No noodles? No problem! This Chicken No-Noodle Soup uses zucchini noodles for a simple yet filling gluten-free, keto-friendly, and protein-packed meal!
Don’t let your dietary restrictions keep you from a comforting bowl of chicken soup! This chicken no-noodle soup is actually an ode to my G-ma, whom I love dearly and miss all the time.
My grandma always used to follow this old German recipe for me growing up, and nothing was more soul-warming than a homemade bowl of chicken soup. Plus, the inclusion of homemade stock makes ALL the difference in the flavor!
No matter the time of year, sometimes you just really need a steaming bowl of homemade goodness that is gluten-free, low-carb, and packed with protein.
Is Chicken No-Noodle Soup Healthy?
This chicken “no-noodle” soup recipe is both wholesome and flavorful! The base is mostly chicken and vegetables, which provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants while being low in calories and carbs due to the absence of traditional noodles.
The use of zucchini noodles is a great choice if you’re aiming to cut down on carbs, if you’re avoiding gluten, or if you’re on a keto diet. Zoodles also add fiber and nutrients to the soup, making this chicken no-noodle soup a more nutrient-dense version of the classic soup.
However, there are a couple of small adjustments you could make to boost the health factor. Swapping the chicken broth for sodium-reduced chicken broth allows you to control the amount of salt there is in the soup, which is important if you’re watching your salt intake. You could also add in some leafy greens like spinach or kale towards the end of cooking to give the soup an extra punch of vitamins and fiber.
Other Noodle Ideas
If you are LOVING the sound of this delicious no-noodle chicken soup but want to mix it up when it comes to the noodles, go right ahead!
Instead of zucchini noodles, you could spiralize butternut squash or beets into noodles. You could also remove the noodles entirely and opt for rice – either fresh sushi rice or cauliflower rice would work great, and they’ll make the soup more of a congee (rice pudding) texture.
If you need this chicken no-noodle soup recipe to stay gluten-free, but not necessarily keto-friendly, toss in some rice noodles or soba noodles alongside the zucchini!
How to Make Ahead and Store
You can make the broth up to 3 days in advance, and the flavors will actually deepen as it chills. Store the broth in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and store the zucchini noodles in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can also freeze the broth in portion-sized airtight containers for up to 3 months, just leave the zoodles out and add fresh ones in after defrosting.
Serving Suggestions
If it’s a rainy day and you just need something hearty and filling, this chicken no-noodle soup is perfect with some Air-Fryer Toast or an Air-Fryer Grilled Cheese! You could also use the base chicken soup to make Chicken Potato Soup, Turmeric-Tahini Chicken Soup, or even a delicious Mexican Chicken Rice Soup.
Recipe
Ingredients
For the broth:
- 1 pasture-raised stewing hen a roaster chicken works well too
- 3 medium carrots
- 4 celery stalks
- 1 large onion
- 2 bundles of parsley wrapped and tied with food-safe twine
- 6 bay leaves
- Whole peppercorns
- 2 whole star anise
- 2 boxes chicken broth not sodium-reduced
For the Zoodles:
- Zucchinis spiralized with blade D (or 1 zucchini per person)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the hen in a large stock pot.
- Cut each carrot and celery stalk into 3 large chunks and place on top of the hen.
- Cut the onion into large chunks and place on top of the carrots and celery.
- Place the wrapped parsley and bay leaves on top of the vegetables.
- Fill two steel diffusers (or a tea ball) with black peppercorns and star anise and place in the stock pot. This doesn't have to be an accurate measurement, just fill it up. If you don't have diffusers, just pop them into the pot with the vegetables and make sure to strain the vegetables later.
- Pour the box of chicken broth over top of everything in the stock pot.
- Fill the rest of the pot up with water, until all the ingredients are just covered.
- Bring the pot to a boil over high heat and then turn down to medium/low and cover and simmer for the whole day (or at least 8 hours).
- Once the stock is done simmering, remove the chicken and place onto a plate. Skim any little floaty bits off the top of the stock, then strain it into another pot to remove the veggies (optional).
- Shred the chicken and set aside, then discard the carcass and bones.
- Taste the stock to see if it needs any additional salt, or any additional chicken broth.
- Gently press out any excess moisture from the zoodles with a paper towel and then divide them between bowls. Ladle stock over top and add shredded chicken.
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
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