Chicken Quinoa Soup, I have found, is the perfect compromise between chicken soup and staying low carb! Lately, I have missed many of my old recipes- despite the high calorie count and especially because of the amount of carbs! Being low carb has reduced my epilepsy triggered migraines and has helped me lose weight. In December, I went back on a diet that was akin to the keto diet. The keto diet is simply low carb and high protein and healthy fats. My goal is to reasonably stay below 90 g of carbs a day, and keep my protein and fat macronutrients roughy twice that amount.

Why Quinoa for Chicken Soup?

  1. Quinoa seeds are rich in protein, dietary fiber, B Vitamins and more! For epilepsy and migraines, Vitamin B12 is very helpful. There are 5 grams of protein per 1/4 cup of dry quinoa.
  2. Penne Pasta Can’t Be Justified for My Diet– I typically use penne pasta for my chicken soup, and while that contains 7 g per 1/2 cup, 42 g of carbs doesn’t justify for me.
  3. Not all Calories are Created Equal– Penne pasta has 200 calories per 1/2 cup, quinoa has 160 calories, and quinoa keeps you fuller longer.

Comparing Grains Per Serving

  • Pasta 2 oz (1/2 cup dry) 42 g of carbs
  • Dry Rice 1/2 cup 38 g carbs 
  • Quinoa 1/4 cup dry 34 g carbs
quinoa soup

Why Chicken Quinoa Soup?

Since not all calories are created equal, 2 TBS of dry quinoa is actually enough to fill you (1/2 serving of quinoa). Assuming you are eating 2 TBS of quinoa in the chicken quinoa soup, that is 1/2 the serving of quinoa. When you make pasta, you usually eat the full 2 oz of dry pasta. So think: 200 calories of pasta (in addition to the rest of the soup) versus 80 calories.

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Recipe for Chicken Quinoa Soup

Surprise! 1 cup of this chicken soup is only 127 calories with 13 g of carbs and 6 g of protein.

Ingredients

  • 3 celery sticks
  • 2 carrot sticks
  • 1 onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 chicken breast
  • 1/2 table spoon salt
  • 1/2 table spoon
  • 1 table spoon basil
  • 1 table spoon parsley 
  • 1 table spoon oregano 
  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 2 cup beef broth (fresh or store bought)
  • 2 cup chicken broth (fresh with my recipe or store bought)

Directions

  • Rinse 1/2 cup quinoa in a sifter
  • Place quinoa in a bowl and coat with 2 TBS olive oil, set aside
  • Combine beef and chicken broth in a medium sized bowl
  • Shred chicken, add to pot
  • Clean and chop carrots and celery, add to pot
  • Chop onion, add to pot
  • Mince garlic, add to pot
  • Add quinoa to pot
  • Combine and add seasoning blend
  • Bring to boil and cook until vegetables are tender and the quinoa looks like it has “popped”- Cook time is generally 45-60 minutes
  • Remove from heat and enjoy!

Nutrition Information for Chicken Quinoa Soup

  • This Recipe with Pasta: 17 g carbs
  • This Recipe with Quinoa: 13 g carbs
  • This Recipe with Rice:
  • This Recipe with NO GRAINS: 4.5 g carbs (95 calories)
Chicken Quinoa Soup

Chicken Quinoa Soup

Thetinytwentysomethingblog
This chicken quinoa soup is the perfect balance for chicken soup and staying low carb!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 3 celery sticks
  • 2 carrot sticks
  • 1 onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 chicken breast
  • 1/2 table spoon salt
  • 1/2 table spoon
  • 1 table spoon basil
  • 1 table spoon parsley
  • 1 table spoon oregano
  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 2 cup chicken broth

Instructions
 

  • Rinse 1/2 cup quinoa in a sifter
  • Place quinoa in a bowl and coat with 2 TBS olive oil, set aside
  • Combine beef and chicken broth in a medium sized bowl
  • Shred chicken, add to pot
  • Clean and chop carrots and celery, add to pot
  • Chop onion, add to pot
  • Mince garlic, add to pot
  • Add quinoa to pot
  • Combine and add seasoning blend
  • Bring to boil and cook until vegetables are tender and the quinoa looks like it has “popped”- Cook time is generally 45-60 minutes
  • Remove from heat and enjoy!
Keyword chicken dinner, chicken soup, keto-friendly, low carb dinners