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In her popular Instagram series #PretendCookingShow, Jennifer Garner shares her go-to way to repurpose leftover chicken: soup! She uses two secret ingredients to really make her recipe sing: vinegar and honey.
I decided to give the popular Jennifer Garner chicken soup recipe a try—and see if her secret ingredients made classic chicken soup even better.
How to Make Jennifer Garner’s ‘Leftover Chicken Soup’
Kristina Vanni for Taste of Home, Getty Images
While making soup is typically a quick and easy dinner, there are a few soup mistakes to avoid. A big one is the vegetables. Chop your vegetables first thing. They will then be prepped and ready to brown, which will produce more flavor than simply dumping everything into a pot at the same time. Once those aromatics are cooked, you can start the rest of the steps.
Ingredients
Kristina Vanni for Taste of Home
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 teaspoons dried thyme
- 3 teaspoons dried oregano
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic or champagne vinegar
- Leftover chicken (about 4 cups shredded chicken)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 2 boxes (32 ounces) chicken stock
Directions
Step 1: Cook vegetables and herbs
Kristina Vanni for Taste of Home
In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and cook over medium-high heat until softened. Add the carrots and celery, and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. A
dd the dried thyme and oregano, rubbing the herbs between your hands to break apart. Stir to combine, then add the red pepper flakes.
Step 2: Add the vinegar and chicken
Kristina Vanni for Taste of Home
This is the first secret ingredient! Add the white balsamic or champagne vinegar to the center of the mixture and stir. Then, stir in the shredded chicken.
Step 3: Add the honey
Kristina Vanni for Taste of Home
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Make a well in the middle of the Dutch oven by pushing all chicken and veggies to the sides. Pour your honey-lemon mixture into the center of the well. Allow to bubble, then stir for a minute and let reduce.
Step 4: Simmer the soup and serve
Kristina Vanni for Taste of Home
Add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer until ready to serve. If you like brown rice or noodles, cook as directed, separately, and add to each bowl as they are ladled out.
Here’s What I Thought
Kristina Vanni for Taste of Home
At first, I wasn’t sure what to make of the secret ingredients in this Jennifer Garner chicken soup. But as it turns out, adding a splash of vinegar and a spoonful of honey is a great twist! Along with the pinch of red pepper flakes, her soup has the perfect balance of salt, acid, sweet and heat.
Since the soup had a sunny California vibe, I took Jennifer’s recommendation and cooked some healthy brown rice to add to the soup just before serving. I liked how this added another texture and flavor dimension to the soup as well. This Jennifer Garner chicken soup is definitely something I’ll make again, maybe with leftover turkey during the holidays.
The Chicken Soup Recipes We Can't Resist
Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup
This is a wonderful addition to potlucks, and comes together so easily! Cauliflower makes a nice, extra-creamy backdrop for the classic flavors of chicken cordon bleu you can eat with a spoon. —Heidi Der, Stow, Ohio
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Mango & Coconut Chicken SoupI love preparing dinner in a slow cooker because it's "carefree cooking." This chicken dish uses ingredients that I love, such as coconut milk, edamame and fresh ginger. The Asian-style entree is perfect for a potluck party. —Roxanne Chan, Albany, California
Anaheim Chicken Tortilla SoupPut a little spice in your menu with my favorite Anaheim pepper recipe. The peppers, jalapenos and cayenne heat up this full-flavored tortilla soup. —Johnna Johnson, Scottsdale, Arizona
French Lentil and Carrot SoupIt’s crazy how just a few ingredients can make such a difference. Using finely chopped rotisserie chicken in this recipe makes it perfect for a busy weeknight meal, but you can leave the chicken out if you prefer. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia
General Tso's StewI love Asian food and wanted a chili-like soup with the distinctive flavors of General Tso’s chicken. The slow cooker makes this super easy, and you can use any meat you like. It’s a great with turkey, ground meats or leftover pork. —Lori McLain, Denton, Texas
Slow-Cooked Sauerkraut SoupWe live in Lancaster County, which has a rich heritage of German culture. Our dishes often include sauerkraut, potatoes and sausage. We enjoy this recipe on cold winter evenings, along with muffins and fruit. —Linda Lohr, Lititz, Pennsylvania
Coconut Curry Chicken SoupSimilar to a Vietnamese pho rice noodle soup, this red curry
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Chicken Fajita SoupThis south-of-the-border chicken fajita soup is a set-and-forget slow-cooker recipe that's a winner at family dinners and potlucks alike. Top it off with fresh avocado, shredded cheddar cheese and cilantro.
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Chicken & Vegetable Wild Rice SoupThis go-to weeknight recipe is one I tweaked over and over till it was just right. It has morphed from a labor-intensive wintry bowl to a steamy, comforting, slow-cooked favorite for our family. —Courtney Riggin, Hatchechubbee, Alabama
Curried Chicken Corn ChowderThis recipe is close to one my mom used to make for us kids when the weather turned cold. Hers called for heavy cream, but I came up with a slimmer version that I think is pretty true to the original! —Kendra Doss, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Chicken Tomato SoupCumin, chili powder and cayenne pepper give my slow-cooked specialty its kick. I serve bowls of it with crunchy tortilla strips that bake in no time. Leftover soup freezes well for nights I don’t feel like cooking. —Margaret Bailey, Coffeeville, Mississippi
Italian Chicken SoupThis satisfying soup gets its Italian flair from fennel, thyme, basil and orzo pasta. If you don't start with a low-sodium or sodium-free stock, you might want to decrease the amount of salt called for in the recipe. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Southwest Chicken Barley ChowderMashed squash helps make this chowder creamy but not heavy, and it's a favorite way to get barley on the table. My kids even ask for leftovers for lunch. —Pamela Cleghorn, Campbellsburg, Indiana
Thai Curry SoupPacked with vegetables and protein, this Thai curry soup is an easy, flavorful dish that takes just 30 minutes to prep and cook.
Buffalo Chicken Wing SoupMy husband and I love buffalo chicken wings, so we created a soup with the same zippy flavor. It's very popular with guests. Start with a small amount of hot sauce, then add more if needed to suit your family's tastes.—Pat Farmer, Falconer, New York
Slow-Cooked Chicken Enchilada SoupThis crockpot chicken enchilada soup is inspired by the Mexican dish and loaded with southwestern flavors from poblano peppers and enchilada sauce to juicy shredded chicken.
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi SoupI tasted a similar soup at Olive Garden and wanted to see if I could re-create it myself at home. Here's the delicious result! It's wonderful on a chilly evening. —Jaclynn Robinson, Shingletown, California
Lemon Chicken Orzo SoupLemon Chicken Orzo Soup is an excellent choice for when you want something that's satisfying but not too heavy. A little lemon zest and juice go a long way in this take on a Mediterranean favorite.
Lemony Chicken SoupWhile living in California, I enjoyed a delicious chicken-lemon soup at a local restaurant. When I returned to Texas, I experimented with many versions before landing on this one. —Brenda Tollett, San Antonio, Texas
CazuelaI learned to make this dish while we were living in Chile for a few months. We grow extra butternut squash in our garden just for this recipe. —Louise Schmid, Marshall, Minnesota
Thai Chicken Noodle SoupThe slowly simmered broth of this Thai chicken noodle soup is well worth the wait. Though once you add all your favorite toppings, it will be hard to slow down while you're enjoying this soup.
Chicken Cassoulet SoupAfter my sister spent a year in France as an au pair, I created this lighter, easier version of traditional French cassoulet for her. It uses chicken instead of the usual duck.—Bridget M. Klusman, Otsego, Michigan
Brown Rice MulligatawnyMy friends tell me this is one of the best soups they’ve ever had. One even said it’s “perfect.” No one guesses that it’s healthy!—Sarah Ott, Blanchardville, Wisconsin.
