Low-Carb Chicken Meatball Soup

This comforting chicken meatball and rice soup is reminiscent of Italian Wedding soup; the spinach and lemon give it a bit of Greek flavor, too. With Mediterranean flair, this soup feels soothing, celebratory, and like a big ‘ol hug.

If you love chicken soup with rice but follow the keto diet, you will adore this yummy, low-carb soup. Make this comforting recipe to enjoy on a chilly day. You'll want this delicious soup and savory meatballs again and again.

The Deliciousness of Chicken Meatball Soup

We might not think of meatballs and rice together. Often, meatballs go right next to their pasta counterpart: spaghetti. But these small, flavorful mini chicken meatballs are perfectly at home in this bright, lemony soup made with fresh ingredients.

This hearty soup comes together fast. Unlike long, slow-simmered soups that take all day to make, you can whip this up in just 15 minutes flat—perfect for a warming lunch or a filling dinner. Thanks to the protein-rich meatballs, chicken broth or stock, and satiating It’s Skinny Orzo, the chicken meatball soup is a great main course.

You might be familiar with Italian wedding soup. This is a similar dish made with chicken instead of beef or pork meatballs and rice instead of pasta (although you could use noodles if you prefer). We think the orzo and spinach fit well here in our meatball soup recipe and make this a crave-worthy soup.

The small meatballs have parmesan cheese, a large egg, and parsley—a simple but delicious combination with no bread crumbs required, unlike other meatball recipes. The egg and parmesan help to bind the chicken together, and the parsley adds plenty of bright flavor. The bonus here is that this recipe is gluten-free too!

The squeeze of lemon juice at the end finishes everything off perfectly. If you’d like, you could add additional seasoning, like an Italian seasoning blend, salt, pepper, or even red pepper flakes for a kick.

When soup season hits (usually as the days cool down in the fall), we all start looking around for great fall soup recipes. This chicken meatball soup delivers. Keep this riff on chicken soup handy if you're building your soup library.

The lemon is extra soothing and wonderful if you’re fighting off a cold (or just trying to stay warm). Keep this simple soup recipe in your regular rotation to enjoy as a guilt-free lunch or dinner, any time. It will likely become one of your favorite keto recipes.

Making Chicken Soup with It’s Skinny Orzo

Want to make chicken soup extra nice? Reach for It’s Skinny Orzo! It’s Skinny is the zero net carb solution to bulking up soups, side dishes, and main-course meals. Our konjac orzo is perfectly textured—just like traditional rice.

The great thing about It’s Skinny Orzo is that there are only 9 calories per pack and zero net carbs per serving. If you're following keto, paleo, or a low-carb diet, It’s Skinny is the answer you’ve been waiting for. You can recreate all your favorite rice dishes (as well as pasta dishes) with stats that won’t derail your progress.

We use It’s Skinny Orzo in this recipe, but it’s available in other amazing styles, including classic pasta shapes like:

• Spaghetti

• Angel Hair

• Fettuccine

We offer an organic recipe as well as our traditional recipe. If you want to try several styles, order a variety pack. You'll get each type of It's Skinny (2 packs of Spaghetti and 2 packs of Fettuccine, 1 Orzo, and 1 Angel Hair).

It's Skinny shirataki noodles and rice are the perfect solution to lighten up any recipe. Because It’s Skinny is made with konjac root, it’s rich in glucomannan fiber. Glucomannan has been shown to possibly keep blood sugar levels steady, and the fiber helps promote feelings of fullness. 

If you’ve never worked with It’s Skinny products before, you’ll be amazed at how simple it is to cook with It’s Skinny. Unlike traditional rice or pasta, you don’t need to boil water or cook it separately. There's no overwhelming taste like there can be with zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice. Just open up the pack of It’s Skinny, drain, rinse, and add it to your meal at the end of cooking.

It's Skinny needs only a few minutes to heat through. It's ready in almost no time, making it an excellent solution for busy days when you need to eat something quickly (and don't want to go off your diet plan). It's Skinny is the secret to staying on keto and beating keto cravings.

This chicken meatball soup with It’s Skinny Orzo is a great way to try It's Skinny for yourself. The rice is an excellent addition to the soup and really helps it feel like a filling, satisfying meal. Kick off soup season with It’s Skinny.

Questions About It’s Skinny Orzo and Chicken Meatball Soup

It’s not uncommon to have a few questions when you cook. In our videos, we walk you through the step-by-step process for each recipe. But you may want to change things up! Here are some common questions about recipe modifications.

Can I use beef or pork meatballs in this soup?

We chose chicken for this soup because it pairs well with the lemon and spinach. However, if you prefer ground beef or a combination of beef and pork, you could use any ground meat to create these simple, tender meatballs. Look for a lean variety to keep the flavor light and bright. (Swap the chicken for beef broth for a more traditional Italian wedding soup recipe).

Ground turkey would be a nice swap for chicken in these mini meatballs. Alternatively, you could use vegetarian meatballs as well. That said, any type of swap may change some of the stats on this dish, so be sure to check, especially if you’re watching your carb counts.

Can I add other vegetables to this soup?

Add any vegetables you like to this delicious chicken meatball soup with It’s Skinny Orzo. As mentioned above, if you change the ingredients, you'll want to remember that it could change the stats on this dish, too. Always check the stats before adding extra vegetables, especially starchy veggies like peas, carrots, potatoes, or corn (high in carbohydrates).

You could easily swap the spinach for baby kale, swiss chard, or other leafy greens. This easy, low carb soup would be delicious with chopped onions, garlic, shallot, leek, or another aromatic. Small pieces of celery, zucchini, and even red or green bell pepper are another great addition to this yummy fall soup.

Are there other herbs that would work in this soup?

Almost any green herb works well with the flavors of lemon and parmesan. You can add practically any fresh herbs from the garden for a delicious change to this yummy soup. Add chopped oregano, basil, or thyme to continue with the Mediterranean flavors. Chives are great in this soup.

Dill is especially delicious with lemon, chicken, and orzo, so it's an easy option for this soup. Cilantro can be polarizing for some people, but it's also quite delicious with lemon. Italian or flatleaf parsley both play well here, so feel free to use any parsley you can find.

How to Make Chicken Meatball Soup with Rice

Are you ready to enjoy a yummy, warming bowl of this chicken meatball soup? Follow the recipe below to make a big bowl of this delicious soup. You can store leftover keto meatball soup in an airtight container. You can thank us later!