The Easy Soup Technique To Avoid Overcooking Your Leftover Chicken

Whether it's something you made yourself or a rotisserie chicken you purchased at the store, leftover poultry is the gift that keeps on giving. Sure, you could just microwave it with a few easy sides and call it a day, but if that idea sounds humdrum to you, there's always repurposing that meat into an easy soup. The issue is that the chicken you're using is already cooked, which means that if you're not careful, you might overcook it. We spoke to Stephanie Loaiza from Six Sisters' Stuff about how to ensure you don't turn your chicken into a stringy bite when you put it in a soup.

Loaiza said, "If you're using leftover chicken, you'll want to add it towards the end of cooking so that it is heated through. Depending on the thickness of the chicken (like cubes vs shredded), it should take about 10-20 minutes for it to heat through without becoming too tough." She also added that there's no special prep needed beforehand aside from chopping or shredding the chicken into the desired texture or size you prefer prior to heating it.

It's not just about the chicken, however. The majority of the soup is in the broth and other ingredients, after all, so don't forget to focus on them as well. There are a lot of key ways to make sure the broth of your soup tastes its very best, and one way to do it is to add bright lemon juice shortly before serving. This will add a bright contrast to the rounder savory notes, giving the soup some added dimension. And if you want to affordably bulk up your soup while adding extra umami flavor, you can elevate it with mushrooms, just like chef Emeril Lagasse does.

Plus, if you want a spice element that's got a lot of , it never hurts to add a touch of turmeric to your chicken soup; its taste also helps to counterbalance the herbs in some soup recipes. As long as you have some leftover chicken, chances are you have plenty of things in your pantry to turn it into a soup — just make sure not to add the leftover cooked pieces too soon, and you'll be left with a hearty bowl with chicken that's not overcooked.