You’ll love this low carb version of a classic chicken and rice soup. It’s loaded with veggies and ready in about 30 minutes!

We’ve had so much snow this last week and I don’t know how all of you who live in colder climates handle it. Even my kids who were initially ecstatic to see white falling from the sky are now officially over it. I couldn’t convince them to go outside at all yesterday. Instead we all stayed in our pajamas and watched movies. Not a bad way to spend a snow day!

Because these cool temps really put me in the mood for soup I threw together this Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Soup a few days ago. It was so satisfying and simple. Just how I like it!

Like many of my soup recipes, this one takes about 30 minutes but has all the flavor of something you’d expect to simmer for an afternoon.

This tastes like a classic chicken noodle or chicken and rice soup but is quite a bit lighter since it’s low carb.

For this recipe you’ll need (full list of ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below):

  • Olive oil
  • Celery
  • Onion
  • Minced garlic
  • Chicken stock or broth
  • Chicken breasts or thighs (boneless)
  • Carrots
  • Lemon juice
  • Peas
  • Cauliflower Rice
  • Simple seasonings and herbs

To make this soup we’ll start by sautéing the celery, onion, and garlic in a little oil. Once it’s fragrant and the onion is tender it’s time to incorporate the other ingredients.

Everything except the cauliflower rice and peas goes right into the pot. Stir. Crank up the heat to bring it to a quick boil. Then drop the heat to medium or medium-low and let it all simmer until close to done.

Stir in the cauliflower and peas. Simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and veggies are all tender.

Can you use chicken broth instead of chicken stock?

Absolutely. I do it all the time. The flavor difference is usually fairly minor. Just adjust the seasonings at the end if necessary.

Should the chicken be cooked before adding it to the soup?

We’re adding raw chicken to this soup so that it adds even more flavor to your chicken stock (or broth) as it cooks. This is why we crank the heat up a bit in the beginning and then lower it.

Can you add whole chicken breasts to this soup?

Absolutely. I love to add the chicken already chopped because it breaks down further as the soup cooks and you’ll see lots of pieces of chicken in every bite. It’s perfectly fine to add the chicken breasts to the soup, let it all cook, and then chop or shred your chicken at the end. They’ll likely require a bit more time to cook if whole.

Does this soup freeze well?

Cauliflower rice is pretty delicate so, while you can definitely freeze this soup, you may want to add a bag of steamed cauliflower rice after thawing and reheating.

More easy soup recipes like this:

Slow Cooker Hearty Chicken Stew

30 Minute Lemon Chicken Soup

Chicken Sausage Gumbo Soup

Instant Pot Chicken & Vegetable Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Soup

5 from 4 votes

Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Soup

You'll love this low carb version of a classic chicken and rice soup. It's loaded with veggies and ready in about 30 minutes!

Ingredients 

  • 2 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
  • 1 white or yellow onion, diced
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • 1 tbsp garlic, minced
  • 64 oz chicken stock or broth
  • 2 lbs chicken breasts or thighs, boneless and skinless, about 4 breasts
  • 1 1/2 cup carrots, cut into circles
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 3/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 cups peas, fresh or frozen, can use 10 oz bag
  • 2 cups cauliflower rice, fresh or frozen, can use 10 or 12 oz bag

Instructions

  • Add your olive oil, onion, celery, and garlic to your soup pot. Sauté on medium high heat, stirring frequently, until onion is tender and the garlic has a bit of browning.
  • Cut your chicken into small chunks. This will help the chicken cook quickly and evenly in the soup.
  • Stir in all ingredients except for the cauliflower and peas. Bring to a boil on high heat. Then immediately cover and reduce to a simmer (medium or medium low heat) for 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the cauliflower rice and peas. Simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and veggies are all tender. Taste and add extra salt or pepper if you like.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 173kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 45mg, Sodium: 533mg, Potassium: 579mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 2511IU, Vitamin C: 23mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 1mg
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