Paleo Chicken Soup

Posted By: Amy 14 Comments on Paleo Chicken Soup

Posted: Sep 22, 2014 Updated: Feb 15, 2024

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This comforting paleo chicken soup with celery, tender carrots, and parsley is just what you need after a long day. It’s just like your favorite store-bought kind, but better.

Easy Paleo Chicken Soup

This paleo chicken soup is naturally thickened with arrowroot flour for the perfect warm dinner. It’s comforting and packed with sweet carrots, celery, and fragrant chives. A sprinkle of fresh, herby parsley helps it scream “comfort food.” Freshly made or frozen for later, it’s just like a hug in a bowl.

Why You’ll Love This Paleo Soup With Chicken

There’s no need for take-out or store-bought chicken soup after you see how easy this recipe is.

• Wholesome. There’s chicken, celery, carrots, and lots of chives in every spoonful to fill you up.
• Easy. Simmer the chicken and then cook the veggies until tender. That’s pretty much it!
• Comforting. There’s nothing like a warm bowl of chicken soup after a long day.
• One-pot. This recipe can be made in one-pot for very little clean-up afterwards.

Recipe Ingredients

Celery and chives add savory goodness while carrots add sweetness. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.

• Chicken broth – Use homemade or a low-sodium version.
• Chicken – I prefer chicken thighs and breasts.
• Ghee – Go for margarine or butter if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
• Arrowroot flour – Cornstarch is an alternative thickening agent.
• Celery – Feel free to use up celery that’s not as crunchy anymore.
• Carrot – Leftover baby carrots are great for this.
• Parsley – Dried parsley is a good swap.
• Fresh chives – Green onions work too.
• Salt and pepper – Kosher salt and freshly-cracked pepper are best.

How to Make Paleo Chicken Soup

It’s like your favorite chicken soup but completely homemade. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the recipe card.

• Simmer the chicken. Pour the broth into a large pot over high heat. Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Add the chicken and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes or until cooked through.
• Shred it. Remove the chicken from the pot. Use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces. Set it aside.
• Reduce it. Bring the broth to a boil and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until it reduces to about 8 cups of liquid.
• Make the roux. Melt the ghee in a small pot over low heat. Whisk in the arrowroot flour until smooth. Cook it until it turns pale beige, about 15 minutes. If you do this step before you simmer the chicken, you can use the same pot and just set the roux aside.
• Thicken it. Add the roux into the broth and whisk until completely smooth. Make sure to dissolve any large lumps. Let it simmer until the broth thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Reduce the heat to low.
• Add veggies and season it. Stir in the veggies and let them cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Return the chicken to the pot and stir in the parsley and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

The only variation you really need is for chicken noodle soup.

• Use leftovers. Shredded rotisserie chicken and leftover shredded turkey are perfect for making this soup and reducing food waste.
• Make it chicken noodle soup. Boil 1-2 cups of your favorite short pasta like penne or fusilli according to package instructions. Strain it and stir it into the soup during the last 5 minutes of cooking for some chicken noodle soup.
• Add bone broth. Swap all of the broth or half of it for Homemade Chicken Bone Broth for an extra wholesome soup.
• Crank up the heat. Chop up 1/4-1/2 small jalapeño or serrano chili and stir it into the soup during the last 10 minutes of cooking for a bit of heat. You can also just add it to each serving bowl. Fresh chilis are best, but canned chilis work too.
• Add starch. Dice 1 cup potatoes or sweet potatoes and stir them into the soup during the last 20 minutes of cooking time. Cook them until tender. You can also add 1/4-1/2 cup uncooked rice.
• Swap the cuts. Use whatever cuts of chicken you have on hand, they don’t need to be chicken breasts and thighs. You can use chicken drumsticks, leg-quarters, or whole chickens. If they’re bone-in or skin-on, just remove them and shred the chicken as usual.

Serving Suggestions

This paleo chicken soup is a hearty dinner on its own or paired with toasty bread or breadsticks. My Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits are another great option. For other simple sides, just go for my Sweet Potato Fries or Baked Zucchini Fries. If you prefer roasted potatoes, these are an easy fix: Air Fryer Crispy Mini Potatoes.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

Make sure it’s fully cooled before storing.

• Fridge: Store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Pour it into freezer-friendly bags or containers in serving-size portions. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge or straight from frozen.
• To reheat it: Microwave it in 30-second increments until warm. You can also heat it in a pot for 7-8 minutes over medium-high heat. If it’s frozen, do it over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

More Paleo Recipes To Try

• Paleo Salmon Cakes
• Paleo Salmon Teriyaki
• Beef and Broccoli Recipe
• Simple Shrimp Ceviche

Paleo Chicken Soup

5 from 1 vote

This easy paleo chicken soup recipe with fresh veggies and herbs is a comforting weeknight dinner you'll love.

Print Rate Pin

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 10 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1/4 cup 1/2 stick ghee {for dairy free use earth balance}
• 6 tablespoons arrowroot flour
• 2 celery stalks cut crosswise into 1/4″-thick slices
• 1 carrot peeled, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• Kosher salt freshly ground pepper

Instructions

• Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan.
• Add chicken; reduce heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through, 20–30 minutes.
• Remove chicken; let cool slightly and shred into bite-size pieces.
• Bring broth to a boil and cook until reduced to 8 cups, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt ghee in a small heavy saucepan over low heat. Whisk in arrowroot flour until smooth and cook, whisking constantly until roux is pale beige in color, about 15 minutes.
• Scrape roux into simmering broth; whisk until thickened and broth coats the back of a spoon. Reduce heat to low and add vegetables. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.

Course: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: American

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