Low Carb Chicken Fajita Soup {Keto Friendly}

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If you love chicken fajitas but are following a keto or low carb diet, I’ve got the perfect alternative for you-this Low Carb Chicken Fajita Soup! It has all the same delicious Mexican flavors without all the carbs from the tortillas! It is the perfect keto soup comfort food recipe for a delicious gluten-free, low carb and meal. 

Pot of chicken fajita soup with a wooden spoon in the pot

How to make low carb chicken fajita soup

I love experimenting with new low-carb/keto recipes, especially when they are easy, and my entire family enjoys the finished product- like my Queso Soup recipe. So, I thought, why not change out the ground beef for some shredded chicken and add some Mexican spices to the mix! The result is a deliciously creamy, flavorful soup that is high in protein and low in carbs!

Make sure to check out more keto soup recipes in my recipe index for quick and easy meal ideas.

Chicken Fajita Soup Ingredients:

Cooking and shredding your chicken is what takes the longest, so if you have your chicken pre-shredded and ready to go, this recipe is super quick!

  • Chicken breasts- I will make my shredded chicken using my slow cooker in advance in bulk. This speeds this recipe up big time!
  • Chicken broth– This is the base of the soup and adds lots of flavors. It is also used to cook your chicken in your crockpot.
  • Green peppers, onions, garlic– Low carb veggies give this fajita soup nutrients and lots of added flavor!
  • Cream cheese, heavy cream, butter- These fats will add richness to your soup as well as creaminess.
  • Taco seasoning- I like to use my homemade keto seasoning since store-bought seasoning packets contain some non-keto ingredients.

Steps for making your chicken fajita soup:

chicken breasts in a crock pot with chicken broth

Step 1: I begin this recipe by preparing the chicken so it is easy to shred later. I add boneless skinless chicken breasts to my slow cooker. It isn’t necessary to make it this way; it just makes my life easier around dinner time to have the chicken already cooked. Also, if you prefer a different cut of chicken, feel free to make substitutions that best suit your needs. You could also use a rotisserie chicken if you like!

chopped peppers, onions and garlic simmering in a pot with a wooden spoon

Step 2: Saute the onion and bell peppers in butter to bring out the incredible flavor in your chicken fajita soup.
chicken fajita soup in a pot with taco seasoning

Step 3: Add in some homemade taco seasoning if you are following a strict keto diet. I like to make my seasoning in bulk and keep it in my pantry.

low carb chicken fajita soup cooking in a pot with a spoon

Step 4: Once all the ingredients are in your pot, simmer on low so that the cream cheese melts completely and that all of the different spices and flavors are infused together.

overhead shot of low carb chicken fajita soup with shredded cheese and cilantro in bowl

Step 5: Garnish with more shredded cheese and freshly chopped cilantro leaves! Serve hot!

Other chicken fajita soup toppings

Toppings are everything, so feel free to have fun topping your fajita soup! Make sure you keep your toppings low in carbs and keto-friendly! Here are some toppings I like to add to my soup:

  • sliced jalapenos
  • a dollop of sour cream
  • guacamole or fresh avocado slices
  • more diced tomatoes
  • freshly chopped cilantro
  • more shredded cheese
  • freshly chopped green onions
  • sliced black olives
  • lime wedges

How to get this fajita soup on the table quicker!

If you are super busy and do not have time to wait for your chicken to cook, I suggest you do one of two things.

1. Speed up the process by purchasing a rotisserie chicken from the food store. The chicken is already cooked, so all you need to do is cut off the breasts and legs and shred/chop that up to add to your soup. This will cut your cooking time by more than half!

2. Cook shredded chicken in advance in bulk. Then portion it out into one pound baggies and freeze them. This way, you can quickly defrost your chicken a few hours or the night prior and have it ready to go! This saves you lots of money, too, and can be used for many other shredded chicken recipes like my Keto Buffalo Chicken Casserole (w/ Cauliflower). How to make crockpot shredded chicken is a life-saver to save time! Check out Keto Meal Prep Ideas to save you time for more helpful tips like this.

keto soup in a white bowl with shredded chicken and tomatoes in a spoon

Variations to this Easy Keto Soup Recipe:

  • Instead of 3 fresh garlic cloves, use 1 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • Substitute the fresh onion for 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • Add celery, cauliflower rice, spinach, or kale to make the soup a bit more hearty

Is this Recipe for Low Carb Chicken Fajita Soup Dairy-Free?

Often get asked about dairy-free keto recipes. As is, this recipe is not dairy-free as it contains several ingredients such as butter, cream cheese, and heavy whipping cream that are all dairy products. There are dairy-free options of cream cheese that I have seen at the grocery store. Many people sub sugar-free coconut cream made from coconut milk for heavy whipping cream and coconut oil can be subbed for butter. Personally, I haven’t tried any of these substations and cannot give a personal recommendation of how it would taste, but I did want to offer dairy-free options.

How to Store this Keto Chicken Soup Recipe:

It can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-5 days. It can be frozen in a freezer-safe container, but the soup’s texture may change when it thaws due to the high dairy content.

Best Keto Soup Recipes:

Don’t miss out!

If you aren’t already following my easy keto/low carb recipe page on Facebook, where I post all my new recipes, I’d love for you to join us! Also, make sure to follow me on Pinterest.

If you are just getting started following a keto diet and would like more information, many fantastic resources are available. Amazon has several great books you may want to check out here.

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Low Carb Chicken Fajita Soup {Keto Friendly}

If you love chicken fajitas but are following a keto or low carb diet, I've got the perfect alternative for you-this Low Carb Chicken Fajita Soup! It has the same delicious Mexican flavors without all the carbs from the tortillas in a filling keto soup.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 20 minutes
Course: Dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 8
Calories: 306kcal
Author: Kasey Trenum

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cook boneless skinless chicken breasts in a slow cooker for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low in a cup of chicken broth. Season with salt/pepper.
  • When chicken is cooked through, remove from slow cooker and shred. (You can strain the leftover broth for the soup.)
  • In a large saucepan, saute green pepper, onion, and garlic in 1 tablespoon of butter until translucent.
  • With a spoon, mash the cream cheese into the veggies so that it will combine smoothly as it melts.
  • Add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, heavy whipping cream, and taco seasoning.
  • Simmer on low uncovered for 20 minutes.
  • Add the shredded chicken, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy hot!
  • Optional: Top each bowl with shredded cheese, cilantro, green onions, avocado, and/or sour cream.

Video

Notes

Options for speeding up this recipe:
  • Option 1: Turn this 3-hour recipe into a 30 minute one by purchasing a rotisserie chicken from the food store. The chicken is already cooked, so all you need to do is cut off the breasts and legs and shred/chop that up to add to your soup!
  • Option 2: Cook shredded chicken in advance in bulk. Then portion it out into one pound baggies and freeze them. This way, you can quickly defrost your chicken a few hours or the night prior and have it ready to go the day of! This saves you lots of money, too, and can be used for many other shredded chicken recipes like my Keto Buffalo Chicken Casserole (w/ Cauliflower).

Other chicken fajita soup toppings

Toppings are everything, so feel free to have fun topping your fajita soup! Make sure you keep your toppings low in carbs and keto-friendly! Here are some toppings I like to add to my soup:
  • sliced jalapenos
  • a dollop of sour cream
  • guacamole or fresh avocado slices
  • more diced tomatoes
  • freshly chopped cilantro
  • more shredded cheese
  • freshly chopped green onions
  • sliced black olives
  • lime wedges

Nutrition

Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 8.2g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 880mg | Potassium: 757mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 635IU | Vitamin C: 21.9mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 0.8mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @kaseytrenumblogger or tag #kaseytrenumblogger!

low carb chicken fajita soup in a bowl/pot with a spoon.

 

329 Comments

    1. I just divide it evenly into the number of servings listed but I don’t measure it. It is up to you whether you add a salad or not depending.

  1. This is fabulous! Full of flavor w homemade taco seasoning, slightly spicy. 2lbs chicken is quite a bit. Maybe do 1.5 next time or add more stock and cream so there’s a bit more broth for that amount of chicken. This soup eats like a meal though and I like that! Topped w cheese, sour cream, cilantro, Avacado ( but it really didn’t need the Avacado) bc it was great and chunky as is!

  2. if our family can’t have dairy, think we could swap the cream cheese and heavy whipping cream for coconut milk? Suggestions on amount…

    1. I’ve never cooked with coconut milk so I can’t say for sure. You’ll just have to test it. Thanks!

    2. If do this substitution you’ll likely need to thicken it with xanthum gum or some keto friendly thickener. Or puree a portion of the soup to make it denser,creamier.

    3. Yes you can use coconut milk or coconut cream! It is fantastic! I get cans of coconut cream at Trader Joe’s.

  3. Would it be “bad” to add black beans? It’s 12 net carbs for 1/2 C. A serving would be less than that I think. Would it still be considered low carb?

    1. That is totally up to you and what fits into your lifestyle. While Black Beans aren’t “keto friendly” necessarily, I say to each person their own.

  4. Hey, friend. I searched keto chicken fajita soup & yours was the first one! 🙂 I really need you to do instant pot recipes for these crock pot ones! ha! 😉 This looks great! Thanks!!!

  5. I am new to Keto and was looking for new recipes so I wouldn’t get bored with eating same meals day in and day out. So thankful to find your website! Made the Chicken Fajita soup yesterday and LOVE it!! The Broccoli & Cheese Soup is next on my list. Thank you Kasey

    1. So glad you loved it! I hope you enjoy the Broccoli & Cheese Soup too! It is one of my favorites for sure.

    1. I think Rotel has a mild option. If it is still too spicy perhaps try using a can of diced tomatoes without spices.

  6. Made this and it turned about amazing I cooked my chicken in water first and used that as my chicken broth in my soup definitely turned out super delicious. I omitted the chicken broth from this recipe because all my broth had sugar in it

  7. Just made this for meal prep and the house smells amazing and it tastes even better! So excited to eat this!

    1. I would double check the ingredients just to make sure if you need gluten free for some kind of allergy. I wouldn’t want to tell you wrong.

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