There’s something about a hot keto chicken soup recipe that feels like comfort. One bite of this low carb chicken soup will remind you to slow down, making it a perfect meal for cold winter nights. This spaghetti squash soup (one of my fave keto pasta alternatives!) has all of the traditional components of a chicken noodle soup, but it’s a keto chicken noodle soup. Like most keto soups, I adore making this low carb chicken soup recipe every winter, not only to soothe my body but to metaphorically soothe my mind as well. Somehow, sitting down with a big bowl of it is a reminder to slow down and think about what’s important. And when I do get sick, this provides the same chicken soup fix without the carbs. Bonus: this is also a whole30 paleo chicken soup, too. (You can find more paleo recipes here and whole30 recipes here.) Keto chicken noodle soup is just one of my many “comfort foods made keto” recipes. If you’re craving traditional comfort foods without the carbs, you may also like leftover turkey soup, keto chicken pot pie, keto shepherd’s pie, and eggplant lasagna. These good-for-you swaps will satisfy the comfort food craving in a delicious and healthy way. This keto friendly chicken soup was originally published on February 1, 2017, and the post was republished in January 2021 to add additional pictures and useful tips.
The Best Keto Chicken Soup Ingredients
The ingredients for low carb chicken noodle soup are not so different from the “regular” kind. We’re just swapping the noodles with spaghetti squash. You’ll need: GET IT NOW
Chicken – I used pre-cooked shredded chicken I made in my Instant Pot, but you can also make baked chicken breast and dice that in. Or you can just add uncooked chicken to the soup, and shred it once it’s cooked. Season the chicken with poultry seasoning for more flavor! Carrots – While carrots are not super keto friendly on their own, they are perfectly fine in small amounts in a soup like this Celery Onions Chicken broth – I like a combination of this chicken broth and homemade bone broth. Adding bone broth takes this keto chicken soup recipe to the next level for both taste and health benefits. It’s full of collagen! Italian Seasoning – I like to make homemade Italian seasoning like this, but I also recommend this brand if you prefer to buy pre-made Bay leaf Spaghetti squash – You’ll use half for this recipe, so see my ideas below for ways to use the rest
…plus sea salt and black pepper.
How To Make Keto Chicken Soup
This low carb chicken soup is super easy to make, and the active prep time is only around 10 minutes. The rest is hands-off simmering time! Here’s how to make low carb chicken noodle soup:
Simmer soup. In a large pot, stir together shredded chicken, carrots, celery, onion, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, sea salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 1 hour.
Roast squash. Meanwhile, bake spaghetti squash, until strands are tender, but not mushy. When spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle, slice in half and scoop out the strands.
TIP: Follow my guide for how to cook spaghetti squash here.
Combine. Remove bay leaf from soup and stir in spaghetti squash strands.
Is chicken soup keto?
“Can you eat chicken noodle soup on keto?” is a popular question. The answer is, it depends. Most chicken soups are made with rice or noodles, which would not make them keto-friendly. But yes, you can make a low carb chicken soup! The key to making chicken noodle soup low carb and keto is swapping out the noodles with a low carb option.
What kind of noodles can you use for keto chicken soup?
This is a spaghetti squash chicken soup recipe, but you can use any of my recommended low carb pasta alternatives. Popular options are zucchini noodles, kelp noodles, or shirataki noodles (like this).
Can you make chicken soup without noodles?
Sure, you can make chicken soup with no noodles if you like. Feel free to omit the squash altogether if you don’t want any kind of noodles. You’ll want about half the broth in that case. (Or try my noodle-free chicken detox soup!) But, my opinion is that spaghetti squash chicken soup is way more delicious than noodle free chicken soup! 😉
How many carbs in chicken soup?
Carbs in chicken soup will vary depending on the soup or the recipe. It can vary from 8 grams to 30 grams, or more, depending on how many noodles it has. Either way, chicken soups with wheat noodles are not the cleanest option. Spaghetti squash soup is a much healthier way to eat low carb noodle soup! This recipe has just 3 grams net carbs, and is packed with veggies.
Can you put spaghetti squash in soup?
Yes, you can put spaghetti squash in soup and it makes a great healthy noodle alternative!
Can you use uncooked chicken in this soup?
Yes, you can make chicken soup with raw chicken. Just add whole chicken breasts to the soup and shred when it’s cooked.
Spaghetti Squash Soup Storage Instructions
Can you make it ahead?
Yes, you can easily make this soup ahead, or simply prep the ingredients and it will take just minutes to put together. This keto chicken noodle soup recipe lends itself to batch cooking. Here are some ways you can prep ahead:
Roast the spaghetti squash ahead of time. This takes the longest, so is the most convenient part to do in advance. Make your shredded chicken in advance. Another time saver is making your shredded chicken ahead of time. Using the Instant Pot to make shredded chicken in bulk is my favorite way. Plus, then you’ll have some ready to make yummy chicken nachos and low carb chicken salad, too. But this isn’t necessary if you’re planning to just add the raw chicken to the soup, which you can. Make the whole soup ahead. It stores very well, so feel free to make it ahead!
How to store keto chicken soup:
Store the soup in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
Can chicken soup be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze spaghetti squash chicken soup. I like to freeze it flat in zip lock bags, then once they are solid, you can store them vertically to save space. Another option is to freeze using souper cubes.
How to reheat spaghetti squash soup:
Reheat the soup on the stovetop or in the microwave, until hot.
What To Serve With Keto Chicken Noodle Soup
This spaghetti squash soup makes a great starter before just about any keto dinner, but you can also double the serving size to make it a meal if you like. The best pairings for soup are:
Keto Bread – Easy keto bread recipes such as 90-second bread, keto chaffles, fathead dinner rolls, or keto garlic cheese bread are delicious alongside a soup. Chips or Crackers – Try keto cheese crackers or 3-ingredient almond flour crackers. Salad – Salad recipes such as wedge salad, deviled ham salad, and chopped Italian salad all pair well with keto chicken noodle soup.
Ways To Use Up Spaghetti Squash
This recipe uses half a spaghetti squash, so you’ll have a second half left over. You can save the half you don’t use in the freezer, or try one of these keto spaghetti squash recipes:
Spaghetti Squash Carbonara Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats Spaghetti Squash Alfredo Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai
All the above recipes actually use a whole squash, but you can simply cut the other ingredients in half to use your spaghetti squash half left over from the soup.
Baking Sheet – This baking sheet works great for roasting the spaghetti squash for this recipe. Dutch Oven – Let your keto chicken soup recipe simmer away in this dutch oven that’s sturdy AND beautiful. Soup Ladle – Long enough so that it won’t slip into the pot! Souper Cubes – Freeze extra keto soup with chicken in these soup cubes, which freezes individual portions.
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too - I’d love to see it! Nutrition info is calculated based on using 1/2 of the spaghetti squash. You’ll need to cook the whole thing but only half goes in the soup. You can reserve the rest for another use.
