This easy and healthy chicken pot pie soup recipe uses a low carb creamy, cauliflower sauce instead of heavy cream so it’s dairy free too. It takes little time to make and uses items you probably have on hand. This creamy healthy soup is great for a busy weeknight meal especially if you are on a keto diet. One serving has only 5.2g net carbs and 142 calories!
You might also like this low carb creamy turkey soup using leftovers.
I don’t know why but classic chicken pot pie always look so comforting in the colder months. I’ve only eaten them a few times in my life but the cold weather here in Pittsburgh inspired me to make a low carb soup and healthier version using the flavors of pot pie.
So today I have for you a healthy chicken pot pie soup. This recipe has no milk, heavy whipping cream, cream cheese or flour to make it thick. So it’s dairy free and gluten free. All you need is cauliflower to make the creamy base. Pureed cauliflower is great to make creamy soups and sauces.
I love it because it’s such healthy comfort food and it’s not only low carb (5.2 grams net carbs), it’s high protein (14.2 grams protein) as well as low calorie (142 calories) and gluten free. But you won’t care about that because it’s delicious! It’s also a great way to eat more veggies.
One of the best things about this delicious soup is that it takes very little time and you can use simple ingredients you probably have on hand. It’s the perfect low carb comfort food on a cold day and sure to be a family favorite.
Recipe ingredients and substitutions.
I used frozen veggies (carrots, peas, corn and green beans), chopped pre-cooked chicken pieces, fresh cauliflower, nutritional yeast. dried onion, olive oil, garlic cloves, bouillon and some spices (sage, thyme, salt and ground black pepper). I usually have all that on hand anyway so I can eat this comforting and hearty soup all winter long.
Cooked Chicken Breast
I often use frozen chopped chunks of rotisserie chicken in my soups. I keep a batch on hand all the time. However you should not use raw chicken but if you want you can cook skinless chicken breasts or use any you have leftover chicken from another meal. Just make sure it is precooked. You can substitute with cooked turkey and this is perfect low carb dish for with leftover turkey from a holiday.
Frozen Vegetable Mix
I would not normally use a frozen vegetable mix like this because corn carrots and peas have quite a few carbs. However we are only using 1 cup of these veggies in the whole recipe.
If you want to lower the carb count just use whatever lower carb vegetables you want and I’m sure it will still taste delicious. I would not use potatoes though as they are very high in carbs. Turnips or radishes are good substitutes for potatoes. You can also use fresh veggies instead of frozen but this saves time as there is no chopping!
Fresh Cauliflower
Cauliflower if essential to make the creamy part of this dairy free soup. You can use frozen cauliflower florets as well. I would just not use cauliflower rice as I don’t know if it will create the thick consistency as well.
Nutritional Yeast
This item is a popular health food thats often used in vegan cooking. It’s considered healthy because it has protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. If you want to learn more about the health benefits check out this article on why nutritional yeast is good for you.
Using it in this recipe gives the cream sauce a bit of a cheesy flavor. You could use always use a grated parmesean or romano cheese here if you don’t have any nutritional yeast.
Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
If you’ve made any of my soup recipes you would know I LOVE Better than Bouillon products because they add lots of flavor. If you don’t have any you can use a bouillon cube or just chicken broth or chicken stock. However I highly recommend buying some and it should be available in many grocery stores.
Spices
I use fresh garlic, dried sage and thyme because they are good for that roasted chicken flavor. One clove of garlic is equivalent to ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder if you want to substitute.
I specifically use dried onion flakes instead of fresh yellow onion because I was trying to save carbs and time. However you can substitute with onion powder if you want. You would use about ⅓ – ½ teaspoon onion powder to replace 1 teaspoon of the dried onion flakes.
How to make healthy cauliflower cream sauce.
Once you make this creamy cauliflower sauce you will be hooked. It’s a great non dairy and gluten free method for thickening creamy soups and casseroles without flour or even heavy whipping cream. So if you are gluten free or gluten intolerant, this is a great option for you!
- The creamy sauce is pretty easy to make. You cut the cauliflower into florets and boil/steam them in a covered pot.
- When they are very tender drain the water but retain it because you will use it.
- Add the cooked cauliflower to a high speed blender or food processor along with olive oil, seasonings and some of the cooking liquid.
- Blend until it has a smooth and creamy texture.
And this is what it looked like after it is blended well.
You can control the thickness of the soup by how thick your make the cauliflower sauce. So maybe use just ¼ – ½ cup of liquid when making the cauliflower sauce and then you can add more liquid at the end if you want it thinner.
How to make healthy chicken pot pie soup.
I have a lot of short cuts for this recipe like using already cooked chicken so you won’t have to take hours at the stove, chopping veggies or even using a dutch oven. This recipe should take less than 30 minutes.
Step 1: Make your cauliflower cream sauce buy adding fresh cauliflower to a large soup pan and add water to just cover the florets. Heat to medium heat and cook for 4-5 minutes until the cauliflower is fork tender.
Step 2: When the cauliflower is done, drain it but retain the cooking water. Place it in a high speed blender(or food processor) along with the garlic, olive oil, nutritional yeast (or parmesan cheese), all the spices and ¼ cup of the retained liquid. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Step 3: Get out a soup pan and heat to medium heat. Add the frozen veggies and stir for 1-2 minutes to heat them up. Add the bouillon to a cup of water and mix to combine. Then pour into the pot along with the cooked chicken (cut into bite sized chunks) and mix well to combine.
Step 4: Lastly pour in the cauliflower cream, mix and cook for 5 minutes until all the flavors meld. Spoon into a bowl and serve and that’s it! If you want you can garnish with fresh parsley but it’s not necessary.
This is an easy recipe to double or triple and use for meal prep. I love to freeze my low carb soups for quick lunches. Store leftover soup in an airtight container. Please scroll down to see and print the recipe card.
To make this more of a delicious meal, try it with these keto biscuits and a nice green salad. The biscuits will give that feel of that traditional chicken pot pie flavor.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- You can control the thickness of the soup by how thick your make the cauliflower sauce. So use just ¼ cup of liquid when making the cauliflower sauce and then you can add more liquid at the end if you want it thinner.
- I love Better than Bouillon in my soups. It gives it so much flavor and you only need a teaspoon. However you can use chicken broth or chicken stock in it’s place if you don’t have it. You might want to add a bit more seasonings or salt though.
- For the veggies, if you are following a strict Paleo diet, you would want to use Paleo vegetables. Corn is not one but peas and green beans are generally thought to be ok. Here is a visual guide to low carb veggies if you are interested.
- As mentioned above, you can substitute parmesan cheese for the nutritional yeast.
- While this is chicken pot pie soup, it’s also great with leftover turkey! Also great for using leftover chicken.
- I have an easy keto biscuit recipe that would go great with this. You can make a batch and just serve them along side the soup.
- You can easily double this batch and freeze portions for meal prep. It’s nice to have on hand for a quick and warming low carb lunch.
I hope you enjoy this delicious low carb and healthy chicken pot pie soup that takes minutes instead of hours to make. Soup is my favorite comfort food and is perfect during colder months. This recipe is a delicious combination of tender chicken and veggies in a creamy broth using simple ingredients. I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as we do.
The nutritional information for 1 serving of this keto chicken pot pie is: 142 calories / 6.2g fat / 7.4g carbs / 2.2g fiber / 14.3g protein = 5.2g. net carbs
Find all my healthy soup recipes here!
Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup Recipe
This easy and healthy chicken pot pie soup recipe uses a creamy, cauliflower sauce instead of heavy cream so it's dairy free. It's also low carb, high protein, gluten free and low calorie. This pot pie soup takes little time to make is the ultimate comfort food on a low carb diet.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
- 1 cup frozen vegetables (corn, carrots, green beans & peas mix)
- 8 ounces cooked chopped chicken breast or leftover turkey
- 2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon chicken base dissolved in 1 cup of hot water (can use 1 cup chicken broth too)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (can sub with grated parmesan cheese)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon sage
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- salt and black pepper to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Creamy Cauliflower Sauce:
- In a large soup pan add fresh chopped cauliflower and enough water to almost cover florets.
- Heat to medium heat and cover and cook until cauliflower is fork tender. Then drain the water but keep it as you will use it later.
- Add the cooked cauliflower to a high speed blender or food processor. To that add the olive oil, yeast, sage, thyme, garlic, dehydrated onions, a pinch of salt & pepper and ¼ cup of cooking liquid.
- Puree until smooth.
- For The Soup:
- Add frozen vegetables to a soup pan and saute 1-2 minutes until warmed through. Add the cooked chopped chicken (bite-sized pieces) and stir. Then mix the bouillon with 1 cup of hot water and stir in.
- Add pureed cauliflower mixture to the cooked chicken and veggies. Mix well to combine.
- Cook until flavors meld, about 5 minutes. If it's too thick add more water or chicken broth until you get the consistency you like. Ladle into bowls and enjoy! Store leftover soup in an airtight container.
Notes
The nutrtitional information for 1 serving is 142 calories / 6.2g fat / 7.4g carbs / 2.2g fiber / 14.3g protein = 5.2g net carbs
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 142
And check out my friend Jenn’s keto pie crust and maybe you can use it with this pot pie soup recipe.
Roni
So delish! I’ve made this twice now. Made a couple of modifications…roasted the cauliflower and carmelized the onions, added to the blender with a carton of ck broth (32 oz…maybe I had more cauliflower but it was still pretty thick.) Sautéed fresh carrots, celery, zucchini, deglazed pan with white wine (1/4 c), then added cauliflower mix, bay leaf and fresh rosemary. Added shredded rotisserie ck at the end. Extremely good! Thank you for this recipe!
Denise
Hi Roni, so glad you liked it! Thanks for coming back and sharing your tips….it will be helpful to other readers. It sounds delicious too!
Denise
How do you get 6 servings when you only added 1 cup of chicken broth?
Denise
Hi Denise, this recipe makes roughly 6 (1/2 cup) servings. The 3 cups of cauliflower that you puree with the 1 cup of broth gives you quite a bit of soup. Then you are adding 1 cup of veggies and about 1 cup of chicken. I hope that makes sense. The cauliflower mixed with the broth is the “cream” so to speak. You could always add more broth if you wanted to make it thinner and stretch the recipe a bit. But it will give you 6 servings (1/2 cup each). Let me know you have any other questions.
Denise
Thanks for getting back to me Denise. This makes sense now. 🙂 I will have to give it a try. It sure looks yummy.
Denise
Hope you like it!
Peggy
I’m hoping to try this today – I actually found this recipe linked to the Paleo Clam Chowder recipe which uses the cauliflower cream. I have been making that clam chowder for a long time and I just want to tell the comment readers that it really doesn’t taste like cauliflower at all. My husband had no clue and we really enjoy it. I know this recipe will be equally as good!
Denise
Hi Peggy, thanks so much for commenting and sharing your experience. So glad you like the cauliflower cream. I used it in many of my creamy keto soups.
Lara
can frozen cauliflower be used instead of fresh?
Denise
I think so. I would make sure you cook it according to the package instructions and make sure to drain any water if there seems to be a lot. I hope you like it!
Blanche
How many ounces is a serving?
Denise
Hi Blanche, I’m not exactly sure. This recipe made roughly 6 – 1/2 cup servings but I don’t know for certain of the oz.It’s very thick and dense so you could add more broth and increase the amount per serving if you wish. Hope that helps.
Talaia
Yum! Looks delicious and perfect for this cold weather 🙂
Rachel
Am I missing something? I feel like I’ve scrolled several times and I don’t find the measurements for the spices for the cauliflower cream sauce. Would you please provide? I’m guessing around a teaspoon of each? Thank you so much! Can’t wait to make it 🙂
Denise
Hi Rachel. It’s in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Here’s a link to the print version of the recipe card and everything should be on that. Let me know if you need anything else and I hope you enjoy it!
https://mylifecookbook.com/wp-json/mv-create/v1/creations/18/print
Denise
Hilary
This was delicious! Turned out just like your picture! I added some of the leftover water & broth as I wanted the soup less thick. Will definitely make this again!
Denise
Hi Hilary, so glad you liked it. And I’m glad you know how to make it just the way you wanted to. Enjoy!
Alicia Hughes
This soup is delicious! I love cauliflower but if you don’t like it, you can’t even tell. So yummy!
Denise
Hi Alicia, so glad you liked it! And yes I agree, you can’t even tell. Thanks for coming back to comment.
Ann
How many servings does this make? There doesn’t seem to be much liquid to yield more than 1-2 servings.
Denise
Hi Ann, it makes 6 servings. There isn’t much liquid so that it will be thick. You could certainly add more broth if you wanted. The cauliflower actually provides a very thick cream that thins out with the broth if that makes sense. Hope that helps a bit.
Melissa
Hi there! This looks delicious! How much Parmesan cheese should we use to substitute for the yeast?
Denise
Hi Melissa, just use the same amount as the yeast.
Penny-Lee Fidersek
Can you use frozen cauliflower instead of fresh?
Denise
Hi Penny, I have never tried it so I can’t say for sure but I think it should.
Terri
This was was easy to make and delicious. Because of the low calorie count, next time I’ll double it. I like the suggestion from another comment of putting it in a crust and making a pie.
Denise
So glad you liked it Terri!
Michele
This is so good! I kept my soup thick and poured half of it into a gluten free pie crust and then topped it with another pie crust, baked it until browned and now I have chicken pot pie AND soup! I used Fresh Market California veggies ( carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and chopped red peppers) and followed the rest of the recipe as it is. Honestly, the cauliflower cream was so good, I’ll use this recipe for cauliflower mash in the future. So much flavor! Thank you for sharing such a good recipe!
Denise
Hi Michele,
So glad you liked it and that pot pie sound yummy! Thanks for coming back to share your tips!
Rachel
Can this be made in a crockpot?
Denise
Hi Rachel, I don’t think so because you want to add cauliflower cream right at the end and the rest doen’t take long at all. Sorry I can’t see how that would work.
Maggie
This looks amazing, however, my husband is not a fan of cooked cauliflower (or broccoli either 🙁 ) Can anyone tell me how much like cauliflower it taste? Thank you!
Denise
Maggie I really don’t think there is any cauliflower taste. It’s merely in there to make the cream sauce. Maybe someone else will pipe in with there thoughts.
Janette
My husband hates cauliflower, he could not tell there was cauliflower in this. You can also make a loaded not “potato” soup using cauliflower that nobody can tell by taste that it has cauliflower.
Denise
Hi Janette, so glad you husband liked it! I agree about the soup not tasting like cauliflower. Thanks for sharing your tip about the loaded potato soup. I’ll have to try that!
Monica
Can this be frozen
Denise
Hi Monica, I think I have frozen this before. It might separate a bit but after you heat it up and mix it well it should be fine. Hope you enjoy it!
Rory
No idea what I did wrong but mine looks nowhere close to as creamy as your pictures. Good flavor. Meh texture :/
Denise
Hi Rory,
I’m sorry it didn’t work out but here are a few thoughts. When you made the cauliflower cream was it thick? You can control the thickness of the soup with cauliflower cream. That is when you puree it in the blender maybe use less liquid? Also for creaminess make sure your cauliflower is very tender and blend well until the sauce is creamy. I’ll try to make this again this week and add better notes. So thanks for bringing it to my attention.
TarA
What is the one cup of cooking liquid ?
Denise
Hi Tara, the 1 cup of cooking liquid is the water that you keep when draining the cauliflower. You could just use a cup of warm water. Hope that helps.
Stefanie Scott
Hi Denise, this looks fabulous. Can you tell me what natural yeast is ( baking/brewing yeast)? Also what does it do to the recipe? Is it a flavour enhancer? Many thanks, Stef
Denise
Hi Stefanie, nutritional yeast just adds flavor. You can easily substitute grated parmesan cheese instead. Hope that helps!
Carolyn
Does this soup freeze well?
Denise
Hi Carolyn, I would say yes. I froze a similar soup and it was fine. You might have to give it a good mix before serving but it should be good. Hope you like it.
Lauren
Do you think I could use cashew milk instead of the cauliflower cream? I’m in a keto cook off but it’s the pandemic so I’d rather not run to the store for one thing and I have everything else.
Denise
Hi Lauren, I’m not sure what the one thing is that you are missing? The cauliflower cream is cauliflower and spices that have been blended into a cream sauce. Is it cauliflower that you do not have?
You could try the cashew mild but it will not be the same because it’s much thinner and I would think that it has some sweetness. I think heavy cream might work better. Let me know about what you are missing and I can offer suggestions.
Lauren
Yes missing the cauliflower which I know is the key ingredient here I am just home with my 8 month old and hubby is essential service so I can’t go out but perhaps I can get another family member to go for me and get the cauliflower because I’m assuming it makes the soup!
Denise
Oh ok, it really does make it thick and creamy but you could use heavy cream and it would taste pretty good but it won’t be thick. Sorry. I hope it works out for you!
Jan
Made this soup today eating now and it is fantastic! I did not have the mixed veggies so I used mushrooms. Some carrots ( a few) celery and a few peas and a can of green beans. I love the cauliflower sauce – I really wasn’t sure about it but pleasantly surprised. Did not have the nutritional yeast so used some cheese. So GOOD
Denise
Hi Jan, so glad you liked it! The cauliflower cream is surprisingly good huh. I used it in a lot of my soups and in casseroles. I like that you played around with the recipe to make it your own.
Aline
I’m loving how creamy this soup is!! So filling and delicious! Thanks!!
Eden
Amazing recipe! I love that it’s healthy but it NEVER skimped on flavor. The whole family enjoyed it!
Jo
Chicken pot pie is must have on chilly days. The soup version of it is interesting. I wish to grab a bowl of this soup right away. It looks filling and delicious!
Sara
This is such a great soup with such great flavor! What an incredible paleo version of a super comforting dinner. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Charity
How is this low carb? It has carrots, peas and corn in it!
You’re nutrition facts only say the calorie count.
Denise
Hi Charity, you are right, peas, carrots and corn are higher carb but I am only using 1 cup in the whole recipe so it doesn’t end up having much of an impact. Here is the nutritional information for 1 serving and you can find this info above the recipe card
154 cals / 7.6g fat / 6.9g carbs / 2.5g fiber / 12.6g protein = 4.4g. net carbs
If you don’t feel comfortable using these vegetables, you can try lower carb vegetables such as broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, green beans, turnips, peppers, etc.
Hope that make sense and if you have any other questions, just let me know.
Jess
I am loving this healthy rendition of a comfort food classic! I absolutely LOVE chicken pot pie this time of year and I can not wait to try this recipe out!
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer
Oh I’m loving how rich and creamy this is! It’s like a hug in a bowl of deliciousness! And I’m LOVING that you used cauliflower cream too!!!
Paula Montenegro
Just the recipe I was looking for! Great way to make it lower in fat. I’ll be making it asap!
Danielle
I wondered what was the dish that I really wanted… It is this chicken soup! 🙂 Love how easy your recipe is – just what I need. And great idea to use cauliflower sauce instead of cream!
cindy
I love soup all year round but especially on chilly winter days like today. I am moving towards eating paleo so this is perfect in so many ways!
Veena Azmanov
Looks creamy,cheesy and delicious. Love such awesome dishes any day. Yum Yum
Marisa F. Stewart
What a great idea using cauliflower to make the cream. I’ve never tried nutritional yeast to get the “cheesy” flavor but that is a great idea. January is always the month I try to eat more nutritional dishes and this is a great one to include.
Analida's Ethnic Spoon
This sound so delicious Denise and low carb without the pot pie crust!
Denise
That’s right! It’s quite good as a soup and no flour or cream.
Faye Wilkerson
Denise, Thanks for sharing this wonderful soup recipe. I love shopping at Trader Joes.
Denise
My husband said that I would be in heaven if they built a Trader Joes near our house (which is true). For me it’s about a 40 minute drive but worth it!
Danielle
This looks so warm and homey. Thanks for sharing with us at Savoring Saturdays!
Sarah Ann
This looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it! Your other recipes look amazing and I am a new follower now to be sure I don’t miss one. Thanks so much for sharing with the Saturday Soiree Blog Party and Social Media Share. You’re featured tonight!
Tammy @ creativekkids
Wow! That looks so good, and it is so healty! Thanks for linking up to last week’s Creative K Kids’ Tasty Tuesdays Party. I’ve pinned your post to the Tasty Tuesdays’ Pinterest Board.
Emily @ Love, Pasta and a Tool Belt
This sounds so yummy! Thank you for linking up at The Wednesday Round Up and we hope to see you back next week!
Suzie
Ok this is a serious must try for me! Thank you! #sitsblogging
Christina @ Juggling Real Food and Real LIfe
Hi Denise…….I’m stopping in today from Thursday Favorite Things. I’m with you. I love the smell of butter and onions cooking. I’m always looking for recipes where I can make this happen. LOL! I’m not a big cauliflower fan, but I know it’s good to eat my rainbow of fruit and vegetables so I would like to include more cauliflower. This reipe looks like it might be a nice place to start.
Becky at Cooking with Vinyl
This looks really yummy, Denise, and really pretty photos. I found this on a link party and look forward to reading more of your blog. I’m a new food blogger and love meeting others. I’ve followed your social networks and hope we can connect on those. Thanks for sharing! Becky
Brandi @ penguinsinpink.com
This looks really good.
Sue at the Little Shack
This looks wonderful! Thanks for sharing on #TastyTuesday.
Lara
i want to give this a try! look way yummy!
Carlie @ Today's Frugal Mom™
Oh, my! This looks delicious! Pinning to my paleo board for later. Thanks so much for sharing!
Lisa
This looks so good Denise.