One of my favorite things about my story of healing related to my low-carbohydrate lifestyle is that I enjoy being creative in the kitchen again. I am no longer a slave to food so I can really enjoy testing out new recipes for fun, like a low-carb chicken zoodle soup.
During the cold winter months of this past winter (I live in Michigan, ya’ll!), I got to test out a new recipe that I have been craving ever since and just had to make again: a low-carbohydrate immune-boosting chicken zoodle soup. At the time, making the soup as a dish to pass for a family holiday gathering was necessary given that carb- and processed-food heavy social gatherings are typically not easy to navigate for those living a low-carbohydrate lifestyle. So, I have found that it is safer to simply make a couple delicious dishes to take to potlucks in order to ensure that I will have the foods that I need to keep my blood sugar on track.
The Soup that Lives in Infamy
Months later when I saw family members who tasted this soup during the winter, the first thing they asked (with an excited look on their face) is “have you made any of that soup lately!?”. This is even after demanding that the recipe be emailed out to all after our holiday gathering. So, like it does within my family, I hope that this soup lives in infamy for yours, too.
One of the things that is so special about this low-carb chicken zoodle soup is how warming it is – emotionally (who isn’t comforted by a bowl of hot chicken keto “noodle” soup?), physically, and medicinally due to the immune-boosting powers of the bone broth, garlic, saffron, shiitake mushrooms, fresh parsley and basil, and turmeric. All include natural anti-oxidants, anti-virals, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. So, when you are low-carb and craving a bowl of momma’s chicken noodle soup but can’t have the noodles, this is the perfect thing to add into your diet to fight those cold or flu bugs! Healthy and tasty is my favorite combination!
Here are the essentials for this recipe:
- Crock-pot (this 8 quart one is the one to get if you are transporting the soup as it has a snap-on lid)
- Dutch oven (I don’t know what I’d do without this thing now that I have one! And, get the bigger one! An 8 quart capacity is optimal for this recipe since the yield is so high.)
- Spiralizer (this one is awesome as it locks to the table to avoid slipping)
- One organic rotisserie chicken
Ingredients:
- 12 TBSP high-oleic Sunflower oil (high-oleic is important because it can withstand higher heats without going rancid or affecting the nutritional value)
- 1 large zucchinni, spiralized
- 3 small bok choy (when you cut these up, note two things: 1) make sure to include the stalks as they give a nice celery-like flavor; 2) separate the leaf-like parts from the stems as you will cook them differently)
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1 small sweet onion diced
- 8 oz shiitake mushrooms diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup fresh organic parsley chopped
- 1 cup fresh organic basil chopped
- 1/8 tsp black pepper (Did you know this is needed when you consume turmeric? It makes it more bio-available.)
- 3 tsp Celtic or Himalayan sea salt (plus 1 TBSP for the bone broth)
- 2 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar (for the bone broth)
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp of coriander
- 1 tsp of smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- a pinch of Saffron ropes
- a pinch of Cayenne pepper
Instructions:
- Separate the chicken meat from the rotisserie chicken, (will likely yield around 4-5 cups of meat), tear into strips, and refrigerate for later.
- To make the bone broth:
- Place the chicken bones on parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes to gain more flavor from the bones.
- Add the roasted bones with 1 TBSP of Celtic sea salt/Himalayan salt and 2 TSBP of Apple Cider Vinegar to around 4 quarts/16 cups of cool water in the crock-pot.
- Let soak the bones soak for 30 minutes to release additional nutritional properties.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to allow to simmer for 18-24 hours, adding additional water as it cooks away but making sure to leave around 2 inches from the top for when you add the extra ingredients for the soup.
- When the bone broth is done, strain out the bones and return the quarts of broth to the crock-pot.
- Meanwhile, heat 4 TSBP of high-oleic sunflower oil over medium heat in your dutch oven and sautee minced garlic until fragrant.
- Add another 4 TBSP of high-oleic sunflower oil, onions, turmeric, and all other spices and cook until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add another 4 TBSP of high-oleic sunflower oil with the stalks of the bok choy and diced mushrooms (don’t forget to include the stems of the mushrooms as they contain much of the immune-boosting power of the shiitakes.) and sautee for around 10 minutes until they become tender.
- Add bay leaves, chicken broth, fresh basil, fresh parsley, the leafy parts of the boy choy, and chicken meat you separated in the fridge into the dutch oven to combine all ingredients.
- Bring to a boil and then let simmer for around 40 minutes.
- Remove from heat, remove bay leaves, add in spiralized zucchini, cover pot, and let sit for 10 minutes for the zoodles to soften.
- Serve or place leftovers in glass 1-cup bowls in the freezer when the cravings (or cold and flu symptoms!) This low-carb chicken zoodle soup freezes and reheats very well.
The only caution? BEWARE: Turmeric will stain fabrics!
Variations:
- This zoodle soup also works with turkey bone broth, although I (and my husband) don’t tend to like it quite as much as a chicken zoodle soup. And, as Dr. Axe explains in his book, Eat Dirt, research has found that there is a reason chicken soup is so good for colds and flus: the amino acids, minerals, and electrolytes, specifically reduce inflammation in the respiratory system and improved digestion, boosting the immune system and helping healing from even things like allergies and asthma (p. 108). You can find the article here. [IMPORTANT NOTE: Recognize that the “bone broth” sold in stores is essentially just regular broth with added collagen and superficial minerals. So, it’s not bone broth at all and will not give you the same benefits. To achieve the benefits of bone broth, the bones have to be simmered for hours to release their nutrients. The only exception to this is the brand Kettle & Fire, who does make good quality actual bone broth that is in a box, which you can find here.]
- Add more or less of the spices to either make it more spicy or to create a different flavor profile.
- Skip the last 4 TBSP addition of oil if you want it less oily.
- Although I didn’t add it to this soup, a handful of shredded brussel sprouts would also be very tasty in this soup.
- Add more spiralized zucchini if you want your cozy soup zoodle-y-er (yep, that’s a word now!).
- You can try using other keto-friendly oils like avocado. Just make sure they are able to be used on high temperatures. I happen to like the sunflower oil the best as it doesn’t change the flavor of things much.
- You could easily complete this recipe in a crock-pot alone. However, I find that using a dutch oven in conjunction is great for being able to start the part of a recipe that involves sauteeing and then adding in other ingredients. You simply can’t do that in a crock-pot.
Yield: 5-6 quarts (a.k.a. enough for a large household of people with leftovers) or around 20 servings of one-cup bowls of soup
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cooking Time: 18-24 hours for the bone broth; plus 60 minutes for the soup to cook
PER SERVING – Calories: 192.5; Protein: 17.2 grams; Fat: 12.45 grams; Total Carbs: 2.85 grams, Fiber: 1 gram, Net Carbs: 1.8 grams
