Chicken Soup With Butternut Squash
This hearty Butternut Squash Chicken Soup is easy to make and tastes like fall in a bowl! It's keto-friendly and makes a cozy, low-carb high-protein lunch or light dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped, small
- ½ cup celery
- 2 to 4 to 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 to 3 to 3 cups butternut squash peeled and cubed
- ¼ teaspoon salt add more as needed, fine
- pinch black pepper adjust to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon thyme or 2 fresh sprigs, dried
- 1 ½ pound chicken thighs skin on or off, or leg quarters or breasts
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup parsley chopped, plus more for garnish, fresh or cilantro
- pumpkin seeds optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chopped 1 small onion and 1/2 cup celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in 2 to 4 cloves garlic, 2 to 3 cups butternut squash, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, pinch black pepper, 1 bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme. Sauté for a couple of minutes until the spices are fragrant.
- Add 4 cups chicken broth and 1 1/2 pound chicken thighs, leg quarters or breasts and bring it to a boil. As soon as it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Let it simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Remove the cooked chicken to a cutting board or large plate. Discard the skin and bones, then use two forks to shred the chicken or chop it into bite-sized pieces.
- Stir the chicken back into the soup. Taste and adjust salt and seasonings as needed. Cook for another minute, stir in 1/2 cup fresh parsley or cilantro and serve.
Notes
- Recipe variations
- Higher-protein, lower-calorie, low-fat: Use skinless chicken breasts
- Higher-fat: Use skin on chicken legs or quarters
- Extra veggies: Add 1 cup of cauliflower rice (at Step 2, along with the butternut squash) or a couple of handfuls of fresh spinach (at the end, when you return the shredded chicken to the pot). Cook for a couple of minutes, just until the spinach wilts.
- Make it spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper and powdered or minced ginger for a kick of heat.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 325
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 | |
| Calories | 325kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Protein | 23g | 46% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Net Carbohydrates | 9g |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.