keto chicken soup
This Keto Chicken Soup with cauliflower rice will cure what ails you this cold season. Not only is it ultra-comforting and delicious, but it’s under 200 calories per serving and ready in less than 40 minutes! It’s rich and satisfying but grain-free. Even the kids love it!
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~It’s Stephanie here with a new cookbook review!
I love soups and stews and will make them year round, but during the winter they are a major staple in my house. So I was psyched when Carolyn Ketchum’s new cookbook Keto Soups & Stews landed in my lap.
Carolyn is the mastermind behind the awesome low-carb and gluten-free blog All Day I Dream About Food and author of several ketogenic cookbooks. We already gushed about reviewed another one!
What is Keto?
Keto is short for ketogenic which is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It causes the body to go into a metabolic state called ketosis, which burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates from food. Weight loss is one of the most popular benefits, but there are studies that show if may also help with diabetes, cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s.
If you’re interested in learning more about if it is right for you, to get started or what resources to seek out, this episode featuring two registered dietitians on This Unmillennial Life is a good one to check out. I think this post about the keto diet is really helpful for beginners.
Keto Soup Cookbook
Carolyn’s cookbook is perfect if you are just starting to think about Keto and low-carb or have been following a Keto diet for a while. She starts out with lists of kitchen tools and pantry items you’ll need. Luckily her soups and stews are really accessible, so you probably already have everything you need to dive right in.
There’s a great section on special Keto substitutions which is really helpful. Like swapping sliced cabbage for noodles, cauliflower rice for rice and turnips for potatoes.
I especially love Chapter 1: All About Broth. Carolyn does an amazing job describing the difference between bone broth, regular broth and stock and provides recipes to make your own, which I highly recommend when making soup.
How To Make Keto Chicken Soup with Cauliflower Rice
- I was really excited to try this Keto Chicken Soup. I’ve used cauliflower rice as a side and an addition to salads, but I’ve never tried it in soup. It was awesome. It added just the right amount of flavor and texture, so you truly don’t miss the rice.
- Here’s how to make the cauliflower rice: Cut the cauliflower in half and remove as much of the stem and leaves as possible. Then, cut the cauliflower into small florets removing any of the remaining stem. Place the cauliflower florets in a food processor or blender and pulse just until the cauliflower is broken down into small rice sized pieces.
- If you don’t have a food processor or blender, grate the cauliflower on the large holes of a box grater after cutting in half and removing the stems and leaves.
- You can also use purchased fresh or frozen cauliflower rice to save time!
- From there, this Keto Chicken Soup with cauliflower rice is super simple to make: Just sauté the onion and celery and then add in the aromatics. This will help bring out the flavor of the garlic, thyme and paprika.
- Then stir in the broth and then add the chicken and riced cauliflower and simmer until cooked through.
- To turn this keto chicken and cauliflower rice into a low-carb chicken noodle soup, just replace the cauliflower rice with low-carb noodles of your choice! I love the idea of adding zucchini noodles!
- It’s ready in just over 30 minutes. I love the gorgeous orangish-red color and subtle flavor the paprika adds and the chunks of chicken thighs are tender and perfect. It is surprisingly flavorful.
- We added on some parsley for a bit of color, but feel free to omit it if you don’t have any on hand.
Carolyn points out that soups and stews are actually the perfect Keto food.
Why Soups & Stews Are The Perfect Keto Food
- They’re simple, easy and adaptable. If you’re new to the Keto diet or cooking in general soups are a great place to start. Don’t have this or want to add a little more of that.. go for it.
- They’re economical. The Keto diet can be expensive with its emphasis on organic protein, but soups and stews allow you to stretch your ingredients.
- They’re quick. There are not many pre-made convenience foods available on the Keto diet, but many soups and stews can be ready in under 40 minutes making them the perfect weeknight dinner.
- They’re great for meal-prep and make ahead meals. Make them ahead and then pack them up for the perfect lunch on the go.
- They’re scalable. Have a big family… double the recipe. Cooking for just yourself… then make half. Most of these recipes can be adjusted very easily.
- They’re accessible. No weird ingredients you’ve never heard of or will never be able to find. You’ll be familiar with all of the ingredients, which will be really comforting when you are adjusting your nutritional plan.
- They’re healthy. This is the most important one. All of these recipes are chock-full of beneficial nutrients. Especially if you make your own broth!
I can’t wait to try some of the other recipes in Keto Soups & Stews. Like Spicy Tomato Bisque with Crispy Pancetta, Beef Mushroom and “Barley” Soup and Slow Cooker Cheddar Jalapeño Soup. So many soups, so little time!
This cookbook is great even if you aren’t following a Keto or low carb diet. Seriously, who doesn’t want a book filled with healthy and flavorful soups that your whole family will love!
Make sure you pop over to Instagram and get in on a chance to win a copy for yourself! Or if you are ready to go for it, here’s a link on amazon.
More Keto Friendly Recipes to Try
- Low Carb Mexican Stuffed Peppers, this low carb wonder is one of the top recipes here on healthy Seasonal Recipes. It’s ready in 20 mintues!
- Give turkey cutlets a chance and try this 20 Minute Low Carb Turkey and Peppers. You’ll have a new favorite protein choice!
- Keto peeps rejoice, here’s yet another easy way to enjoy cauliflower: Steamed Cauliflower with Herbs!
- if you’re looking for easy breakfast options, these Paleo Egg Muffins with Sausage are awesome for meal prep.
- I also love making this low carb spinach egg bake with cheddar cheese for make ahead breakfasts.
- For a tasty high-protein snack or appetizer, try these spicy deviled eggs! Hot damn!
- More easy breakfast options to try soon: grab-and-go high-protein veggie egg cups
- I bet you haven’t ever thought to roast cabbage before: curry roasted cabbage!
Thanks for reading. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review!
Printketo chicken soup
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Keto Chicken Soup with cauliflower rice is ultra-comforting, delicious and ready in less than 40 minutes. It’s low-carb, kid-friendly, paleo-friendly, dairy free, grain free and gluten free, too!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 cup chopped onions
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon paprika
4 cups chicken broth
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed
8 ounces riced cauliflower (about 2 cups)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery and onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, thyme, and paprika and cook until fragrant, about another minute. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil.
- Add the chicken and riced cauliflower and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the chicken is cooked through and the cauliflower is tender, about 12 minutes. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Cook and freeze this soup without the cauliflower and then add the cauliflower when reheating the soup, so it does not get mushy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 196
- Fat: 10.4g
- Carbohydrates: 5.8g
- Fiber: 1.8g
- Protein: 26.4g
Making this for the third time tonight! I don’t eat meat but my hubby does so I sub out the chicken stock for veggie and I add mushrooms. I make my hubby’s chicken on the side and then add it to his bowl. It’s been a hit every time!
I am so glad you like it and have made it more than once! That’s a true rave review!
Made this for dinner tonight. My family and I are not feeling well. So good! Super easy to make!
★★★★★
Hi Jen,
I am so glad it was a hit with your family, but I am sorry you’re not feeling great. I do appreciate your coming back to rate the recipe! Get better soon!
Has anyone made this in a pressure cooker? This does seem easy, but since I’m the sick one in trying to do the least amount possible 🙂
I’ll jump in here. You can do this in a pressure cooker. If your’s has a saute setting, follow the instructions to saute as directed above. Then once you add the broth and chicken and cauliflower, set it to pressure cook, seal and cook for 6 minutes. Then carefully release the steam. Enjoy!
It was cold outside and I really needed soup! I missed not having Rhee Drummond’s (Pioneer Woman) chicken and noodles. Made this recipe and knew I wanted that broth thickened a bit so I put in 1 tsp Xanthan gum powder and made a slurry with 2 tsp avocado oil. It worked great. I didn’t have celery so added broccoli. I forgot and added all the cauliflower (using cauliflower rice from a Costco) so I’ll have some great lunches! Be sure to add salt!
★★★★
Hi Tammy. Thanks so much for coming back to let us know you liked the recipe. I appreciate it! Stay warm!
Used this to comfort my cold and sore throat. Delicious and easy and made feel better and soothing to my sore throat.
★★★★★
So glad it helped Martha! I hope you’re feeling better.
I made this soup tonight and doubled the garlic and onion. Also used smoked paprika, which is one of my favorite flavors. I topped it with chopped cilantro and avocado. Delicious! I plan on adding a touch of cinnamon next time for a little more intrigue! Thank you for the inspiration!
I adore smoked paprika. Such a good call. I will have to try that myself. Thanks for coming back by to review the recipe Laura!
So good! I used chicken breast and olive oil instead (only because that’s what I had on hand) and it was amazing. My 3 year old even ate it! Will definitely be making it again.
★★★★★
I’m psyched to hear you both liked it Lynda! Thanks so much for the review and rating!
I just made – and thoroughly enjoyed – a batch of this soup! It’s delicious, and super easy to make. I used cayenne pepper (1/2 tsp) instead of paprika. It’s the first time I’ve cooked with cauliflower rice (I bought the pre-made) but it won’t be my last.
★★★★
The fact that it’s so easy to buy cauliflower rice now is such a boon! I love it too! Glad you liked the soup and added a kick of heat!
This was a very good soup and quite filling. I followed all the directions using my instant pot on high for 6 min as recommended in previous comments. I also added a splash of soya sauce just to give it the flavour I was wanting.
★★★★
This was delicious!! Even my kids enjoyed it!
★★★★★
I’ve made this many times now and it’s by far my favourite Chicken Soup recipe. Today I’m going to try adding fresh spinach . Sometimes I thicken it with just a little ground psyllium powder, but not always. It’s fantastic either way.
I added a little lemon juice at the end. I love this recipe, thank you!
★★★★★
This soup is glorious and a very uncomplicated recipe, I am back in to the page today to print it out in order to have it on hand so I can make it in bulk to sustain us with all this wet weather we are having, thank you
Annette
I cannot even tell you how many times I’ve made this soup (maybe 50 or more). I make it every other week and we have it for 2 or 3 days with salads or other side dishes. Amazing! The only substitution I have made is to replace the celery for carrots (not a fan of cooked celery). Other than this I follow the recipe exactly. Perfect for the spouse who is not on keto as well. Follow the recipe exactly and you won’t be sorry!
★★★★★
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