Keto Chicken Soup
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
My one-pot keto chicken soup recipe is made with juicy chicken, tender veggies, and a warming broth. It’s the ultimate low-carb comfort food, with only 3 grams of net carbs!
Getting a cold may have its downsides, but for me, all I can think about is my mom’s famous chicken soup. I’ve adapted her family recipe and made a few tweaks to reduce the carb count without sacrificing any flavor.
Mom’s recipe calls for noodles, so I tested a few different alternatives to give the soup some extra staying power. I found that cauliflower rice added some bulk without affecting the carb count.
The result is a hearty, warming keto soup recipe that everyone, even non-keto followers, will adore.
Table of Contents
Why I love this keto soup
- Made in one pot. So you’re not stuck in the kitchen doing dishes!
- Easy to modify. Use whatever soup veggies you have, add keto noodles, or make this recipe more convenient by buying pre-made cauliflower rice. I’ll share suggestions below.
- Takes under 45 minutes to cook. Yet it’ll taste like it’s been simmering for hours.
- Multiple cooking methods. I prefer making chicken soup on the stovetop, but I also tested it in the Instant Pot and a slow cooker.
- Healthy and wholesome. Nothing (literally, nothing) tastes quite as comforting as a massive bowl of warm chicken soup.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“Absolutely unexpectedly delicious. I didn’t use cauliflower rice; I just chopped a whole head. We enjoyed the bigger chunks. Thank you for the recipe.” – Debbie
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into my low carb chicken soup, along with kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Soup vegetables. I used onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, also known as a mirepoix.
- Olive oil. To sauté the veggies.
- Salt and pepper. To taste.
- Chicken broth. Homemade or store-bought. If using store-bought broth, make sure it’s sugar-free (some sneaky brands add sugar).
- Bay leaves. For aroma and flavor.
- Chicken. I used bone-in chicken thighs because they’re naturally juicier and harder to overcook, but you can use chicken breasts or even a whole chicken.
- Cauliflower rice. Optional, but adding cauliflower rice adds extra bulk and nutrients.
- Lemon juice and parsley. For garnish.
How to make keto chicken soup
Step 1- Sauté the veggies. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the vegetables and cook for 5 minutes or until tender.
Step 2- Build the broth. Add the salt, pepper, chicken broth, and bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and add the chicken and cauliflower rice. Cook on low for 30-35 minutes until the chicken is tender.
Step 3- Serve. Remove from the heat and serve with parsley and lemon juice. If using a whole chicken, use two forks to pull it apart, then add the shredded chicken back to the pot before serving.
Alternative cooking methods
While I definitely prefer the stovetop method, I recently retested it in the Instant Pot and slow cooker, so you have options. Here’s how:
Instant Pot method. To the pot, add the oil and turn on the Sauté setting. Add veggies and cook for several minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Cook on Manual/Pressure Cook mode for 8 minutes, then natural pressure release for 5 minutes.
Slow cooker method. Sauté the veggies in a separate skillet, then transfer them to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and cover. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 6 hours. Stir the soup before serving.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Use a good-quality chicken broth. If I don’t have homemade broth on hand, using a quality broth is the secret to a really flavorful soup. I like Good and Gather chicken broth or Pacific Foods organic broth.
- Adjust the cooking time. Especially if you’re cooking a whole chicken, you’ll want to let the soup simmer for at least an hour. You’ll know it’s cooked when it falls off the bone naturally.
- Skim off the top. While the soup is simmering, I periodically remove the film that forms on top. This might not happen to you (especially if you use leaner cuts), but it’s something to keep in mind.
- Be wary of salt. The longer the soup cooks, the more concentrated the broth will be. I like to err on the side of caution and add salt at the end (once I’ve had a taste).
- Use store-bought rotisserie chicken. It’s a huge time-saver if you don’t have chicken on hand or time to cook it fresh.
Recipe variations
I’ve made this keto soup so many times that I’ve had fun changing things up here and there:
- Make it creamy. To make an even richer soup, I sometimes add about 4 ounces of softened cream cheese right before serving. Make sure to give it a good stir.
- Switch up the spices. You don’t have to add an excess of spices to make this soup flavorful, but if you WANT to, I’d suggest using a teaspoon each of onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Add noodles. I recently tested this with my keto pasta, and it was okay. I found shirataki noodles (easily available at most grocery stores) to hold up the best (although they have no flavor).
- Use different veggies. Honestly, you can use whatever low carb vegetables you have on hand, like zucchini, butternut squash, kale, or broccoli.
- Make it spicy. If you can handle the heat (or need to clear out your sinuses), add a few dashes of hot sauce or sauté ginger with your veggies to make an Asian-inspired chicken soup.
- Cheese it up. A little shredded cheddar cheese on top never hurt anyone.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 weeks.
To freeze: Place the soup in sealable containers and freeze for up to 6 months.
Reheating: To reheat from frozen, place the soup in a deep pot over low heat. Let it thaw slowly, and once it begins to simmer, give it a mix and serve. To reheat from the refrigerator, either microwave for 1-2 minutes or cook on the stovetop.
Frequently Asked Questions
My recipe yields 8 servings, and each serving provides 2 grams of net carbs. These carbs come predominantly from the carrots, so if you want a carb-free soup, omit the carrots and replace them with extra celery.
Adding raw chicken to the soup is a fantastic way to enhance its flavor, provided you let it simmer for at least 20 minutes. The longer you cook the soup (and the fattier cuts you use), the more flavorful it becomes, and the chicken falls off the bone.
Keto Chicken Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 large carrots chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped, approximately 2 cups
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 6-8 cups chicken broth * See notes
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 pounds chicken thighs or one whole chicken ** See notes
- 2 cups cauliflower rice
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender, around 5 minutes.
- Add the salt and pepper, then the chicken broth and bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and add the chicken and cauliflower rice. Cook on low for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
- Remove from the heat and serve with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice. If using a whole chicken, use two forks to pull apart prior to serving.
Notes
- Chicken broth amount: Use 6 cups if using bone-in chicken thighs, or 8 cups if using a whole chicken.
- Whole chicken cooking time: If you use a whole chicken, increase the cooking time to one hour.
- Tips: See my recipe tips above for making the best keto chicken soup.
- Leftovers: Keep in the fridge, covered, for up to two weeks. You can freeze portions for up to 6 months.
- Serving size: If using 8 cups of chicken broth, each serving is 1 2/3 cups. If 6 cups, it’s 1 1/4 cups per serving.
Nutrition
More keto soup recipes
- Keto taco soup– I love the cozy Mexican flavors in this soup – don’t forget to add the sour cream and shredded cheese.
- Keto French onion soup– I swapped out the usual baguette for toasted keto bread. It’s SO good.
- Keto broccoli cheese soup– One of my most popular keto soup recipes ever. It’s even better than Panera Bread.
Originally published October 2021
Have made my share of chicken soup in my day! This is without a doubt the best one yet!!
Thanks
Don
Tasty
Thank you, Amna- glad you enjoyed this recipe and thank you for the lovely review!
I want to try this but am confused as to how a whole chicken cooked on low for 3 minutes would yield tender chicken??? Am I missing something? Is the chicken already cooked?
Hi Jeni! Hmmm not sure where you saw three minutes, but for a whole chicken, I advise in the notes to cook for one hour 🙂
My husband sent this recipe to me to try for lunch and he loved it! Easy recipe, not too many ingredients, which is great and there is a lot of flavor.
Aw, thank you for the lovely feedback and review 🙂 I’m so glad your husband enjoyed the recipe!
Love this soup! I made mine with ground chicken and added cannellini beans and 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes. I also added fresh spinach!
Delicious
Whoa, Christine- those tweaks sound incredible. Thanks for sharing, and thank you for making my recipe 🙂
Delish! Thank You.
Can I do Slow Cooker ??
What is the serving size?
Hi! If using 8 cups of chicken broth, its 1 2/3 cups per serving.
The best keto soup recipe ever.
Thanks so much, Talia- I appreciate the lovely comment and review!
Absolutely unexpectedly delicious. I didn’t use cauliflower rice, just chopped a whole head. We enjoyed the bigger chunks. Thank you for the recipe.
I put a little less cauliflower &
Added extra veggies. Also a
Lot of dehydrated onions ,&
Extra garlic..Very Tasty indeed 😋😋
You cooked a whole chicken in 35 minutes? Wow!
Hi Andrea- that is with the chicken thighs. The recipe card says an hour for a whole chicken.l Enjoy!
Cool day in Michigan today. Made this soup without noodles. I keep homemade broth in my freezer so pulled out my broth. Already smells great and broth so good. Thank you for the recipe
I love your recipes!!! 😘😍🥰
I have made this several times now. I use rotisserie chicken leftovers, which I just toss in near the end. I have made with or without frozen cauliflower rice, with or without kale or spinach added, just whatever I have on hand. It is absolutely delicious every time! I garnish with avocado slides and sometimes crushed cheddar crisps. It’s a big hit with my whole family. Fantastic and easy!
Perfect for a chilly Spring day…thank u…I’m diabetic and can’t have noodles or pasta, so cauliflower rice is perfect.
I omit carrots for they are not low carb!!!