Healthy Chicken Soup Recipes for Weight Loss: A Nourishing Guide

Soup is a fantastic meal option, especially when aiming for weight loss. It's often packed with veggies and protein, nourishing, and easy to make. This article explores various healthy chicken soup recipes tailored for weight loss, highlighting their benefits and key ingredients. A hearty soup is a go-to meal when you can’t figure out what to make for dinner or lunch.

The Power of Chicken Soup

Chicken soup isn't just a comforting classic; it can also be a valuable tool for weight management. Its high water content helps promote satiety, reducing overall calorie intake. Moreover, the combination of lean protein and fiber-rich vegetables supports both muscle maintenance and digestive health. Chicken soup can actually help to reduce the length of your cold. Especially this one, which is loaded with anti-inflammatory ingredients like ginger, turmeric, and lots of garlic.

Key Ingredients for a Weight-Loss-Friendly Chicken Soup

• Chicken: Opt for boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs to minimize fat content while maximizing protein intake. Chicken breast is best since it is high in protein and low in fat. You can use chicken thighs, but this will add fat to the chicken soup. Using pre-shredded cooked chicken to save time.
• Vegetables: Load up on non-starchy vegetables like onion, celery, carrots, spinach, kale, mushrooms, and bell peppers to add volume, fiber, and essential nutrients. Some great ideas are yellow potatoes or gluten-free noodles. You can use any pasta here.
• Aromatics: Garlic, ginger, and turmeric not only enhance flavor but also provide anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting benefits. Garlic is full of anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. That’s why we use 6 cloves of garlic in this soup.
• Broth: Choose low-sodium chicken broth to control sodium intake. You can use a homemade chicken broth or store bought for this recipe. Using a good chicken broth or stock is an essential ingredient for any soup. Chicken stock is usually made more from chicken bones, while broth is made from the meat. Homemade stock typically has more flavor than canned broth. However, if you don’t have time for homemade stock, no worries - store-bought broth will work perfectly.
• Herbs and Spices: Fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, dill, and parsley, along with spices like salt, pepper, and bay leaves, add depth of flavor without extra calories.
• Lemon Juice: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice brightens the flavor and adds a touch of acidity. If you have never added fresh lemon juice to your chicken soup, you are missing out! For the best flavor do not substitute bottled lemon juice!

Recipe 1: Classic Healthy Chicken Soup

This recipe is perfect for the cooler fall and winter months when cold and flu season arrives. Not only is it delicious and healthy, this chicken soup is also incredibly easy to make.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil or ghee
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Heat the avocado oil or ghee in a large pot or Dutch oven. Season the chicken with a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper on each side.
2. Next, it’s time to build the flavor base of the soup. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic to the pot and sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Once the veggies have sautéed a bit, add the chicken, broth, bay leaves, turmeric powder, salt, and thyme to the pot.
4. Let the soup simmer for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.
5. Once the chicken is shredded, add it back to the pot and stir until everything is well combined. Turn the heat to low and stir in the fresh dill and fresh lemon juice.
6. Give the soup a taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste.

Recipe 2: Chicken Detox Soup

Chicken Detox Soup is a fast, tasty meal filled with vitamins and nutrients. This cleanse is different. It’s a Chicken Detox Soup Cleanse made from a nourishing homemade soup with fresh chicken, loads of veggies, and ginger, to boost your metabolism and immune system, as well as remove toxins to help your body work as it should. Eat this soup for a few days and you will be feeling good as new!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 inch ginger, grated
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 cup peas
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• Fresh lemon juice, to serve (optional)

Instructions:

1. Set a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, chopped onions, celery, ginger, and garlic. Sauté for 5-6 minutes to soften.
2. Then add the raw chicken breasts, broth, carrots, apple cider vinegar, crushed red pepper, turmeric, and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 20+ minutes, until the chicken breasts are cooked through.
3. Then remove the chicken with tongs and set them on a cutting board to cool. Add broccoli, peas, and parsley to the pot. Continue to simmer to soften the broccoli.
4. Meanwhile, shred the chicken breast with two forks, and stir it back into the soup. Once the broccoli is tender, taste, then salt and pepper as needed.
5. Serve warm with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if desired.

Recipe 3: Keto Chicken and Vegetable Soup

A delicious keto chicken and vegetable soup that can help you reach your weight loss goals - especially when used as part of my 5 Day Soup Diet! Celery root (Celeriac) is the perfect alternative to potatoes in low carb chicken soup recipes (like this one) because it’s super filling and loaded with fiber, antioxidants, and a hefty dose of phosphorus, Vitamin K, and Vitamin C.

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Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 4 cups water
• 1 celery root (celeriac), peeled and diced
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Add the onions, garlic, sundried tomatoes, and mushrooms.
2. Pour in the chicken stock and water, then add the celery root and chicken.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the celery root is tender.
4. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
5. Add the Swiss chard and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe 4: Healthy Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Healthy Greek Lemon Chicken Soup is bursting with delicious flavor. This healthy chicken soup recipe bursts with citrus flavor and the herbs balance it out perfectly.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 cup cauliflower rice
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 pound pre-cooked shredded chicken
• 1 cup chopped kale
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and cauliflower rice. Stir and heat until the veggies are translucent.
2. Add the chicken broth and parsley to the pot. Stir and heat for 10 minutes. While the broth is warming, mix the egg yolks in a bowl with a small amount of the chicken broth from the pot.
3. Add the egg yolk mixture to the pot along with the pre-cooked shredded chicken, kale, lemon, dried parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10-minutes or until the soup is warmed through and the kale is wilted.

Recipe 5: Quick and Easy Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Nothing’s more comforting on a cold night, then my quick and easy homemade Chicken Noodle Soup recipe. My homemade chicken noodle soup is so comforting and great to have on hand for chilly nights or when you’re feeling under the weather.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup egg noodles or gluten-free noodles
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the oil, onion, celery, carrot and garlic and sauté until soft, 5 minutes.
2. Add the chicken, chicken broth, 1/4 cup water, bay leaves and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
3. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the chicken shreds easily with a fork, about 35 minutes.
4. Discard the bay leaves, coarsely shred the chicken with two forks and return to the soup, add the noodles and cook according to the package directions.

Tips for Maximizing Weight Loss with Chicken Soup

• Control Portion Sizes: Even healthy soup can contribute to weight gain if consumed in excess. Stick to a reasonable serving size (around 1-2 cups).
• Add More Veggies: The more non-starchy vegetables you include, the more filling and nutritious your soup will be.
• Limit High-Calorie Add-Ins: Be mindful of adding ingredients like cream, cheese, or excessive amounts of noodles, as they can significantly increase the calorie content.
• Pair with a Salad: For a more complete and satisfying meal, enjoy your chicken soup with a side salad.
• Make it Ahead: Soup is an excellent meal prep option. Make a large batch on the weekend and enjoy it throughout the week. Yes! This is a great recipe to prep in advance and then freeze for a quick healthy lunch or dinner later. To freeze the soup, add it to an airtight container or freezer safe storage bags.
• Spice it Up: Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to boost your metabolism and add extra flavor.

Variations and Customizations

• Add Beans or Lentils: For a vegetarian option or to increase fiber and protein, add beans or lentils to your soup. To make a detox vegetable soup, omit the chicken and use vegetable broth instead. Keep in mind that the soup will not have as much protein for a fully balanced meal.
• Use Different Greens: Experiment with various greens like spinach, kale, or Swiss chard. You can substitute any greens in this keto chicken soup (EXCEPT KALE WHICH IS HIGH IN CARBS,) but I went with swiss chard in this keto chicken soup recipe because it holds up better in liquids than spinach, which tends to turn the broth muddy.
• Add a Grain: If you tolerate grains well, consider adding a small amount of quinoa, brown rice, or barley for added nutrients and texture.

Storing and Reheating

• Refrigerate: Store leftover chicken soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: To freeze, let the soup completely cool and then transfer it to a freezer-safe container (or multiple containers for meal prep purposes). Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheat: Return the soup to a pot or saucepan and heat over medium until it’s heated through. If the soup is frozen, thaw it out in the fridge overnight before reheating. Alternatively, you can reheat an individual bowl of soup in the microwave.

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