Tessa's Recipe Rundown
Taste: Like the best part of Thanksgiving turned into a rich, savory, flavorful soup. Mmm mmm.
Texture: Luscious and creamy without being too rich and dense. I love the big chunks of tender turkey meat and potatoes. Pair that with a biscuit and I’m in heaven!
Ease: One pot and no laborious pie crust.
Pros: Quick, easy, and flavorful way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers.
Cons: None at all.
Would I make this again? Definitely – and I’ll definitely be making this year-round with chicken.
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This Pot Pie Soup recipe is so easy, so satisfying, and oh so cozy!
I love that this recipe can be made with either leftover chicken OR turkey.
This soup recipe is perfect for a regular Sunday evening at home, to use up Thanksgiving leftovers, or even after Christmas.
I get really sick of eating leftover turkey sandwiches, so for me, this is the perfect solution to endless Turkey Day leftovers. It’s a recipe that doesn’t make you miss the Thanksgiving meal because it’s so good itself!
I served this with some homemade Cheesy Garlic Biscuits, but the soup would also pair wonderfully with rounds of leftover baked pie dough or even rounds of puff pastry! Or just on its own.
This cozy chicken pot pie soup recipe is the definition of comfort food.
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Pot Pie Soup
What is Pot Pie Soup?
Essentially, pot pie soup is a lighter version of pot pie, using more broth, white wine, and vinegar to convert it into soup form! If you love pot pie, you’ll love this soup! It’s quicker and easier than an actual pot pie because there’s no pastry or biscuits on top – and sometimes, you just want a warm, cozy soup.
If it’s actual pot pie you’re looking for, though, I have a great Biscuit Pot Pie recipe.
Turkey or Chicken in Pot Pie Soup?
While this is the perfect use for Thanksgiving leftovers, you can also switch out the turkey for cooked and shredded chicken breasts, or even a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket. Whatever meat you use, shred the meat before adding to the soup.
Can I Customize the Vegetables in Pot Pie Soup?
Yes! Feel free to alter the types and ratios of veggies as you like, but keep the total volume/weight about the same.
Do I Have to Use Fresh Herbs?
Fresh herbs are preferred and highly recommended because they add so much collective flavor and depth to this dish – but dry herbs can be used too, if needed.
I have added dried herb quantities in the recipe to be added in with the half-and-half. You can alternatively use 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning to replace the fresh herbs. Again, this part is a little customizable, so adjust to your preferences.
How Can I Make This Chicken Pot Pie Soup Even Easier and Faster?
- You can use frozen vegetables to speed up the process and make this an even quicker meal.
- Some supermarkets otherwise sell a pre-cut mirepoix mix (onions, celery, and carrots) in the fresh produce section.
- I recommend using frozen peas for ease and flavor, but canned will work just fine.
- Combined with shredded leftover turkey (or chicken), this soup will come together super quickly for an easy meal after the exhaustion of Thanksgiving – or just an easy weeknight meal.
Can I Make This Soup Vegetarian?
Yes! Just omit the shredded chicken/turkey and bacon, and use veggie broth instead of chicken broth. I’d recommend adding another vegetable (or bumping up the quantities of the other veggies) to replace the meat. Corn, sweet potatoes, or squash might be nice.
Can I Make This Soup in the Crock Pot?
We haven’t tried that, but if you do, be sure not to add the cooked meat until the end, to avoid overcooking the meat. Let us know if you try this in a crockpot!
Can I Make Turkey Pot Pie Soup Ahead of Time?
Yes! You can prepare the soup, start to finish, up to 48 hours in advance, and refrigerate in an airtight container.
This soup reheats very well – though, as the soup sits, some of the liquid will be absorbed by the potatoes, turkey, etc., so when reheating leftovers, some additional chicken broth may need to be added. You may also need to add more seasoning, depending on your preference.
Simply microwave the prepared soup until heated through, or place in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan and simmer over low heat until warmed through, stirring often to prevent scorching.
How to Store Pot Pie Soup
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. As mentioned above, some of the moisture in the soup may be absorbed by the potatoes, turkey, etc., as it sits, so add a little more chicken broth as needed when reheating leftovers.
Can You Freeze This Soup?
We haven’t tried that, but I don’t recommend it due to the half-and-half.
What to Serve with Pot Pie Soup:
- Homemade Bread Bowls – serve inside bread bowls for the ultimate comfort meal!
- Buttermilk Biscuits
- Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks
- Red Lobster Homemade Cheesy Garlic Biscuits
- Easy Cornbread
- Homemade Hawaiian Bread Rolls
Other Cozy Dinner Recipes:
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Ingredients
- 4 slices of thick-cut bacon (1/2 lb), cut into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup celery, sliced
- 1 leek, white stalk, rinsed clean and sliced thin
- 1/4 cup (32 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine
- 1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into quarter rounds
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
- 2 cups (474 ml) water
- 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup (237 ml) half-and-half
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into half moons
- 3 cups leftover turkey or chicken meat, shredded
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives, for garnish (omit if using dried herbs)
- Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat, and cook the bacon pieces until crisp, about 6-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Remove bacon fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.
- Add the butter to the pot and melt over medium heat, stirring into the bacon fat. Add the onion, celery, and leek, and cook for 2 minutes. Mix in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour the white wine into the pot, and cook for 2 minutes, gently stirring to incorporate the flour mixture with the wine.
- Add in the potatoes, thyme, sage, and pepper. Pour in water, chicken broth, and half-and-half. Cover and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook partially covered for 10 minutes. Add the carrots and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the shredded turkey, peas, and cooked bacon, and cook until warmed through, about 3 minutes.
- Add in the red wine vinegar, salt, and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary before serving.
- Serve hot in bowls or warm bread bowls. Garnish with a crack of black pepper, chopped chives, and fresh thyme leaves.
Notes
This post was originally published in 2014 and has been updated with new photos and recipe improvements. Photos by Joanie Simon.
Great recipe! Whole family loves it! Have made with turkey left overs the last 2-Thanksgivings. Planning on making this a tradition for leftover turkey every year;)
Only thing I changed was adding carrots with potatoes.. but that’s just a personal preference, we like the carrots a little softer:)
Also just a suggestion;) I would go ahead and put the water in the recipe.. that confused me also first time I made it.. because I was not watching the video. After reading comments it seemed to confuse others also.
Thanks;)
Made this last year after Thanksgiving. It was better than I expected. I am cooking it right now to use up the last of the leftover turkey. This is an AWESOME recipe! No more turkey club sandwiches for me after Thanksgiving. Soup, soup, soup.
Great recipe! I thought I was going to have leftovers, nope!
yes or no to 4 cups liquid ????? (2 C water / 2 C stock.)
Crisped up some bacon and sage to sprinkle on top. Couldn’t resist. Delicious recipe.
YUM.
Looks Great…Going to try this tonight !
Oh, I wish I would have seen this BEFORE I used so much of my leftover turkey meat! I’ll have to remember for next year.
2cups of water and 2cups of chicken broth? I didn’t see water in the list of ingredients. Thanks
Hi! Since water is readily available in most all kitchens it’s typically not listed in the ingredients.
I made this yesterday, absolutely delicious. cooking times for all ingredients was perfect. Thanks for sharing.
So happy to hear that!
I will be making this, tonight. I have quite a bit of leftover Costco roast chicken, in my freezer. This looks like a scrumptious use for it!
Agreed, it is the WORST when no one else gets what you are laughing at! AWKWARD! But I am totally with you on this soup, delicious!!!
I really like seeing your recipes and videos but as someone from ‘over the pond’ some of the terms used are alien to me. What, for example, is ‘half and half ‘ please?
Half milk half cream – an easy one to substitute 🙂