned whole chicken, soup aromatics before roasting.
  5. Roast: Transfer the pot to the oven & roast on the center-rack, uncovered, for 1 1/2 – 2 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Whole roasted chicken soup after roasting. A whole roasted chicken sits in a large white Dutch oven with a rich yellow broth & spent herbs, lemon wedges & garlic.
  6. Strain: Carefully remove the chicken from the pot, setting aside on a plate or cutting board – the chicken will be fall-apart tender, so just be careful! Strain the chicken stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a heat-safe mixing bowl or a second pot. Transfer the strained broth back into the pot or Dutch oven the chicken roasted in. Set aside. Whole roasted chicken soup in a large white Dutch oven. Shredded chicken meat is in a rich yellow broth with soup veggies (carrots, onion, celery) & topped with fresh herbs.
  7. Finish the soup: 
    1. Boil the egg noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the egg noodles. Cook, stirring occasionally, according to package directions, 6-8 minutes. Strain & set aside. 
    2. Cook the veggies: Meanwhile, cook the soup veggies. Add the carrots, onion & celery to the pot with the roasted chicken stock. Bring to a boil & cook 10-15 minutes, until the veggies have softened. 
    3. Shred the chicken: Meanwhile, as the veggies cook & the noodles boil, shred the chicken. Remove the chicken meat from the carcass & pull into bite-sized pieces, as chunky or as fine as you’d like. Add the shredded chicken to the soup pot, stirring to combine. Cook 1-2 minutes, until reheated. Taste & season with additional salt & ground black pepper, as desired.
  8. Serve. Add a handful of the cooked egg noodles to a soup bowl. Ladle the chicken soup over top. Serve immediately, with a slice of buttered crusty bread, as desired. Enjoy!Slow roasted chicken soup in a white soup bowl atop a white surface. The soup is garnished with fresh herbs & there is a gold soup spoon nestled into the soup. A small wooden bowl of fresh thyme sprigs sits next to the bowl, as well as a light blue & white striped linen napkin. A small plate with sliced bread sits next to the bowl of soup.

Notes

  • Storage: Homemade chicken soup will keep, stored in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. Transfer cooled chicken soup to an airtight container. If you made egg noodles for your soup, store it in a separate airtight container. It’s so important to store the noodles separately – if left in broth or stock for a long period of time, they will absorb liquid like crazy, which not only makes the pasta soggy when you reheat it, but also messes with the overall ratio of liquid in your soup. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
  • Freezing: Transfer cooled homemade chicken soup to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Same concept for storing pasta separately applies for freezing – I’d actually suggest boiling pasta fresh when you reserve the soup. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat your soup in the microwave or on the stovetop.
  • 15-minute meal prep: All of the prep work involved in this recipe is chopping veggies. Chop them all in advance, storing in individual airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to prep your soup, all you have to do is get cooking – seriously so easy!:
    • Thinly slice 1 medium yellow onion
    • Dice 1 medium yellow onion
    • Finely dice 1 stalk celery
    • Dice 2-3 medium carrots (peel as desired)

Ready for soup season?! Here are a few more Soup, Stew & Chili recipes to try this winter!

Slow roasted chicken soup in a white soup bowl atop a white surface. The soup is garnished with fresh herbs & there is a gold soup spoon nestled into the soup. A small wooden bowl of fresh thyme sprigs sits next to the bowl, as well as a light blue & white striped linen napkin. A small plate with sliced bread sits next to the bowl of soup. A second bowl of soup peeks in the corner of the frame.

Follow along with Plays Well With Butter on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest for more unfussy recipes that pack a big punch of flavor!

Hi there, I'm Jess!

If there’s 1 thing to know about me, it’s this: I am head-over-heels in love with food. I’m on a mission to make weeknight cooking flavorful, fast, & fun for other foodies, & PWWB is where I share foolproof recipes that deliver major flavor with minimal effort. Other true loves: pretty shoes, puppies, Grey’s Anatomy, & my cozy kitchen in Minneapolis, MN.

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Comments

  1. 10.9.23
    Michelle said:

    I love the idea to brown the chicken and roast in the broth! The chicken turned out amazing, but my broth ended up being bitter. I think next time I will lower the oven temp to 375-400 because mine was cooked before 1.5 hrs and had reached a bubbling boil – I think you’re looking for a slow simmer. I might cut out one bay leaf as well, though it probably wouldn’t hurt to keep it at 3 if the temp was lower. Thanks for this idea, looking forward to trying it again with slight adjustments for my oven.






    • 10.9.23
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Michelle, so sorry to hear that your broth turned out bitter! We would definitely recommend a lower simmer, and you can of course adjust the amount of bay leaves you’d like, as well! Hope it turns out better for you next time!

  2. 10.12.22
    Ellie said:

    I have made this soup several times and am still surprised each time with the depth of flavor! The little extra efforts to brown the chicken and create that broth is beyond worth it. YUM!!






    • 10.12.22
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Thank you, Ellie! We couldn’t agree more – all the flavor from the whole chicken just gets built right into the soup. SO GOOD!

  3. 9.18.22
    Tim said:

    Lid on or off in oven?

    • 9.19.22
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Tim! Thanks for the question, the soup should be uncovered (lid off) when roasting in the oven. We’ve updated the recipe card directions to reflect this as well!

  4. 2.22.22
    Emily said:

    Followed this recipe last week & it’s in the oven again now. It’s perfect as written, thank you so much! On it my favorite things was being able to shred the thighs & legs for the soup and still have the breasts to eat the next few days.

    • 2.23.22
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Emily! Love to hear it, this is the perfect time of year to have Slow Roasted Whole Chicken Soup on repeat & that’s awesome you’re able to use the chicken breasts for meal prep! 💜

  5. 5.15.21
    Nicole said:

    So incredibly good – not much extra effort & a whole new depth of flavor. So glad I found this – thanks!!






    • 5.21.21

      Love to hear it, Nicole! Thanks for leaving a comment!

  6. 12.3.20
    Cameron C said:

    I was super nervous about roasting a whole chicken for the first time, but these instructions were so easy to follow! The result was aMaZiNg. The smell, the flavor, the plating-all perfect.






    • 3.9.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hey Cameron! We’re so glad the instructions were helpful & that you enjoyed this soup!! Now that you’ve done it once you’ll be a whole roasted chicken pro!

  7. 10.27.20
    Theresa said:

    This recipe was so delicious and so easy. It’s the first time I’ve made a chicken soup I like. Plays Well With Better recipes rock! Perfect for a fall dinner. Next time I’ll freeze some for when one of us has a cold, this is my kind of delicious medicine. 😋






    • 5.28.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Theresa! Definitely a good one to make extras of & save for later – we are so glad to hear that you loved it!

  8. 10.27.20
    Kate said:

    I have made whole chicken soup for my favorite homemade chicken noodle soup…..,BUT…your slow ROASTED whole chicken method is better! richer! robust…man oh man….will never make it any other way again. Try this! And hands off roasting!!!!






  9. 10.27.20
    Andrea said:

    This soup was so easy, delicious, and made my house smell incredible! I absolutely loved the way the chicken was cooking in this recipe, I think it’s a great base, and will use the method in the future anytime I want to make rich broth. 10/10 recommend!






    • 5.28.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Andrea! We couldn’t agree more! The whole chicken makes such a rich broth (& in such an easy way!). We are so glad you enjoyed, thank you so much for your kind words & for sharing!!

  10. 10.27.20
    Maria said:

    Seriously a crowd pleaser. I never thought of roasting chicken for soup but I really appreciated the level of flavor and texture it added! Definitely keeping this recipe on hand for the winter months.






    • 5.28.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Maria! Thank you so much for sharing! Roasting the whole chicken totally provides another level of flavor & we are so glad you loved it!

  11. 10.25.20
    Rachel said:

    So good!! My husband said it was the best chicken noodle soup he’s ever had!






    • 5.28.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Rachel! We couldn’t agree more – so so glad you both enjoyed!! ☺️ 💜

  12. 10.22.20
    Jessica said:

    This soup is so delicious and making it is so easy and passive! Hard to not eat it right out of the pot!






    • 5.24.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Haha we totally agree! Plus, it makes your house smell like heaven! Thank you for sharing Andrea – so glad to hear that you enjoyed!

  13. 10.15.20

    This was so easy and absolutely delicious. I used chicken bullion instead of readymade broth since it was in my cupboards. My kids were so excited about this soup that they asked I make it tomorrow again!