Keto Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Soup: Creamy & Delicious
This Keto Chicken and Cauliflower Soup is a super simple low-carb soup. If you’re ready for a hearty meal, your tastebuds will love this cauliflower and chicken soup that is full of flavor.
HOW TO MAKE KETO CHICKEN AND CAULIFLOWER SOUP
I really love this simple soup recipe because it’s low carb and makes me feel as though I’m eating a bowl full of hearty soup without missing out on that “rice” taste and feel.
The key to making this cauliflower and chicken soup recipe work is to take the time and put some extra emphasis on the cauliflower. Some people tend to shy away from using cauliflower rice in their recipes, but if you do it right, no one will even know the difference. Since I’ve started eating low-carb, I’ve found out a few tricks for cooking cauliflower, so it really doesn’t taste like cauliflower, which is important because we don’t love it as is. This Keto Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Soup is a staple in our home!
If you like this simple slow cooker soup recipe, make certain to check out our Keto Jalapeno Popper Chicken Soup as well.
Ingredients:
- Chicken – Use boneless skinless chicken breast for ease or sub with thighs.
- Cauliflower Rice – I use a simple steamed cauliflower rice bag from the freezer for this step. Cuts down on time.
- Cream Cheese – This is what adds the creaminess to the soup.
- Chicken Broth – You can opt for low sodium chicken broth or bone broth.
- Heavy Cream – Adding this gives this chicken cauliflower soup a rich flavor.
- Cheddar Cheese – Brings out a saltiness that is a nice contrast to the richness.
- Onion & celery – Adds flavor and texture
- Herbs & Spices – The spices are the stars of this recipe as they infuse the cauliflower with incredible flavor to change the taste.
Steps to make Keto Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Soup:
Below you will find abbreviated directions to this recipe. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full instructions.
Step 1: Place boneless skinless chicken breasts in a slow cooker and cover with water or chicken broth and salt and pepper. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for six hours. Shred chicken, then set it aside.
Tip: Check out this post on how to Make SHREDDED CHICKEN IN THE CROCKPOT for complete instructions.
Step 2: In a tall stockpot, melt butter then add the onions, garlic, and celery and sauté on medium heat until they begin to get translucent.
Step 3: Meanwhile, pop the riced cauliflower steam bags in the microwave following directions on the package. Then add the riced cauliflower to the pot. This next step of sauteeing the riced cauliflower in the spices and butter for several minutes infuses it with flavor and makes it taste amazing.
Step 4: Add the cream cheese and stir until melted then add the shredded chicken, broth, and cream.
Step 5: Add shredded cheese for an extra hint of flavor and depth.
HOW TO MAKE TENDER CHICKEN IN THE SLOW COOKER FOR LOW CARB CHICKEN AND CAULIFLOWER SOUP
The use of a slow cooker makes the chicken very tender. I cover the chicken with a little chicken broth (but you could use water) and add salt and pepper. Cook on high 3 hours or low for 6 hours. If you prefer you can boil the chicken on the stove instead. Cooking in the slow cooker just makes it easier for me.
I have made this soup in my Ninja 4-in-1 Multi-Cooker so that I don’t get any additional pots dirty. Once the chicken is tender, I remove it to shred and turn my Ninja to the stovetop function and follow the rest of the recipe as if I was cooking it on the stove. (Here I show you exactly HOW to shred chicken for recipes like this one!)
WHY DO I FRY THE CAULIFLOWER RICE IN BUTTER AND SPICES?
Even though cauliflower is awesome for eating low carb, there are people that don’t like the taste or flavor. My low carb cauliflower hack is to fry it up in butter and spices before adding to the soup. Works like a charm!
HOW TO STORE KETO CHICKEN & CAULIFLOWER RICE SOUP
You can store this creamy cauliflower rice soup in the fridge for three to five days and freezer for six months in airtight containers. It may change texture a bit when defrosted due to the high dairy content but it will taste the same.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS LOW-CARB CHICKEN CAULIFLOWER SOUP?
Any type of side dish would go well with this simple ground beef dinner recipe, but here are some of my favorite side dish choices.
- Keto Cheddar Bay Biscuits Recipe
- Keto Cheesy Garlic Chaffle Bread
- Leafy Garden Salad
MORE KETO FRIENDLY SOUP RECIPES
I know you are going to absolutely love my cauliflower and chicken soup recipe. To plan the rest of your menu, make sure to take advantage of all the great options in my Keto/Low Carb recipe index.
You’ll find more recipes on my Facebook page and lots of other keto and low carb recipe ideas on Pinterest. Below are just a few of our favorites to check out!
Keto Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
- 1/4 cup celery, chopped
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 12 ounce packages Steamed Cauliflower Rice ( I used Green Giant but feel free to use whatever)
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 3/4 teaspoon rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 4 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/3 cup cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Place boneless skinless chicken breasts in a slow cooker and cover with water or chicken broth and salt and pepper. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for six hours.
- Shred the cooked chicken and set it aside.
- In a tall stockpot, melt butter, add the onions, garlic, and celery and saute on medium heat until they become translucent.
- Meanwhile, pop the riced cauliflower steam bags in the microwave following directions on the package.
- Add the riced cauliflower and all of the spices to the veggies and saute for 7 minutes on medium heat, stirring so that all of the spices and veggies get mixed in.
- Add the cream cheese and stir until melted.
- Add the shredded chicken, chicken broth, and heavy cream, then bring to a boil.
- Once it comes to a boil, turn down the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes with the lid off.
- Add ⅓ cup shredded cheese
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Added carrots for color. Delicious! Family favorite. My husband said it tasted like the base for the seafood chowder at The No Name Restaurant in Boston ! Quite a recommendation. Will make again!
Please let your husband know I appreciate his compliment on the dish!!
Definitely a keeper! The chicken is so tender cooking in the Crock-Pot. I did add mushrooms but otherwise followed recipe. Planning to make again this weekend. Enjoyed leftovers for lunches at work. Thanks Kasey! 👍
That looks delicious!
Love this recipe .Meal prepping and this is always On my list of soups. . Love it . Thank you
SO glad you loved it.
One of my favorites! I truly feel like I’m eating Chicken and rice soup. Delicious! Everyone loves this soup.
That is so great! It’s one of our favorites too.
I’m in! Thank you!
Made this from leftover Thanksgiving chicken and it was fabulous. I used frozen cauliflower rice with peas and carrots in it so that made it even easier. Husband loved it too, so that’s always a win-win. I would definitely make this again. I will say it was even so much better the day after I made it, as is typical when you make any kind of soup! I’ll post a photo of the soup and tag you in it!
Great! Glad you enjoyed it.
Was at first skeptical because I never had riced cauliflower, poultry swasoning and rosemary. However, I have to say it was absolutely delicious…..blue ribbon delicious! Thanks so much.
Yay!! So glad you loved it.
I made this today. It was so good! Thank you for the recipe.
I’m so glad you loved it.
I would give this 10 stars if I could. Delicious.
What would be your suggestions to make this dairy-free?
I don’t personally eat dairy-free so I’m not familiar with the substations and hesitate to offer any since I’m not sure if I would be correct.
Can you tell me how to make this in a instant pot?
I have never made this recipe in the IP so I am not sure.
I wonder how this would be with spinach in it ?
I’m not sure, it’s worth a try.
Have you made this to freeze in individual servings if so how was it?
I have not. A lot of time in recipes with a lot of dairy content it doesn’t thaw well. It tastes ok, but the texture can change.
My son makes this and gives some to me as well and it is always delicious. It’s nice that it makes so much so you can share or eat off of it for several days. My younger son who has always hated any low-carb recipe with riced cauliflower in it actually eats this up and raves about it.
My son made a whole batch of this for me once and I froze a couple of servings and when I thawed them and reheated it was just as delicious.
Why couldn’t you make this in thr crockpot after the chicken is done?
I think you could do it in the crock pot if you sauteed the veggies and seasonings as directed first and then added them in with the cooked chicken and the rest of the ingredients. If I was going to attempt it I would cook the chicken in the crockpot first until done and shred it and leave it in there. Then I would sautee the veggies and spices as directed and add them to the crockpot and cook for a while longer. Then towards the end, I would add all the dairy and cook for a tiny bit longer and then serve.
This soup is amazing! Spices are on point. I added peas and carrots at my husbands request and he said he will eat this instead of rice. It’s a win-win.
So glad y’all loved it and found a compromise! Lol!