This comforting and flavorful Paleo Chicken Noodle Soup is rich in nutrients and makes the perfect warming meal as the weather gets cooler. With fresh herbs and real hearty pieces of chicken breast, this gluten-free and dairy-free soup can beat out any canned competitor.
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A hot bowl of chicken noodle soup is hard to beat on a cold day. This paleo version is no exception. There is something so warming about a flavorful broth filled with tasty herbs, tender veggies, and hearty protein.
This soup uses zucchini noodles in place of traditional noodles for a nutritional boost! A much healthier way to get a satisfying noodle slurp on. When making this soup, I will often mix in some Jovial cassava spaghetti along with the zucchini noodles for some extra carbs and a dose of nostalgia.
If you omit the potatoes or replace them with cauliflower rice, this soup is appropriate for those following a low-carb or keto way of eating. You can also make this soup on the autoimmune paleo protocol with a few simple swaps.
If you need more delicious paleo soup ideas, try this Sweet Potato and Chorizo Soup, this Dairy-Free Zuppa Toscana, or this Creamy Paleo Tomato Basil Soup.
What Makes a Good Chicken Noodle Soup?
This is my absolute favorite way to make the chicken soup.
I like allowing the chicken, onion, garlic, carrot, and celery to cook together and develop those rich flavors initially while avoiding cooking the chicken entirely during this step.
I then add the spices, herbs, and salt, plus add a little arrowroot powder (and a little more oil if needed) to make something like a faux roux (just a little backward). This seals in all the goodness and thickens the broth slightly.
Another important factor is the quality of the broth. I always use bone broth because you get the added benefits of collagen and additional amino acids. Plus it always tastes so much better! I like to use Kettle & Fire Chicken Bone Broth, but homemade chicken stock would also be great!
Using fresh veggies is another key step. I find that relying too heavily on frozen vegetables can lead to soggy soup components. It is important to have a variety of textures in the soup. You want tender chicken, slightly crunchy celery, and soft potatoes. The "zoodles" should be added close to the end because they don't need long to cook.
What I Love About This Recipe
This soup is a classic. Here is why I love making it:
- Comforting & Easy Meal — This soup comes together quickly and is the perfect meal when you're sick or have a bit of chill. Nothing beats a hearty and nutrient rich chicken soup on a cold day.
- Meal Prep Made Easy — Store this soup in the fridge and have a meal that is just as good reheated the next day!
Need a few other excellent paleo-friendly meals? Try this Healthy Gluten-Free Shepherd's Pie or these Crispy Gluten-Free Chicken Wings (Oven Baked).
Ingredients for Paleo Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken - Chicken breast, chicken breast tenderloins, or chicken thighs all work well in this recipe and can be used interchangeably. I enjoy using chicken breast if I am aiming for a higher protein, lower fat soup, but I prefer chicken thighs when I want a comforting meal with the most tender chicken pieces.
Mirepoix - Carrot, onion, and celery make up the base of most broth-based soups and should be included to ensure the soup has a rich and complex flavor. Cooking these ingredients, along with the chicken and garlic, helps to develop that flavor before the broth is added and the soup is boiled.
Fresh Herbs - I think fresh herbs are a necessity for a flavorful chicken noodle soup. You can mix in the fresh herbs after the soup has cooked if you prefer. You can also add additional herbs, like fresh oregano, parsley, or thyme.
Noodles - This recipe uses zucchini noodles in place of traditional noodles for a low-carb and paleo option. The zucchini noodles add additional fiber and micronutrients, making them a great healthy choice. I usually will add half zucchini noodles and have cooked Jovial Grain-Free Spaghetti (about 1 medium zucchini + 2 ounces of noodles). The addition of the Jovial pasta makes the soup feel much more substantial and satisfying to me.
See the full ingredient list and measurements in the recipe card below.
Possible Substitutions
- Use chicken thighs, chicken breast, pulled rotisserie chicken, or chicken breast tenderloins.
- Arrowroot powder or arrowroot starch is used to lightly thicken the broth and make something comparable to a paleo roux. It can be omitted or substituted for tapioca starch, potato starch, cornstarch or flour.
- Use white sweet potatoes or diced yellow potatoes in place of russet potatoes. Or, go low-carb and swap the potatoes for roasted cauliflower florets or cauliflower rice.
- Choose a high-quality store-bought bone broth, or make your own to use in this recipe. Bone broth adds collagen, and generally has a richer flavor compared to other store-bought broth options. I like Kettle and Fire Chicken Bone Broth because it is available at most conventional grocery stores, contains high-quality ingredients, and tastes great. Chicken stock or vegetable stock can also be used.
If you try any substitutions in this recipe, please let us know what works in the comments below!
How to Make Paleo Chicken Noodle Soup
Step 1: Heat 2 tablespoon of avocado oil in a stock pot over medium heat.
Step 2: Dice the chicken breast into about ¼-inch cubes (the first cuts should be against the grain cutting lengthwise). Add the chicken to the pot with the oil, and cook until browned, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: While the chicken cooks, peel and dice the onion and garlic. Add the onion to the pot with the chicken (the chicken should not be fully cooked at this point). Allow the onion to cook for 2-3 minutes, or until it becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring throughout.
Step 4: Add the diced carrots and celery to the pot. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step 5: Sprinkle in the fresh herbs, arrowroot starch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano into the pot with the chicken and veggies. Stir until the herbs and spices are distributed and the arrowroot powder has lightly coated everything with no clumps. If needed, you can add an additional tablespoon of oil.
Step 6: Slowly add the broth, stirring throughout. Add the diced potatoes and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Step 7: While the soup is cooking, spiralize the zucchini (or cook Jovial noodles, if using). Set aside.
Step 8: After the soup is cooked, remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasonings and salt if needed. Stir in zucchini noodles. If using Jovial noodles, keep them separate until serving and mix in each bowl individually. The cassava noodles will get soggy if stored in the soup.
Commonly Asked Questions
This soup can be stored safely for at least 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. If using cassava noodles, store the cooked noodles separately as they will get soggy if stored in the soup.
This recipe is also freezer-friendly. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Just pull and thaw in the fridge. The veggies tend to get a little softer with the freezing and thawing process but it is still quite tasty! Do not freeze with cassava noodles added.
This is a hotly debated topic and I have discussed this on several different recipes. Really, the choice of whether to include potatoes in your paleo lifestyle is largely individual. If you don't have issues with nightshades or carb tolerance issues, I think adding in potatoes is generally fine for most people.
If you don't choose to eat potatoes, you could always substitute white or regular sweet potatoes. Those would also be very delicious in this recipe. For a lower-carb approach, you could throw in some cauliflower rice or cauliflower florets.
If you are curious about this topic, I wrote more on it here: Are Potatoes Paleo?
You will need a standard stock pot, a knife, a cutting board, and a ladle. Beyond basic kitchen items, you will also need a spiralizer to make the zucchini noodles.
Any spiralizer will do the trick but I cannot say enough good things about the Kitchenaid Spiralizer attachment. It is kind of pricey, but after years of using the plastic crank versions, I will never go back. If you have a Kitchenaid mixer I would highly recommend this option for anyone on the fence.
Another option would be to buy pre-cut zucchini noodles. I would advise against using frozen "zoodles" as they probably won't hold up well in the soup, but honestly, I don't have a ton of experience using frozen veggie noodles so use your best judgment.
Dietitian Notes
- Collagen and valuable amino acids (like glycine, proline, arginine, and glutamine) found in a well-prepared bone broth can protect the lining of the GI tract and other soft tissues in the body. Using bone broth regularly can support the integrity of your intestinal barrier.
- Your GI tract is the seat of your immune system. Nearly 70% of the immune system is located in the gut. When your tight junctions, a type of cellular junction that lines the epithelial wall, are not sealing properly they can let in undigested food particles, bacteria, and viruses. Supporting your gut can be as simple as including foods like plant foods (fiber), protein, bone broth, and well cooked soups and stews.
- Making homemade soup allows you to add richly colored vegetables and herbs which can support your micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) intake. By cooking these nutrient-dense foods in broth and then drinking the broth, you are ensuring that the vitamins and minerals that would otherwise be leached during the cooking process are locked in.
Recipe Tips
- When cooking the chicken alone in the pot, there is no need to wait for the chicken to become fully opaque or browned. The chicken will finish cooking once the broth is added. Overcooking it at the beginning can make it tough and dry.
- Don't skip building the soup base! It is important to cook the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic along with the chicken and seasonings. Adding the arrowroot powder helps to seal in the flavor.
- Consider how salty your broth is when adding the salt. Taste after the soup is done cooking and add more to taste if needed. When using low-sodium bone broth, I choose to add about 1 ½ teaspoons of sea salt, but I like my chicken soup on the saltier side.
- Don't skip the fresh herbs! Fresh herbs do wonders for a soup. The more the tastier, in my opinion. You can add additional herbs like fresh oregano, thyme, or parsley as well!
Try These Other Great Soup Recipes
Looking for other tasty recipes? Here are a few you might like:
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📖 Recipe
Paleo Chicken Noddle Soup
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Veggie peeler
- Knife
- Stock Pot
- Spiralizer
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb Chicken breast, cubed into ¼-inch pieces or chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoon Avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 cup Yellow onion, finely diced about 1 small onion
- 2 tablespoon Minced garlic about 4 cloves
- 1 cup Carrots, diced about 3 large carrots
- 1 cup Celery, finely diced about 4 stalks
- ¼ cup Fresh basil finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon Fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon Arrowroot powder
- 1 teaspoon Sea salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper omit for AIP
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 4 cups Chicken bone broth
- 1.5 cup White potato, peeled and diced omit for keto, substitute white sweet potato for AIP
- 2 Medium zucchini, spiralized or 4 ounces of cooked Jovial cassava spaghetti (or half zucchini noodles and half spaghetti)
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoon of avocado oil in a stock pot over medium heat.
- Dice the chicken breast into about ¼-inch cubes (the first cuts should be against the grain cutting lengthwise). Add the chicken to the pot with the oil and cook until browned, stirring occasionally.
- While the chicken cooks, peel and dice the onion and garlic. Add the onion to the pot with the chicken (the chicken should not be fully cooked at this point). Allow the onion to cook for 2-3 minutes, or until it becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring throughout.
- Add the diced carrots and celery to the pot. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Sprinkle in the fresh herbs, arrowroot starch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano into the pot with the chicken and veggies. Stir until the herbs and spices are distributed and the arrowroot powder has lightly coated everything with no clumps. If needed, you can add an additional tablespoon of oil.
- Slowly add the broth, stirring throughout. Add the diced potatoes and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- While the soup is cooking, spiralize the zucchini (or cook Jovial noodles, if using). Set aside.
- After the soup is cooked, remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasonings and salt if needed. Stir in zucchini noodles. If using Jovial noodles, keep them separate until serving and mix in each bowl individually. The cassava noodles will get soggy if stored in the soup.
Notes
- When cooking the chicken alone in the pot, there is no need to wait for the chicken to become fully opaque or browned. The chicken will finish cooking once the broth is added. Overcooking it at the beginning can make it tough and dry.
- Don't skip building the soup base! It is important to cook the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic along with the chicken and seasonings. Adding the arrowroot powder helps to seal in the flavor.
- Consider how salty your broth is when adding the salt. Taste after the soup is done cooking and add more to taste if needed. When using low-sodium bone broth, I choose to add about 1 ½ teaspoons of sea salt, but I like my soup on the saltier side.
- Don't skip the fresh herbs! Fresh herbs do wonders for a soup. The more the tastier, in my opinion. You can add additional herbs like fresh oregano, thyme, or parsley as well!
Patty Coen says
AWESOME! Will definitely make this multiple times. I loved it and my best friend adored it. Followed all directions with no substitutes. Filling, tasty and healthy!
patty says
Very delicious! Makes a ton of soup...really good meal for a cold or chilly day. Will definitely be making this soup again.
foodbornewellness.com says
So glad you both enjoyed this recipe! It is really a comforting soup perfect for winter.
D says
Very good soup - we used white sweet potatoes and left out the zucchini noodles, we will definitely make it again with zucchini noodles. We used our fav chicken from Pasturebird and Mary’s chicken, high quality bone broth, too — very healthy and delicious.
foodbornewellness.com says
That sounds delicious! So glad you liked the recipe!
Valerie Montmclare says
was looking for a low carb soup to use with leftover turkey, this is super simple and tasy