A delicious keto chicken and vegetable soup that can help you reach your weight loss goals – especially when used as part of my 5 Day Soup Diet! Make it once and reheat all week with great results! Originally posted in Woman’s World Magazine as the IBIH Turbo Atkins Soup Diet.
Try my 5 Day Keto Chicken Soup Diet for quick and easy weight loss! Most lose 5 lbs or more on this plan, which is perfect to get yourself back on track after an indulgence, or to lose weight for an event (wedding, vacation, reunion, etc.)
This keto chicken soup originated when Woman’s World Magazine reached out and asked me to create a low carb soup recipe using chicken and lots of healthy low carb veggies for the Turbo Atkins Diet Soup feature they were running in the November 9th issue.
Of course I wanted this keto chicken soup recipe to be delicious, but I also wanted it to be undeniably healthy – since so many critics are still under the misconception that a keto diet is all bacon, steak and cheese, with little to no vegetables.
That’s just not true – or at least it doesn’t have to be if you are mindful about where your carbs are coming from.
This Keto Chicken Soup Diet recipe is loaded with delicious veggies that are low in carbs, filling, and tremendously good for you – making it the perfect complement to any low carb diet plan.
In addition to being low calorie, low carb, keto, paleo, delicious and super healthy, there is nothing more comforting than a steaming bowl of soup when it’s gloomy and cold outside – making this keto chicken soup recipe a winner on all fronts!
Now let’s talk about some of these ingredients – because every single one of them was chosen for a purpose!
I went with chicken as my protein because it’s widely available and has a mild flavor that pairs well with all of these veggies. Of course I added bacon, because it adds a lovely smoky flavor and a hint of decadence – it also provides some of the metabolism boosting fat in this recipe.
Celery root (Celeriac) is the perfect alternative to potatoes in low carb chicken soup recipes (like this one) because it’s super filling and loaded with fiber, antioxidants, and a hefty dose of phosphorus, Vitamin K, and Vitamin C. If you can’t find celery root you can use cauliflower, jicama, or even turnips as a replacement – DON’T SUB PARSNIPS AS THEY ARE TOO HIGH IN CARBS.
I included regular white mushrooms in this keto chicken soup recipe, because they are not only inexpensive and low in carbs, but surprisingly high in antioxidants, B-vitamins, and Selenium! (as a side point, in the Woman’s World article they called for Vitamin D enhanced mushrooms – I’ve never heard of them, regular white or baby bella mushrooms are fine.)
The yellow squash adds color and texture, but it’s also high in potassium (especially important on a low carb diet) and Vitamin A.
You can substitute any greens in this keto chicken soup (EXCEPT KALE WHICH IS HIGH IN CARBS,) but I went with swiss chard in this keto chicken soup recipe because it holds up better in liquids than spinach, which tends to turn the broth muddy. I also love the texture and color of the swiss chard stalks, and the fact that it’s low in calories and carbs but incredibly nutrient dense.
If you’re not familiar with Swiss chard (aka. silverbeet), I wrote a post about Swiss Chard which includes information on nutrition, health benefits, culinary uses, and even how to grow it in your garden!
Next up – garlic, onion, and sun-dried tomatoes not only add flavor to this keto chicken soup, but are also powerful antioxidants and contain immune boosting compounds just in time for cold and flu season!
The green beans I added for color, texture, and low carb/calorie filler (not that they don’t also provide valuable nutrients), and the red wine vinegar added at the end of cooking balances out the flavor of the low carb chicken soup and gives it a mouth-watering quality that keeps you coming back for more.
You can also substitute apple cider vinegar if you prefer. You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes – just be sure to add it at the end so you don’t lose the slight tang during the cooking process.
Finally, the fresh basil over the top gives it a punch of brightness and unites all of the other flavors, making every bite pure bliss.
All of those healthy and delicious ingredients combine beautifully to make this incredible keto chicken soup – which comes in at just 136 calories and 4g net carbs!
While there is some chopping involved, once you’ve made this big pot of keto chicken soup you can store it in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for several months and have it at the ready whenever you want some. (If you also happen to have some of my Sundried Tomato & Asiago Zucchini Muffins in there then you are winning at life my friend.) ?
I think the flavors in this low carb chicken soup get even better with time – and the people who tested it for the Woman’s World article agreed!
Replacing just one meal per day with a bowl of this hearty keto chicken soup will not only load you up with healthy vitamins and minerals, it is also a powerful weight loss tool because it is so filling and has so little calories!
Have this keto chicken soup for lunch AND dinner and you could lose up to 10 pounds in one week, as did some of the test subjects for the magazine article!
If you give the 5 Day Soup Diet a try be sure to let us all know how you do!
SUBSTITUTION NOTES:
As per the comments and Facebook Group, quite a few are subbing in parsnips and kale in this keto chicken soup, but as you can see by this list those are the highest possible carb options and can absolutely affect your weightloss on this plan! There is room for subs, but be smart about it per this list!
(Approximate weight for root veggies is 5 oz)
1 cup turnips – 6g net carbs
1 cup celery root – 11g net carbs
1 cup parsnips – 18g net carbs
1 cup jicama – 5g net carbs
1 cup cauliflower – 3.5g net carbs
Greens (approximate weight 1.3 oz)
1 cup Kale – 5.5g net carbs
1 cup Collards – 0.7g net carbs
1 cup swiss chard – 0.7g net carbs
1 cup fresh spinach – 0.6g net carbs
Keto Chicken Soup – Keto Soup Diet Recipe
- Total Time: 42 minutes
- Yield: Fourteen servings
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
This delicious keto chicken soup recipe is loaded with healthy veggies and chicken. It’s so good it was featured in Woman’s World Magazine in November 2015!
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup sliced white mushrooms
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups celery root, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes (or cauliflower, jicama, radish, turnip)
- 4 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped
- 2 cups yellow squash, sliced and quartered
- 1 cup green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 4 cups swiss chard, chopped (or collards – NOT KALE)
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, cook the bacon and olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes.
- Add the onions, garlic, sundried tomatoes, and mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken stock and water, then add the celery root and chicken. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the squash, green beans, and swiss chard and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in the fresh basil just before serving.
Notes
Approx nutrition info per 1.5 cup serving: 136 calories, 4g fat, 4g net carbs, 19g protein
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 27 minutes
- Category: keto Soup
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 136
- Fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 4g net
- Protein: 19g
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Heather says
Wonderful recipe!
angeliczoa says
It is amazing! I followed the recipe exactly! I am so happy to have this soup. Thank you so much. I will make this soup often just to have in the refrigerator when I am not hungry, due to the heat and being in ketosis.
10 stars if I could!
Thanks again!!
Mellissa Sevigny says
You gave a recipe you didn’t even follow 3 stars – your changes sound like they would taste awful but that’s not the fault of my recipe. AND if you’re working out that hard you shouldn’t need me to tell you that you’re probably not getting enough calories on this plan so no wonder you are starving and not losing. There could be any number of reasons for the bloating, were you already keto before? if not you’re detoxing from carbs, gluten, dairy, sweeteners, and your body will rebel against all of that. If you were keto already then you could still be adjusting to a lack of dairy or bloating from getting more veggies and fiber into your diet than usual. Other than that I can’t comment on what your issues are because you aren’t actually following my plan as written.
Diane says
Thanks, Mellissa! It’s not the recipe I rated 3 stars (it was very good!), it was the weight gain issue. I believe you are right about the detoxing, casing the bloat, etc. After the 5 days, I switched to nothing but meat and eggs and things are looking better.
Thanks!
Mellissa Sevigny says
The star rating is for google to determine the quality of the recipe and whether or not to show it to more people in searches. You had issues with the plan personally but that shouldn’t affect how the recipe is seen by google or others who might want to try it for themselves. Happy for you that less vegetables in your diet is improving your digestion.
Diane says
Sorry about that…5 stars here, it really is good! Do you know if/how I can change the rating on the original post?
Pooja Sritharan says
Hi Ms Melissa, what can I substitute for bacon, without altering the macros. Please let me know. Thank you.
AMY R says
I added some turkey kielbasa sauteed in butter. It’s was awesome!
Sara Brown says
I made this soup the other night. Before Keto there would have been no way I would of even tried it. Squash & mushrooms are not something I like to eat. I had never tried jicama or collards (I had to use the substitution for the recipe). This soup is AWESOME!!! I couldn’t finish a full serving. The jicama – if I didn’t know better I would have thought it was potatoes!!! Thank you so much for sharing this!!
Valerie Tomlinson says
hi, I have never heard of jicama… where can I find it in a grocery store please… thanks, and do you think butternut squash is good or is that not yellow one… hmmm I really want to try this.. thanks
LeAnn R says
Produce section. It’s a large root vegetable. Looks like a giant round turnip. HEB, Kroger, and WalMart all carry it in Texas.
Aimee Tillett says
I love this soup! It makes me stay on track or get back on track with this way of eating…. plus it is delicious and full of flavor.
Marcy says
Perhaps a super dumb question I didn’t see here….fry the bacon in oil in the pot…do i keep all the bacon grease in there as I’m adding the other ingredients, or do i drain it first?
Many thanks in advance!
Mellissa Sevigny says
yes keep it in there!
Marcy Szeliga says
Thanks so much!!
Theblonddieter says
For me the hardest part about eating healthy is I am allergic to a lot of vegetables. I really want to try the soup and I am curious what you would recommend swapping for Squash and Green beans? My stupid allergies ruin all my fun!
Wendy says
I am new to Keto and found this recipe. I love having soup on hand for a quick meal when I’ve been busy running around, or am feeling lazy about cooking dinner. It was really delicious. My chicken was raw, so I cut it into bite size pieces and cooked it in the pan with the bacon, adding it in when the bacon was about 1/2 done. Worked out perfect. I almost forgot the red wine vinegar, glad I didn’t, it added a perfect finishing touch! :)
I’m thinking about doing the diet to turbo charge my starting weight loss, but I can’t do bacon & eggs every morning. I don’t really like bacon and eggs I can only do every other day. Do you have suggestions for the breakfast that would work with the diet?
Diana says
I am getting ready to make the soup. My question is, for 5 days, do you eat the soup for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Any snacks?
Dean-O says
Read the entire blog/directions….. it is clealry stated what to have for breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner.
Calvin says
Interesting ingedients in this soup that matches a lot of special diets. I learned a lot more about the veggies in this today, good for keeping the body healthy this summer
Janis says
Last night I made a double batch of this soup with cauliflower, Swiss chard, spinach subs and 1lb of extra firm tofu, as I am a Vegetarian. I added Sriratcha and Bay Leaves and IT WAS AWESOME. I would make this for anyone, anytime!!! Tofu nutrition facts before anyone screams NO TOFU!! From calorieking.com PER POUND BLOCK of Extra Firm Tofu:
Calories 414 (1729 kJ)
Calories from fat 239
Total Fat 26.5g 41%
Sat. Fat 2.5g 12%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 36mg 2%
Total Carbs. 9.1g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1.8g 7%
Sugars 2.3g
Protein 45g
Calcium 796.3mg
Potassium 600.6mg
Mellissa Sevigny says
This is awesome Janis, thanks for sharing your vegetarian version!!!
Jena says
Hi Janis!
I’m a pescetarian here so I’m glad to hear you liked your vegetarian version. Did you use anything to sub for the bacon or is it still delicious without?
Aliie says
I’m looking at making this for next week but I’m curious if you have a suggestion to sub for the bacon as I don’t eat pork. Tia