Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

No ratings yet

1,098 views

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. This helps keep the content on my site free. please read my disclosure here

If you have leftover roast chicken or holiday turkey sitting in your fridge and you don’t want to eat the exact same meal two days in a row, you are in luck! This Hearty Leftover Chicken Lentil Soup transforms your basic pantry staples into a rich, warming, and deeply comforting bowl of goodness.

Spiced with warming cumin, curry, and turmeric, this soup tastes like it has been simmering all day, but it actually comes together in under an hour. The secret to its incredible, thick texture? We use white potatoes as a natural thickener and do a quick “50/50 blend” before adding the chicken. Whether you serve it with a slice of toasted, crusty bread or a warm pita, it is the ultimate fridge-clearing comfort food.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Ready in 30 Minutes (Active Time): Because we are using pre-cooked leftover protein, the cooking time is drastically reduced!
Naturally Thick: We rely on puréed potatoes and lentils to thicken the broth, meaning no flour or cornstarch is required.
Highly Customizable: Prefer a thinner soup? Add more broth. Cooking for vegetarians? Simply omit the chicken!

Ingredients You Will Need

You can easily make this hearty soup with everyday root vegetables and basic pantry spices.

The Base & Spices:

Aromatics: Unsalted butter, olive oil, diced yellow (or white) onion, and minced fresh garlic.
The Warm Spices: Ground cumin, curry powder, and turmeric powder. Frying these spices in the butter releases their essential oils for maximum flavour.
Seasoning: Kosher salt and a touch of brown sugar to balance the earthy lentils.

The Bulk:

Leftover Chicken (or Turkey): 3 cups, deboned and shredded into bite-sized pieces. (Rotisserie chicken works perfectly here!)
Dried Lentils: 1 ½ cups. I used green lentils because they hold their shape well, but yellow, red, brown, or black lentils will all work beautifully.
Potatoes: 3 large white or yellow potatoes, peeled and cubed into ½-inch pieces. These will act as our natural soup thickener.
The Liquids: 4 cups of chicken broth and 4 cups of water.

To Serve:

Fresh chopped Italian parsley and fresh lemon wedges. (Adding a squeeze of bright, acidic lemon juice right before eating cuts through the rich, earthy flavours brilliantly!)

How to Make Leftover Chicken Lentil Soup (Step-by-Step)

Phase 1: Sauté the Aromatics

In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the unsalted butter and olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add the diced onions and minced garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes until translucent.
Stir in the ground cumin, turmeric, and curry powder. Fry the spices for about 2 minutes until incredibly fragrant.

Phase 2: Simmer the Soup

Add the cubed potatoes, dried lentils, salt, and brown sugar to the pot. Stir to coat everything in the spices.
Pour in the chicken broth and water. Mix well and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
Use a skimmer spoon or ladle to carefully remove any foam that bubbles to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium.
Cook the soup, uncovered, for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until the potatoes and lentils are tender.

Phase 3: The 50/50 Blend

Reduce the heat to low. To get a perfect, thick-yet-chunky texture, ladle exactly half of the soup into a heat-proof bowl and set it aside.
Use an immersion blender to carefully purée the remaining half of the soup directly in the pot.
Pour the reserved, unblended soup back into the pot and stir to combine. (If you prefer a thinner soup, you can stir in 2 additional cups of water or broth right now).

Phase 4: Add Chicken and Serve

Stir your shredded leftover chicken into the thickened soup. Because the chicken is already cooked, it only needs to simmer for about 5 minutes to heat through!
Ladle into warm bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with a wedge of lemon on the side.

💡Pro Tips for Puréeing Hot Soup

Blending boiling hot liquids can be dangerous if you aren’t careful! Here are my top tricks for a smooth, safe blend:

Using an Immersion Blender: Hold the blender wand between a 45° and 90° angle, switching back and forth to grab all the chunks. To prevent hot splashes, drape a clean kitchen towel over the half of the pot you aren’t blending!
Using a Standard Blender (Avoid an Explosion!): If you are transferring hot soup to a stand blender, you must remove the small center cap from the lid. Cover the hole lightly with a folded paper towel. If you seal the lid completely shut, the hot steam will blow the lid right off! (Yes, I am speaking from experience. My kitchen looked like a crime scene! Do not make the same mistake I did).

Complete the Meal

This soup is a meal all on its own, but it is begging to be paired with some warm, freshly baked bread for dipping!

Soft Fluffy Pumpkin Dinner Rolls: Perfect for soaking up the thick, spiced broth!
Foolproof Sourdough Bread (Crispy Crust & Soft Center): If you have a starter on hand, this sourdough bread is the perfect loaf to pair with your soup!
Soft Pan-Fried Garlic Naan: The perfect dipping bread for this thick chicken soup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this lentil soup vegetarian?

Absolutely! Lentils are incredibly high in protein on their own. Simply omit the leftover chicken, swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth, and start with 1 teaspoon of salt (adjusting to taste at the end).

What type of lentils are best for soup?

Green and brown lentils are the most common choices because they retain a slight bite after simmering. Red and yellow lentils tend to break down and turn mushy very quickly, but they make excellent thickeners if you want a completely smooth, puréed soup!

How long does this soup last in the fridge?

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Because the lentils and potatoes will continue to absorb liquid as they sit, you may need to add a splash of water or broth when reheating it the next day!