Just in time for soup season, we’re bringing you this souper (sorry, had to) easy keto Chicken Florentine Soup. Tender chunks of chicken + healthy spinach + creamy, cheesy broth = everything you’ve ever wanted in a low carb soup, and we are SO here for it.
Guys imma get to this keto Chicken Florentine Soup recipe, but bear with me for a moment while I rant a bit…
Blogging used to be easy. You made a recipe, you took photos, you wrote about it and you posted it. If the photos were good it got pinned a bunch on Pinterest, and you got some traffic on it and made a few bucks to offset the cost of hosting and paying for the ingredients. Hopefully people tried it, liked it, and left comments on the post so you know it was a success.
Repeat with more recipes.
Congratulations, you’re a blogger. The end.
What does all this have to do with keto Chicken Florentine Soup? Absolutely nothing.
Except that as I sit here trying to think of something to write about this delicious soup, I’m reminded of a meme I saw this morning on Facebook about bloggers writing stories or going on about the ingredients in the post, and in the comments 95% of people were like “make them staahhhhp” because they just want the recipe.
BTW I do have a Jump to Recipe button at the top of all of my posts so you don’t have to scroll through the blah-de-blah here on IBIH – and I won’t even be mad if you use it.
The blogger’s conflict is that almighty Google requires a minimum of 300 words in a post, and if you don’t repeat the name of the recipe at least 5 times their algorithm will be confused about what the post is about and pass you over. So if I don’t make sure I write keto Chicken Florentine Soup a bunch of times in the text here – I might as well not have posted this recipe at all. Because Google won’t show it to you when you search for it – no matter how good of a recipe it is.
And with the latest changes, in order for Google to rank this keto Chicken Florentine Soup high in searches, they have to consider me an “authority” on Chicken Florentine Soup. Which means more than just repeating the title a bunch of times like I’m already doing here. They want me to have questions answered in the post (preferably in a header font) about Chicken Florentine Soup like:
What is the history of Chicken Florentine Soup?
Not that anyone cares, but recipes containing spinach can be termed “a la Florentine” which was ironically coined by the French, even though it refers to the Italian city of Florence, which was known for the practice of using spinach in many recipes as early as the 1500’s.
Aren’t you glad you know that now? It won’t affect the flavor of this soup, but at least you can sound like a pompous know-it-all in front of your friends.
You’re welcome.
How do I make Keto Chicken Florentine Soup?
I’m here for you. Read on. Or just jump to the recipe.
Which is the BEST keto Chicken Florentine Soup recipe?
This one. Obviously. 😂
What is the best cut of chicken to use?
Any cooked shredded chicken will do. I used chicken breast. To keep it easy you can pick up a rotisserie chicken, one whole one should give you more than enough for this soup.
Can I use frozen spinach in this soup?
Yes, but it won’t be as good in my opinion.
Perhaps you’ve noticed this above trend on other blogs. I’ve seen some posts go on and on for pages and pages with the history of the dish, every ingredient used in it, and every possible scenario for making substitutions in the recipe. Some of this information is useful, but most of it is just fluff for the benefit of the Google algorithm – which can change at any time and decide that now you’re TOO wordy and drop you like a hot potato.
Then traffic tanks and all of that hard work was for nothing – AND you’ve alienated your audience with wordy posts that are hard to read and frustrating to navigate.
Welcome to modern blogging.
The irony of it all is that while only about 5% of the text above was actually about this delicious Keto Chicken Florentine Soup, big brother will probably LOVE it because I used some of their favorite SEO (aka. Search Engine Optimization) tactics when writing it. (Update: after I completed the post and ran it through my SEO checks I got an A+ and a green smiley face – told ya, Google loves it.)
So to get back to my conflict when I started this post after seeing that meme on Facebook, I needed to write something to convince you to make this keto Chicken Florentine Soup (and you really really should because it is STRAIGHT DELISH) but also give Google what it wants – and now I have this long rant that I should probably delete but won’t.
Maybe it will convince some of you to cut your fave bloggers a bit of slack when they are too wordy in their posts – believe me, none of us are doing it because we want to. I long for the good old days when I could write whatever I wanted, tell a funny story, or just rave about a recipe that I loved and knew you would too. But those days are gone friends, and we’re at the mercy of the almighty algorithm now.
The good news is, at least we have Instagram Stories, where I can (and do) still post stuff about our travels, life on a tropical island in Central America, and lots of pictures of my cats. Hopefully the IG algorithm won’t ruin that too, but I’m not optimistic.
Since we’re drawing back the curtain today about the reality of blogging, I’ll leave you with one more photo of this keto Chicken Florentine Soup (haven’t said that in awhile don’t want Google getting confused ha ha) which looks all cozy and fall-like in the photos above, but this one shows the real scenario, with palm trees and the Caribbean in the background. I was shooting fall-themed recipes here all last week at my fave vacation rental while my kitchen is being remodeled (that’s a long story for another day.)
It was about 95 degrees and humid as all get out.
I still ate the soup tho – and it was fantastic!
In case you forgot which soup I’m referring to it’s the BEST Keto Chicken Florentine Soup ever made.
See what I did there? Hopefully Google will too. 😂😂😂
Anyhoo – it’s a really great soup and I hope you WILL make it and report back!
And if you have any feelings about the current state of blogging – trends you’ve noticed that you love or hate, etc. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to rant away!
Then go make this soup. You know the one.
PrintKeto Chicken Florentine Soup – Low Carb
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Just in time for soup season, we’re bringing you this souper (sorry, had to) easy keto Chicken Florentine Soup. Tender chunks of chicken + healthy spinach + creamy, cheesy broth = everything you’ve ever wanted in a low carb soup, and we are here for it.
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 4 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 3/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot.
- Add the garlic and spinach and stir until wilted – about 3 minutes.
- Add the cream cheese and Asiago, and stir until melted – about 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, pepper, nutmeg, and cooked chicken.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until hot. Do not boil.
- Taste first and then season with salt only if necessary – the broth and cheese already contain quite a bit of salt and you may find that you don’t need to add more.
- Serve hot, garnished with additional shredded Asiago cheese if desired.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
Approximate net carbs per serving = 3g.
- Prep Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Keto Soup recipes
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 385
- Fat: 28g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 30g
Keywords: Keto Chicken Soup, Keto Florentine Soup, Keto Chicken Florentine Soup
Cheryll A Heimbecker says
I’m trying to figure out what this recipe is for…..just kidding….Keto Chicken Florentine Soup. I picked it to make tonight just because of the photo but the ingredients are just what I was looking for. THEN, I read your entire post and being a mom of a son that is in the garage door business and all about google algorithms (I know way more than I ever thought I needed to know) I am happy to make it and to check out all of your other content. I didn’t mind reading any of it and found it very interesting. Keep up the good work and make those keywords count. Making the recipe soon today.
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much Cheryl! I hope that you loved the soup once you made it too!
Joyce K says
OH. MY. GOODNESS. This soup is AMAZING!!!! We are having a rainy, cool period of weather and soup sounded good to me. I saw this recipe and decided to try it. I only had 4 oz. of cream cheese so added 1/2 c. heavy cream to the pot as well as some riced cauliflower. SOOOOO DEE-LISH!!!! Even my picky eater who refuses to eat most veggies didn’t mind the spinach in the soup. Now the only problem is we are fighting over the leftover for lunch tomorrow! This will definitely be in frequent rotation for our menu.
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thrilled to hear it! Thanks for taking the time to rate and comment!
Starla says
I couldn’t find this recipe in your books this morning and went into full PANIC mode until I found the recipe again here on your blog! Whew! This is hands down my favorite low carb soup recipe of all time! (And there are some great ones out there, so this is not faint praise.) The flavor is incredible. Thank you so much for this recipe.
P.S. I would love to see this one in your next book!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
So happy you found it again Starla and thank you, that is definitely high praise and appreciated! 😊
Deb says
Easy, creamy, cheesy, savory, hot, delicious and just what I wanted for a cold day in March. Made even easier ’cause I keep cooked, shredded chicken in the freezer in 1-cup increments. Thank you for another great recipe.
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much Deb – glad you enjoyed this one too!
Molly says
Any recipe you try from Melissa will be a winner. I think she meticulously tests her recipes until they are perfect. This soup is no exception, and I make it weekly. It is forgiving of substitutions, as indicated by many comments. I usually have frozen spinach on hand so I dump that in with a little less liquid. I also never have asiago, but always parm, so in it goes. I don’t know what I would do without Melissa’s brilliant recipes, always my go-to when searching for ideas for dinner. Thank you Melissa!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much Molly, this comment made my day!
Norma says
Posted a comment several days ago and not sure why it didn’t show up except maybe that there are already so many comments? Made this recently using some chicken pieces (one breast and two thighs) I had in the freezer. Boiled until very tender then used the meat and also the broth that came off it to make the soup. This is so easy and delicious and perfect any time but especially a cold winter’s day. Cannot go wrong with this one.
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks for your persistence Norma, I was out of the country for a couple of weeks and am just catching up on comments now. So glad you enjoyed the soup!
Norma says
Thanks so much for the follow-up Mellissa. Hope you had a good trip. Look forward to more yummy and satisfying recipes. We started out doing Carnivore and that definitely was not for us, so trying to find the right balance for our bodies between Keto and Low Carb. Loved your Stuffed Mushroom recipe too!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Norma, hope you find the right formula for you!
Norma says
Absolutely delicious soup, particularly fantastic on a cold wintery day! The flavor of the garlic/chicken/spinach was wonderful. I used a few random pieces of chicken I had in the freezer and boiled them until tender. Used that broth to make the soup, took chicken off the bones, and otherwise followed as the recipe states. Very easy to do and quick if using already prepared chicken and broth. Would be delicious with mushrooms, maybe some shallots.
★★★★★
Lindsay says
I made this recipe for my husband, who is doing Keto. I didn’t have cream cheese, so I subbed in about 1/4 cup of half and half. I also didn’t have straight Asiago, but I had a shredded Italian mix (Parm, Asiago and one other) that I used. I threw in about 1/2 a cup of cauliflower rice at the end just to bulk it up a bit. This soup was really delicious!!!
Ann says
Simple to make and absolutely delicious!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much Ann!
Ronald G Hanks says
Looks great but what is the white, arched things in the middle of the bowl?
Wanda says
It’s cooked chicken
Trisha says
Just curious – could you make this on the SCK without dairy- coconut milk?? Looks so delicious but trying SCK currently. Your recipes are AMAZING!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Without the cheese and also substituting coconut milk would drastically change the flavor profile, but it could be done. I’d have to experiment with it to see what other flavors we’d have to add to make it really good. But if you try it let us know how it turns out!
Carole says
Thank you very much for this post. Very interesting, I will now try and have a little more patience with peoples blogs. Having the jump button is great for when revisiting a site and want to make one of your delicious recipes. Will be making this lovely chicken soup. Thank you for sharing.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Carole – the good news is that Google seems to be moving away from rewarding that long winded format so hopefully we will see a return to shorter posts that make more sense ending up at the top of the search results.
Kathy H says
I printed & will make as soon as I round up some good cheese & the weather cools a bit.
I hate when people complain about the wordiness, I totally understand why you all do it & I will admit I use the jump button to see if the recipe is something I will make (9 times our out of 10 it is!) then I always go back & read the body of the post because you share some great tips & ideas & I am capable of skipping the history or whatever if I want. How anyone expects bloggers to do all the hard work & reap no benefits is beyond me. I enjoy your sense of humor & love your recipes. Just getting back to low carb after a 2 year disaster so I will be following closely. Thank goodness I didn’t toss all the recipes I had printed from your site & other great ones.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Kathy, I appreciate that!
Jenny says
It’s a very hot and humid day and here I am looking up soup recipes. I usually am one of those “just lemme see what the ingredients are” sort of people, but I have to say, your post was so much fun to read, that I found myself not quite ready for it to end! Also, thanks for the recipe! I’m sure I’ll be coming back for more content :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Jenny – I really appreciate that!
Kate says
Very tasty, very rich and very simple. I did have to use Parmesan cheese as our stores don’t cary Asiago. Yes, this is a keeper. Thanks Mellissa.
★★★★★
Jen F says
Yum, this soup is so delicious and so easy to make! Even my picky youngest loves it, plus it’s a great way to get her to eat something green!
★★★★★
Deb Butler says
This is one of my family’s absolute favorite go-to soups! It comes up on our rotation multiple times during the cooler months. We have substituted kale for spinach at times and love it both ways!
★★★★★
Nancy says
This soup is beyond delicious, even with the substitutions I used, based on the ingredients on hand: loose-pack frozen spinach, Costco canned chicken, and Parmesan cheese.
Your recipes never disappoint. Thank you so much.
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thank you Nancy, that means a lot to me!
Amanda Smith says
I love this soup. I have made it a few times since starting keto and think I could live off of this soup. I have made it with the chicken and without and I like it both ways. I have shredded the spinach smaller and left bigger pieces and I like it both ways. It’s delicious and comforting. I have never loved soup so much.
★★★★★
Lisa Matarazzo says
Hi Melissa – You had me at florentine! and thank you for the history lesson. I always enjoy your posts and every recipe you’ve ever provided here and in your books have always been a big hit with me and my family! Thank you for all you do. I can’t wait to try this soup. I’m going to have it for work lunches next week! (unless my son eats it all)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much Lisa!
Tena Severeyns says
I personally enjoy the way you write and your sense of humour so I always read the whole post :) I haven’t made the soup yet (still squeaky) but I will!!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Tena! 😘
Danni says
This recipe looks awesome thank you for sharing it. Any suggestions on how to make this in the crockpot? I feel soups taste so good when it’s been simmering for a couple of hours and it’s nice to make it ahead. :) thanks again!
Linda fbt says
Can any other cheese be substituted for the asiago cheese?
★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Yes, Parmesan would be my first choice, but any strongly flavored cheese will do!
Linda fbt says
Thank you! I have shredded parm on hand!!!!
Kendra says
Any advice on how to make this in a crockpot?
Lizet Rodriguez says
This was DELICIOUS and my entire family enjoyed it!
★★★★★
Megan says
This chicken Florentine soup is the best ever. Like, no self control, eating until I can’t move, most amazing soup I have ever eaten. It’s finally getting warmer and I am back to the page again to spy the recipe, which for some reason I can’t remember. I wonder if I could make a giant batch and freeze portions…
Also, this article was hilarious. Thanks for what you do.
★★★★★
Clarissa Harper says
Love this post!! I have been considering blogging and it seems a bit overwhelming. This confirms some of the things I suspected. We own a business already and adding in what seems like a huge learning curve to make blogging successful is what has kept me procrastinating in the first place. Do I really have time to do this well?
I have been following you for years as we discovered Keto quite a while back due to my husbands health. You are by far my favorite place to get recipes for whatever I am craving! Thank you for your humor, candor and for the great food!
GEORGENE HARKNESS says
OK, so my comment has zero to do with this recipe or this topic, other than I understand and I hate it for you.
What I want to tell you is that I have never taken the time to THANK YOU SO MUCH for the Santorini Guide. I spent all of one Sunday reading, and looking, and reading, and looking, and I just loved every second of it. I’ve always wanted to go to Santorini, but I am extremely hesitant to go where there are so many people….it just doesn’t work for me, and now, my husband can’t fly due to a medical condition.
So….whenever I need to come look at some absolutely gorgeous photos of the place I really would like to be….I come here.
I just think you need to know that people appreciate what you are doing, even if we aren’t super-wordy about it.
Thank you again!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much Georgene! I hope that you’ll get to go someday but meanwhile I’m happy to continue posting pictures and travel guides as I have the time. Unfortunately I don’t think any of us are going to be doing much traveling for the foreseeable future until this Coronavirus is under control. 😭
DawnGaye says
Hey! I thought your post was fascinating. I have no idea about key words and algorithms, etc etc. but will try to keep those in mind if I ever I blog. LOL
Thanks for all you do here. Yours is one of the few keto recipe sites I come back to over and over.
All Best,
DawnGaye
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much Dawn!
Chuck Beaty says
Hola. I’m looking forward to giving this a try tomorrow. Also will preorder your book . Sincere thanks for the work you do to make my time in the kitchen an adventure in healthy cooking and delicious eating. I have introduced friends to Keto with your recipes, so you have quite a few new fans in the Yucatan.
You are appreciated.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thank you Chuck – that means a lot to me! And thanks for pre-ordering – I know you’re going to love it!
Annie says
I just found this recipe doing a Google Search for “Turkey Keto Recipes” so your efforts worked! Very entertaining and informative blog! Recipe looked so easy that I made it tonight. It was SO yummy. Even my husband loved it. Thanks so much. I’m here to stay!!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Welcome Annie! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed the blog and the soup!!
Marzi says
This was AMAZING!!!! My entire family devoured it! Thank you!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Yay! Makes my day when everybody in the family enjoys the recipes – thanks for taking the time to let me know it was a hit!
Mary Frances says
I left a comment but it isn’t here. No idea why, but I love your blog, I just wanted to say I never search for recipes via Google. I click the links on your email and I bet many others do as well. But I do find the ads take up too much screen real estate as most people browse on their phones these days, not a computer. There is very little room to view the recipes. I’m getting ads popping up while I try to type this comment! That’s not on you, that’s Google as well.
Karen says
Love this recipe, just went into my rotation. Yummmm. Thank you
★★★★★
Mary Frances says
Appreciate the explanation but maybe you don’t need to worry about their algorithm. I rarely find recipes because I did a Google search. I subscribe to my favourite bloggers and tap links in your email. So algorithms have nothing to do with it. I’m betting most people do the same.
I will say for blog readers it’s gotten much harder as well. Gone are the days of reading recipes on a computer screen where ads can be ignored. On tiny mobile screens, on the other hand, it can be extremely difficult to read the recipes with so many pop up ads taking over precious screen space. So I probably read fewer recipes now.
Bev says
I love this soup. I enjoy all your recipes. I understand the rant! I read it completely and it definitely increased the time on the page, another SEO indicator.
★★★★★
Sharon Russell says
Omg, I died laughing all through your blog. Great job on the A+ rating :) I haven’t tried this recipe YET, but I think I’ll go get the ingredients right now and make it for dinner. And now I too can be a pompous know-it-all when I tell everyone what Florentine means. Thanks again for all your recipes they are very good.
PS I do follow you on Instagram and love looking at all your cat and now doggie pictures along with all your travels. I live vicariously through your adventures. :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Sharon! Happy to have entertained you and I hope you love the soup!
Amy says
I just read a few comments on a Facebook page complaining about recipe bloggers telling their life story before the recipe & I directed them to this blog entry. Thanks for drawing back the curtain!
Kathy says
I really love this recipe and it works well on my low-carb diet ;-)
You tell a great story, been following you for several years now and like a proud cyber parent am really impressed with everything you’ve accomplished! From developing your own recipes, photos and cookbooks to letting us help sometimes by rooting out book thieves who were stealing your content, it’s been OUR adventure too. So blahblahblog away and thanks for explaining how it all works.
My freezer is NEVER without a container of the original meatballs!
Deborah says
Really loved this soup….no, double loved it because it is sooooo easy. I used rotissary chicken, so easy there for sure. We have a lot of great Asian markets in our area and have found we really love the Taiwanese spinach….a lot like American flat leaf spinach but doesn’t have the odd aftertaste that spinach has. I am not a fan of baby spinach in recipes other than salads….it is too flimsy and sort of disappears. The heftier Taiwan spinach worked really great in the soup….wilted but did not completely collapse. Our family loved this…perfect with low carb sandwiches on a cold January night. It reheated really well to boot. Will be making this again and again.
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
I’m jealous of your proximity to Asian markets Deborah! When I lived in CT we had a huge one about an hour away and I loved exploring in there and finding new things I’d never seen or heard of before to try out! Glad you were able to make this work, I’m going to search out Taiwanese spinach the first change I get now!
Susan says
I love Chicken Florentine Soup and think I’ll make this for dinner tonight. I know that it will be great, even if I have to substitute Parmesan cheese) so I’m giving it five * in advance. Thanks for posting this great Chicken Florentine Soup. (Now you’ve got two more mentions.)
★★★★★
Jackie Does Keto says
I was also guilty of the “stop the waffle” but I had no idea google needed this… what a joke!!! I’ll stop moaning and when I see that meme I’ll point out what you’ve said. I feel your frustration, I have a YT and folks have no idea how long it takes to make a 15 minute video. Thank you for all your work!
★★★★★
Lavonne Sylvester says
I have not tried this soup, yet. But it does sound delicious and I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed your post, um, rant. 😏😉
I also dislike scrolling and scrolling just to get to the goods. Now that I am aware of why all this verbiage is required I shall give some well-deserved grace to these poor food bloggers who have no choice in said verbal diarrhea.
Thank you for enlightening me, and the rest of your readers as well. Sorry for the long reply but you made me laugh. You deserve to know that.
★★★★★
Stephanie Markey says
Yet another reason you are my favorite blogger (aside from the recipes themselves, and your on-point humor!) … you address what I have been thinking for a couple years. Frankly, I regularly rant about (and avoid) most food blogs for the endless scrolling required to just get to the dang recipe. I am rarely in the mood for waxing poetic about every aspect of the food or the blogger’s life. I HAD NO IDEA. I am sorry to *most* all those I’ve judged harshly. So appreciate the explanation. And honestly, I have always thoroughly enjoyed all your posts. You have a rare gift!
Jacqueline Graves says
Thanks for the recipe … and the rant. Now maybe I know why I don’t have many subscribers to my book review blog – not enough fluff. ha
Making the soup this week Jan 2020 :)
Betsy says
I haven’t made the soup yet, but I’m sure it will be delicious! I just wanted to thank you for the explanation. I’ve noticed all the wordy blog posts recently, and the multiple pictures, and all the other stuff I mostly scroll by – and I’m happy to know that everyone hasn’t gone crazy, and all in the same manner. It must be so frustrating for you. So rant away now and then!
Susan says
I saw this recipe a few days ago and couldn’t wait to try it tonight. My only regret is that I added the chicken and stirred before adding the broth. That left me with a clump of cheesie/spinachie/chicken goop. I was able to pull it apart with forks and enjoy every drop. So glad I made a double batch! Thanks for all of the great recipes you post. One looks better than the next!
★★★★★
Ruth G says
Thanks for a very interesting blog plus the background to blogging! Thanks for the recipe, my only little issue is there’s no conversion in the recipe from cups to grams or ounces for those of us in the UK. It’s asking a lot I know but it would help tremendously. I had to look it up on the internet and wasn’t sure I’d got it right. It must have been close as it was delicious, so comforting on a cold day! My hubby has already asked me to make it again so it’s definitely a winner! Thanks again!
★★★★★
Kelly says
This soup is so delicious and super easy to make. Thank you! I needed this in my life lol
★★★★★
Kelly says
Sorry I have no idea why that stupid frown face is there because it should be grinning from ear to ear!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Obviously WordPress doesn’t believe that you really liked the soup Kelly! 😂😂😂. Thank you though, I’m glad it was a hit!
Lynette Sadowy says
Thank you so much for the explanation on blogging. I am an avid crafter as well as “Keto”-er and all my favourite blogs seem to have become more and more wordy lately. Yours was probably my first (and is still my favourite) recipe site, so thank you for all the hard work you put in. If it makes you feel any better, I have two shops on Etsy, and in the last year, Etsy has changed their algorithms several times, and what used to be a nice little part time business has become a negligible dribble for those of us who don’t have the time or inclination to constantly update our photos, tags, item descriptions, etc. I just love to create, and now must be my own IT department if I expect to come up in searches. So I truly DO sympathize with you. Thank you for hanging in there. Does it help your SEO if we mention your amazing Chicken Florentine Soup in the comments?….lol.
Mellissa Sevigny says
I didn’t realize Etsy worked in a similar way Lynette – that must be incredibly frustrating! 😭😭😭
Teresa Lucas says
Hi Mellissa,
You are so right about the blog post scrolls going on, and on, and on…show me the RECIPE!! I thought it was geared toward cooking for dummies. Blogs with picture overload and an Ernest Hemingway journal are not necessary. This old girl just needs a fresh and inspired recipe!
I had no idea about the Google algorithms!! Ah, this explains a lot, thanks for all you do :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
I giggled out loud at “Ernest Hemingway journal” Teresa – thanks for the laugh! Too true! 😂
Stacey says
My husband was giving me the look because I was sitting here giggling at the computer when I told him I was going to make the menu for the week (which rarely makes me even lightly chuckle, let alone giggle). So, I read this out loud to him. Now, he understands why I like you so much. Thanks for making meal planning less stressful.
Mellissa Sevigny says
My husband has also perfected “the look” so I know exactly what you mean ha ha! Glad I could entertain you both, thanks for reading! 😘
Melissa Forsythe says
Thanks for the explanation on the length of blog posts. I think it’s about tone as well. You are a good writer, your recipes work and I’m genuinely interested in how you develop your recipes. Not everyone has your skill.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Melissa, I appreciate that so much!
Mandy says
I read this post about the “BEST keto Chicken Florentine Soup recipe” on the first day it was published- and several times since then; both for the recipe and for a chuckle. Although this is the first keto chicken Florentine soup I’ve eaten or cooked- I can’t imagine something topping it.
I picked up a rotisserie chicken. Put the chunks in the KitchenAid to shred it – best hack ever!! Put the meat in the fridge after separating the 3 cups I’d need for the soup. Today I whipped it up, and even grated my own nutmeg. I’m so glad I had everything laid out ahead of time – including the grated nutmeg- because this came together in a flash. Stored it in a big container and had just enough left extra for lunch for *me* today.
As I sat eating my lunch with my baby boy -1 and a half years old mind you- I had dreams in my head of sitting at my desk with my pristine white soup mug filled with this delicious soup (my office is freezing year-round).
Then my baby boy demanded a bite. And then another, and another… and as he happily ate about half my bowl of soup, as a mom I’m happy that *he* is happy to eat something that is healthy and not bread (he’s a carbaholic)- but as the woman who sits in an office in cozy sweaters and a blanket year round, I really hope he leaves enough for me to have a bowl or two…
Mellissa Sevigny says
That’s high praise Mandy, thanks! Always thrilled when even the littles are fans of the recipes – but maybe you should make a double batch next time ha ha!
Luann says
Just getting back with you, after posting last week. I did make the soup yesterday for my family and it was amazing! Even my picky eater loved it. Thank you for a wonderful addition to my recipe notebook! I am sure we will be making the soup often this Fall and Winter.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Yay! Glad it lived up to the hype Luann! ?
jackiem says
Thanks for explaining! I have been reading blogs for over 20 years now (wow can you believe it??) I miss the days when the wordiness of a blog was either stream of thought on the “sharing my life with you” or just explained techniques on the craft, cooking, etc blogs. This makes me feel for you bloggers, it seems that this complicated mess required to get noticed in a search engine takes all the joy out of blogging!!
Cathy says
Thank you! so very much for explaining the possible reason behind all those long stories in recipe blogs. I am not a blogger, I am not even very computer savvy. I am just a person who loves to cook and where as I used to own dozens of cookbooks, I now look through my computer for recipes. I don’t have a lot of patience for the stories, and some bloggers are obviously better at story telling than others. So, I was always really annoyed with those whose blogging was not interesting and went on and on, while all I wanted to see was if the recipe was one I would like to try. I’m just a recipe hunter, but so grateful for you, your blog helped me to understand something I would have no way of knowing. I am happy to know about it and will be way more understanding when I see a lengthy blog on my way to an interesting recipe. Btw, you are one of the best bloggers, I do like reading your blogs while looking for recipes. So, keep on with your writing, and thanks again for enlightening and average recipe hunter!
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Helen says
This soup is delicious and belongs in everyone’s go to recipes whether they follow keto or not. I’ve made it twice and every drop eaten and every bowl licked!
Mellissa Sevigny says
That’s great to hear Helen, thank you!
Kelli says
So yum! I wish I could share a picture of my 4 year old turning her bowl up to get to the last drops!! Perfect for this cold, rainy night in Georgia. Thank you for all you do, been following your blog for a long time!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much Kelli and so happy the kids are enjoying it too!!!
PGomez says
Thanks for publishing this very enlightening explanation of wordy recipe posts. I always wondered why the recipe names were repeated over and over and over in not just yours but others blogs. I do love your recipes!!
★★★★★
Karen says
I’M IN LOVE WITH THIS SOUP!!! It’s absolutely amazingly delicious!! I just made it tonight and I honestly could eat the whole pot alone! The flavor is robust and definitely satisfying! Thank you so much for easy recipes that allow me to be successful in cooking them. By the way, I always enjoy reading your blog as well!
★★★★★
Michelle Cannon says
Congratulations on writing the most accurate post about blogging EVER!
Luann says
Your blog gave me a good laugh this morning. It helps to fight irritation with humor!
I was looking for a good soup to serve this coming Sunday, for a family dinner, and this looks perfectly amazing! I know that I will be doubling it right from the start and hoping for leftovers!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Luann, hope everyone in your family enjoys this soup as much as we did!
Charlotte Hall says
Hi, I’m new to Keto, so always looking for low carb recipes. Now that you mention it, yes I’ve noticed “wordiness” in blogs I follow, but am so grateful for all the great recipes I find! I am more annoyed with the multitude of pop-up ads that constantly come up on top of what I’m trying to read. I understand the ads help keep the blogs going, but boy, are they annoying. Thanks for the recipe, will make it soon.
Angela Coleby says
Yes, yes, yes! Absolutely spot on with the “joy” of the Google Dance bloggers face! What happened to the good ‘ole days of cooking and posting it? A golden era…*sobs into cauliflower*.
The soup looks fantastic too!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Ha ha thanks Angela – I know you know the struggle!!! ?
Anna says
My beef with modern recipe blogs isn’t that they go on and on with wordy writing, it’s the annoying advertisements and pop ups and additional photos and links in the post. It is so hard to get to the comment section even, your eye gets tired, it’s visual chaos. This I don’t think can be blamed on Google… It used to be you could just look at a post, and that’s all it way – that post. I miss those days.
Thank you for the recipe for the new soup!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks for this feedback Anna! While I don’t use pop ups for signups and things (I can’t stand them either) I did trim the “after entry” section of my site so that there is less info after the posts which makes scrolling to the comments section faster and easier – especially on a mobile device. Hope that helps and we’ll keep working on making IBIH better and easier to use! Thanks!
Deborah says
5 STARS for the blog, and the soup looks pretty darm good too. Sorry Google is torturing you but your dry edgy wit is as good as your recipes. You call em as you see em. Please don’t stop….you make my day!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Deborah – you just made mine!
Maxine says
Very rarely comment but I think I have to make an exception!
The stories & the info & insight into your daily life is what makes your blog so much more endearing.
It really irks me that people get so uptight about content that is essentially a gift from another human being!
Can you imagine making snide comments on recipes friends and family? Nope didn’t think so.
It’s a shame that analytics drives these things as you often only get what you measure.
That’s why I love getting recommendations for blogs! Xx
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
I love that statement Maxine – “you often only get what you measure” is so very very true! Thanks for taking the time to comment and letting me know you’re enjoying the website and content! ?
TerryF says
I have not rated this very tempting recipe yet but will as soon as I have a chance to make it! Thank you for the explanation of all the onerous Google rules for bloggers. Now that I know, I don’t have to be annoyed anymore. lol Keep up the great work– we do appreciate you and your recipes!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thank you Terry – hope you love the soup!
Amanda says
I will be adding this to my meal plan next week. Thanks for the post. I had no idea and often rolled my eyes about all the stupid stories…I’ll be sharing this with my friends (the recipe and the blog)
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks for sharing Amanda!!!!
Lynn says
Melissa-
Ditto all those who commented before me. I look forward to your commentary with your recipes and have recommended your blog and your cookbook to many friends.
I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you for sharing your gift for cooking and writing with us.
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thank you Lynn!!! ???
Linda Farrell says
Hi Melissa-LOVE your recipes and love the blog too. Like others, I do not usually comment on anything and I wouldn’t begin to know how to tweet, IG or access any other social media. We read what you write because you are funny and helpful–you get it! Unfortunate that Google places these restrictions on your artistic freedoms. We love you anyway (hope they get over themselves…) Your recipes are awesome, every single one, and they are a favorite at my house where I have my own non-keto Mr. Hungry. I will be making this recipe tomorrow! Fear not, we will follow you no matter what–it’s been a delicious journey!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thank you Linda, it means a lot to me that you took the time to comment for the first time, and I am warmed by your kind words! Knowing that people are enjoying what I’m putting out there is very validating and appreciated so much! Thank you!!!! ???
Rebecca Calaway says
Here in Florida I don’t usually start soups until January but I may make an exception with this one, looks delish. Thanks for your blogging explanations. Wordy bloggers don’t bother me, what gets my goat is trying to read the recipes and their videos keeps obstructing my view. Some pop up repeatedly causing my phone to freeze and I have to watch it. I follow you on Pinterest and look forward to not only your terrific recipes but your down to earth commentary. Carry on!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Rebecca – videos are a hot topic because they can ruin the user experience but it’s one of the few ad types that earns money anymore so most bloggers, including myself, are loathe to get rid of them. Adthrive is pretty good about the videos but sometimes I even get annoyed at my own website when the video plays on my phone and I have to keep stopping it to see what I need to see. Hoping we’ll find a better way to serve ads that makes the networks happy which pays the bills, but that don’t make the content so hard to get to.
Lynn Marie says
I’m giving the blog 5 stars. I read cookbooks like some people read novels. I do not instagram or other social media things but I love cooking, so my trusty iPad pulls up recipes daily. I read all the post attached to the recipe because the background behind the recipe is just as important as the ingredients. So keep on blogging and I will keep on reading. ?
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thank you Lynn!!!!!
Joan says
Thank you for explaining why food blogs have suddenly become so overwhelmingly long and tiresome. I read your entire post–solely because I trust you–and now I understand. It’s true that of late the narratives have become tediously long, mind-numbing, and really, all I do want is the recipe, for the most part.
But I do also want to know about you. We haven’t met, you don’t know me from Adam; you are far more familiar to me than I will ever be to you. But I feel as though you’re a friend, a second-cousin sort of person, one I have good feelings toward and for whom I am grateful. You have been a helper, an inspiration, a guide.
Thank you for explaining this. I will set my frustrations aside. I may limit whose narratives I actually read–in fact, I already do; but knowing this pressure forced upon you by those who yet again think they know better than we what is right and good, well, it shouldn’t surprise me.
Have a wonderful day. Thank you for all you do.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks for this Joan, it was very kind and I would be honored to be your second cousin! ???
Lola Lynn says
I will revise the 5 star rating if need be after I make this soup tonight, but I’m pretty sure there will be no need for that. I am working my way through trying every recipe in your “Keto for Life” cookbook, and have loved everyone of them. But not only me, my husband (who does not follow Keto) has loved all of them as well, and requests your Peruvian Chicken and Sheet Pan Burgers quiet often.
I’m not much of a reader, just don’t enjoy it, and I am normally the one the hits the “jump to recipe” button on most everyone else’s blog, but not on yours. I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog.
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much Lola – I appreciate you taking the time to read the posts at least some of the time ha ha! And please tell your husband that it means a lot to me that he’s enjoying the recipes as a non keto eater too! So happy you’re all enjoying the recipes!
Patricia Swenson says
I can tell from the ingredients that this is a winner, and a keeper. I can hardly wait for dinner!
And 16 uses of “keto chicken florentine soup” in your post! ‘Cause I COUNTED. Sorry you’re having to jump through hoops, but your post is great and funny. Nice and light.
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
I hope you like the soup as much as the post Patricia! Even I didn’t count how many times I used the name, but 16 is hopefully enough ha ha!
Lisa says
Hi Melissa,
This Chicken Florentine Soup recipe sounds amazing, can’t wait to try it this weekend! As someone who’s half Italian I need more Italian keto recipes in my arsenal.
I’ve been following you for quite some time now and have thoroughly enjoyed all your blog posts (I read every single one by the way) as well as your fantastic creations! I’ve always admired bloggers, especially those that obvioulsly put so much effort into their blog. I realize it’s a tremendous amount of work and humans have a short attention span, especially in our instant gratification world. I often marvel at the dedication because I also read most of the comments and see what you guys have to put up with in that area alone. I get irritated reading them at times and down right angry at their self-absorbed and rude demands. Unbelievable!
Blogging can seem very fulfilling in many respects and a bit hellish in other ways. Regardless of the hoops you must jump through for the algorithm master, I still look forward to all your stories, no matter what they are. :•)
★★★★★
Nitasha says
I giggled and nodded all the way through your “rant”. Can’t wait to try this out when our temps plummet 20° this weekend. I know it’ll be delish as always.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Nitasha, this is one of my favorite soups so far – I know you’ll love it too!
Marsha R Devine says
Okay – I have to admit that I have not yet made this soup, but it does sound wonderful!! It seems easy, with only a few ingredients and I have posted it to my Pinterest Keto board. I love chicken, spinach and asiago cheese – a perfect combo! Thanks for sharing the blogging issues – you always keep it real :)
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
The Asiago really makes this Marsha – it’s perfectly salty and tangy at the same time!
Erica B says
Wow, thank you for pulling the curtain back a little, Mellissa! I had indeed wondered why so many food blogs were now including so many relevant (or not so relevant) questions in posts, and I figured it had something to do with SEO tactics, but I didn’t know it’s actually a requirement if you want your post to show up as a search result. Very interesting, and absolutely bizarre. It seems to rob the writing of its authenticity, and makes a lot of posts sound forced and artificial, like a marketing pitch. What a shame. Thanks for sharing that information, thank you for your frankness and good humor, and thank you for your recipes!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Exactly this Erica! It takes all of the fun out of writing AND reading a blog post when you have to be worried about key words and packing in irrelevant information to such an extreme degree. I actually wrote what I felt today for the first time in a long time and it feel GOOD. Hopefully I can strike a balance moving forward with future posts! Thanks for weighing in!
Angela Neale says
I can’t wait to make this soup!
I really appreciate you writing about why recipe blogs are so wordy. That’s good to know. I also love that you put a jump link at the top of the page.
Thank you!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Angela, hope you enjoy the soup!
Nan says
Can’t wait to give this a try … it sounds fabulous! Most of my recipes (and I have a ton) are from you so pretty sure we’re going to love it!
Love your blog … please keep it up!
Mellissa Sevigny says
I really hope you do Nan, and thank you!!!
Lori says
Can’t wait to try the soup and LOVE the rant :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Lori, guess I needed to vent a little ha ha. Enjoy the soup!!!
Renee Sherman says
The soup looks delish! Your post was hilarious and thanks for explaining the blogging in’s and out’s. I had no idea so I’m now all about forgiveness for the wordy blogger!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Happy to shine a light on the struggle Renee! ? That being said, some bloggers try to make up for bad content with lots of extra words to please Google, and I don’t respect that either. I think it’s a fine line but good content will always rise to the top eventually! ??
Terry G says
That post was hugely entertaining! I want to say I’m definitely going to make this soup but I can’t remember what it’s called. Could you repeat the name for me?
Mellissa Sevigny says
This made me laugh out loud Terry, thanks for that! ???. I might have to revise the post and throw the name in a few extra times to make sure it’s realllllly getting in there ha ha! Enjoy~!
Karen says
Hilarious and eye-opening! I plan to try the soup tomorrow night.
Mellissa Sevigny says
I’ll be on the edge of my seat until you report back! Hope it’s a hit! ?
Debbie says
Great post! Thank you for the google explanation. Now I understand and can appreciate why bloggers have gotten so wordy. ? It stinks that these platforms are making everything so difficult for people that choose to share their passion and help the rest of us. I love your blog and recipes. And your sense of humor!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Debbie! I do miss when blogging was so much simpler and we didn’t have to worry about keeping google, Pinterest, facebook and Instagram happy to succeed! It makes it hard for talented newbies to get ahold and hang in there long enough to make a living at it which is too bad.
Susan says
This looks awesome! I have so much leftover turkey, I think I will make it with that! I tooootally feel you about the algorithms! It’s crazy what we have to do now to stand out and be noticed, but no one should be criticized for it when they are trying to make their content available! What you are sharing is valuable, and you deserve to have it appreciated, and get paid for it!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Susan, and this soup would be a perfect use for leftover turkey!
MARIE Thompson says
All I can say say yum! Thank you Mellisa for your wonderful knowledge of Keto and recipes. I think all the hoops and guidelines you have to go through to be relevant on google would drive me crazy. Thank goodness for Instagram.
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
It gets old sometimes but it’s still the best job in the world to me! Thanks Marie!
Wendy Wilson says
I love your blog and your recipes…Just wondering how you feel about YouTube? I follow a number of vloggers on YouTube not only for the recipes but for the techniques they offer. It could solve your algorithm issues and still get your content out there. I know others are intimidated by you already as I watched them bury your cookbook under theirs at Costco. I kid you not. Anyway just a thought. Keep those recipes coming. With love from Canada :)
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
I’m not opposed to YouTube Wendy but I haven’t had a lot of time to devote to developing more videos for the channel with this new book manuscript due. I’m planning on adding that to my repertoire though and maybe getting in front of the camera a little more (which I hate) moving forward. As far as people hiding my book at Costco, that’s sadly not surprising since blogging has gotten super competitive and the market is pretty flooded with keto cookbooks these days. Hopefully somebody interested in reading Keto for Life will unearth a copy from the bottom of that Costco pile in 2022. ???
Nancy says
omg, I had no idea! Thank you for the enlightenment; I’ll stop thinking all those weird things about bloggers now.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Oh bloggers are weird, no joke, but on the too much text thing at least, there is a legit reason. That other stuff who knows what they were thinking… ?
Marquita Raylynn Story says
Thanks for the insight and the recipe! Fun read! Can’t wait to make it.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Happy to entertain Marquita, hope you love the soup!
Lisa Battern says
Hi Melissa, I loved this blog. Would putting the recipe at the top reduce its optimization score? Do comments help? I wish you got credit for bookmarks, because this recipe is happening next week at our house!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hi Lisa, unfortunately putting the recipe at the top is a no go for a lot of reasons (which could change in the future) – but yes comments and reviews definitely help make the post seem more relevant to Google when their robots “crawl” for updates. Thanks for leaving one! ?
Catherine Bast says
Thanks for another great recipe and a very interesting blog.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thank you Catherine!
★★★★★
Chloe says
I have not made this yet, so I probably shouldn’t leave a review yet, but I can’t help myself. This was the best blog post I’ve ever read! I love how candid you are and I had to read every bit because of it. Thank you for entertaining me and also helping me keep my keto diet interesting!!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Wow, that’s a huge compliment Chloe, thank you! I was just going for mildly entertaining and barely informative ha ha. Hope you love the soup! ?
Marquita Raylynn Story says
What Chloe said! Hee hee :-)
Michelle A says
Mellissa, I feel like we should be besties. I love your blogs AND your recipes. How did you know that I had two cooked chicken breasts I. The refrigerator that I needed to use up?
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Well that’s just perfect! Hope you love the soup and thank you! ???