While everyone is waiting for the weather to warm up, our Keto Cheesy Chicken Soup is a hearty and creamy comfort food we think you’re going to love. It can be adjusted to whatever ingredients you have on hand. If you don’t have fresh or frozen chicken meat or access to a rotisserie chicken, you can substitute canned chicken meat. Use milk if you’re out of heavy cream, and if you don’t have xanthan gum, substitute almond flour until you’ve reached the consistency you like. This soup lasts a good week in the fridge, and several months in the freezer!

Last year, my little sister, Annie, brought homemade chicken soup to our 98-year-old dad. He gave it two thumbs up. After she gave me a sample to taste, we talked about the ways to make it keto-friendly and easy to prepare. We took her original recipe, subtracted and added ingredients, and eventually found the perfect flavor and consistency. We like our food on the spicy side, so you’ll see Annie’s favorites: turmeric, red pepper flakes, and cayenne in this recipe.

One of my favorite keto shortcuts: head over to Costco and buy a rotisserie chicken. First of all, they’re HUGE chickens. I can shred a solid 8 cups of chicken meat from one bird, including both the white and dark. They sell for $5.99 in the Atlanta stores, and I find them a little smaller and more expensive at my local grocery stores. But hey, considering the number of meals that can be made out of one chicken, it’s still a great deal, and it’s a huge time-saver!

INGREDIENTS FOR THIS LOW CARB SOUP RECIPE 

Rotisserie chicken – shredded.  

Butter 

Leeks or Onions 

Celery

Garlic – Sautéed minced garlic adds a milder taste than raw garlic, adding a slightly caramelized sweet flavor to this cheesy broccoli soup.

Chicken Broth or Stock – Adds flavor and volume to the soup. Using low sodium instead of regular chicken stock reduces the sodium by 180 mg per serving.

Cream Cheese – Use the full-fat variety to keep you staying full, longer. Cream cheese adds body and flavor to this creamy soup recipe.

Cheese – We use sharp cheddar, however pepper jack cheese or mild cheddar works great.

Heavy Cream –  Provides a creamy texture and fat for satiety.

Xanthan gum – We prefer thick and hearty soups, but the usual thickeners, flour and cornstarch, are full of carbs. Xanthan gum to the rescue! This is the first time we’ve tried it, and it worked as promised. The trick is to completely dissolve it in hot water first before incorporating into the soup, or you’ll wind up with clumps. One tablespoon of flour equals one teaspoon xanthan gum, so an 8-ounce package will last a long time. For each cup of liquid you want to thicken, you’ll need 1/8 teaspoon of xanthan gum.

Spices – turmeric, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING THIS CHEESY CHICKEN SOUP

Sauté: Butter, celery, leeks or onions, and garlic

Add: chicken, broth, cream cheese, turmeric, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and heavy cream. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.

Thicken the soup: In small mixing bowl, sprinkle xanthan gum in hot water and whisk until smooth. Stir into soup.

Add: shredded cheese and mix into soup. Top with additional shredded cheese if desired.

CAN I DOUBLE THE RECIPE?

We double the recipe when serving a crowd. Refrigerate leftovers and heat throughly before serving. As always, soups taste better the second, third, and fourth days! This is truly the best chicken soup recipe we’ve tasted, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

HOW TO STORE THIS LOW CARB CHICKEN SOUP

Put leftovers in an air tight container. This cheesy chicken soup lasts a good week in the fridge, and several months in the freezer!