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
Can’t get enough delicious low carb recipes? Download all five of my e-cookbooks (over 150 delicious low carb recipes) for just $19.99 for a limited time!
Carol says
I made this and lost 6 pounds in 5 days. And I always had my little jigger of tequila at night. I don’t only make this when I need to loose a few it is my family’s favorite chicken soup recipe!!! Thanks so much. We ALL love it = on a diet or not!
Lú Thierry says
I am going to make this for the first time. Can I use chayote squash Instead of yellow squash? What about regular celery instead of celery root? I live in Cancun and I can’t find some of the items. I’d appreciate the info.
COREY HILL says
Great recipe, made a few changes, instead of cooking bacon, used a tablespoon or more of bacon fat to saute the veggies with olive oil. Didn’t use celery root even though i had it but simple celery and celery salt. . Used a combination of boullion cubes/powder or better then boullion with store bought organic stock. Used cremini mushrooms, for the chicken used whole skinless chicken thights with the bone in. The collard greens worked well. Added a good pinot/chard instead of vinegar which helped soften the extra fat from the chicken and the bacon fat. When served, veggies and one whole chicken thigh, of course you have to take the bone out, but that was easy. Just a great comforting chicken soup, perfect for cold weather, and with the fat in it, you can get by with one bowl per day and nothing else, so great for intermittent fasting. Thank you so much for a great keto soup that is warming and comforting.
Siobhan says
So in other words… You didn’t make the soup…..
kristin says
Haha!! Exactly my thought!!
Sarah says
Really struggling with how earthy/green juice tasting the soup is with the addition of the swiss chard (last week I didnt add it because we didnt have any and I loved the soup). Wondering if we were only supposed to add the leaves and not the stems? It didn’t specify in the receipe but I’m just really struggling to eat it as it just tastes like dirt to me now but I dont want to waste it :(
Mellissa Sevigny says
Recipe calls for leaves and stems, but if you really hate the flavor you can omit it next time.
Laura says
Do you use fresh greenbeans, frozen or canned?
Thank you!
Mellissa Sevigny says
I used fresh but frozen would probably work, canned will probably disintegrate.
Trist'n says
Can you use chicken bouillon cubes in place of the stock?
josie says
I made this and it’s delicious, just as it is. The second time around, i did make a tweak on it, understanding it changes the macros. I actually want to crunch the numbers because i have a weakness for thai coconut soups. I left out the bacon, and added a can of full fat coconut milk (10 carbs total), and minced ginger. Im going to try to figure out the carb count and see if it’s manageable if i sacrifice another ingredient.
Tammi Mitchell says
I have been making this soup weekly since January and my husband and I are still not tired of it! We have it for lunch daily. Recently, due to the shortage of items at the grocery stores, I have been unable to find celery root. I almost cried when the produce guy at my store said they were not getting any more. He said it is not a high volume item. I told him I buy one weekly! LOL Anyway, last week I used turnips. Not may favorite but it wasn’t bad. This week I am going to try jicama. I make it a bit different each week using different spices. This week I am using a red curry spice and thought eggplant might be a good addition. I don’t add mushrooms because I do not like the texture. Have you ever used eggplant and how did it turn out?
Brenda says
I just made this & absolutely love it!!!
Julie says
How many cups does a single batch of soup make?
Julie says
Sorry I found it……approx 21 cups :)
Donna says
Melissa’s recipe says it makes 20 cups– enough for the 5 Day Keto Soup plan.
Emma says
UK/EU People
I have looked up the equivalent in grams for each of the veggies – thought it might be useful for others:
1 cup raw chopped mushrooms = 100g
2 cups raw chopped celeriac = 300g
4 cups cooked shredded chicken = 500g
2 cups raw chopped yellow courgette = 350g
1 cup raw chopped green beans = 175g
4 cups raw swiss chard = 400g
Eunice says
THANK YOU!! One nice person like you saves us from being frustrated & having to look it up!!
Helen says
I used to do that too until I decided it was a lot easier to buy a set of measuring cups from Amazon for £5 :-)
Cammi Quinton says
Thank you!! People don’t realize that measuring by weight never changes, but measuring in measuring cups does!! I’m from the US, but I guarantee you, if 10 of us try to measure out 4 cups of chicken, it will be different amounts for all 10. One person will push it in the cup, trying to get as much in as possible. Another will gently place it in, which may create a lot of empty space. I think this is also the reason why some people will comment on certain recipes and say they don’t like it (when everyone else does) or that it didn’t work for them. There’s a very good chance the measurements were off. Thanks again!
Josephine says
Thank you