Keto Chicken & Rice Soup – Low Carb

This Keto Chicken & Rice Soup is a low carb comfort food lover’s dream come true! Rich and flavorful, this healthy and delicious keto chicken soup is both creamy and slightly chewy from the veggies and “rice.”

I know you’re probably wondering what I used for the rice in this keto Chicken & Rice Soup, and if you guessed cauliflower, you’re partly right. I also included finely chopped walnuts though (like in my Keto Beef Barley Soup,) because they add an authentic chewy rice-like texture that you can’t achieve using just cauliflower.

The walnuts get a tad softer over time, but they don’t turn to mush like other vegetables, which keeps the texture legit even after a few days in the fridge.

While I flavored this Keto Chicken & Rice Soup with fresh thyme, any herb that goes well with poultry (tarragon, rosemary, herbs de Provence, or even parsley) will work as an alternative.

This delicious low carb chicken & rice soup comes together pretty quickly, since the veggies are all cut small and the chicken is typically added after being cooked.

I think it tastes even better after a day or two in the fridge, so this keto chicken & rice soup is perfect for meal prepping in advance to reheat day after day for lunch or dinner. It also freezes well so you can make it in advance and portion it out in single servings for a healthy keto lunch to grab and go on the run.

Google loves headers, so I’m going to give them what they want and also preemptively answer a few questions here that I know I’ll get later in the comments anyway. I’ll try to keep them to a minimum and remember you can always jump to the recipe and avoid scrolling if that’s your preference.

What is the best chicken to use in this Keto Chicken Soup?

I used chicken breast in this soup because it was easy at the time, but I prefer the lusciousness of dark meat in keto chicken soup usually. You can grab a rotisserie chicken already prepared, and use the meat from that for exceptional flavor and texture.

Honestly any chicken will work in this low carb chicken soup recipe, and it’s a great way to use up any roasted chicken or turkey leftovers.

Alternatively, while this recipe calls for cooked chicken, you can throw a few raw chicken thighs or breasts in the broth while simmering, and cook it covered for about 20 minutes. Then remove and cool the meat enough to handle before cutting and returning to the soup.

Can I substitute or omit the walnuts?

You can, but the texture will be much different. If you have a nut allergy, you can substitute hemp seeds, chopped sunflower seeds, or even unsweetened shredded coconut to provide a similar texture to what you’d achieve with the walnuts.

Do I have to use the Xanthan Gum?

While you don’t have to use the xanthan gum, it does help thicken the soup and give it that creamy luscious mouthfeel that is so comforting. As an alternative, you can thicken the soup with arrowroot powder, Konjac powder, or psyllium husk powder and get a similar creamy consistency.

Can this Keto Chicken & Rice Soup be made dairy free?

Yes it can! Simply replace the butter with olive oil, and the heavy cream with coconut milk. You’ll notice a slight coconut flavor, but that won’t be out of place or unpleasant in this context.

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