Low-Carb Chicken Noodle Soup With It's Skinny Angel Hair Pasta

Nothing is more comforting than a big bowl of chicken noodle soup. Whether you're facing bad weather or feeling under the weather, chicken noodle soup is always the answer.

This low-carb chicken noodle soup recipe is the ultimate soul-warming dish. Just because you’re cold (or you have a cold) doesn’t mean you should give up on your low-carb lifestyle. In fact, by lightening up your favorite comfort foods, you can stay on track without the deprivation. It’s easy, thanks to It’s Skinny!

Why is Chicken Soup the Perfect Food?

When we're not feeling well, we instantly think of chicken soup—maybe it's memories of your grandma or mom making homemade soup when you were having a sick day. Or perhaps it's just that a savory, flavorful broth warms you up and keeps you satisfied. It's perfect when the weather is blustery and you need a hug in a bowl.

Chicken soup has origins that go back as far as recorded time. In fact, ancient people likely boiled meat and poultry into soups as soon as cooking food became common practice. That said, chicken soup is often considered a symbol of Jewish cuisine.

Chicken soup is traditionally eaten on Yom Kippur (or the Jewish Day of Atonement). Chickens were historically used in the kapparot ceremony and then often donated to poor families so everyone could take part in the hot, comforting meal before fasting.

In Jewish culture, chicken soup is often served with dumplings made of matza meal—an unleavened, cracker-like bread—and egg. The chicken is seasoned with herbs in a broth made from carrots, onions, and celery.

But chicken soup isn’t limited to Jewish cuisine only. The dish is also a staple in Greek culture with lemon, rice, and egg, known as avgolemono. In China, chicken soup is made with noodles and includes healthful ginger and scallions.

Because of the healthy ingredients like garlic, ginger, and amino-rich chicken broth, chicken soup likely has some healing qualities. The warm broth clears the sinuses, and the vegetables in the broth offer nutritional benefits. Whether or not the "healing properties" of chicken noodle soup are real or have a placebo effect, there's definitely a lot of emotional comforts to be found in each bowl.

Now, let’s talk for a minute about the chicken noodle soup in the iconic red can. In 1934 the Campbell’s Soup Company introduced two new canned soups to their line—Cream of Mushroom and Chicken with Noodle. The soup became a mid-century household staple. In 1961 Andy Warhol first immortalized the cans in his famous soup can prints, which are instantly recognizable. One print sold for $11.7 million at auction in 2006; in 2016, seven of the prints were stolen in an art heist.

Chicken noodle soup is one food that evokes emotion, nostalgia, and a lot of feelings. It's universally beloved and associated with many childhoods across the world.

Here's the thing about traditional chicken noodle soup, though. Those noodles made of flour, water, and often eggs aren't all that healthy. They're high in carbohydrates and not really the star of the dish. Chicken soup with rice offers a nominal increase in nutritional value (if whole-grain brown rice is used), but frankly, it's not worth derailing your low-carb diet for a soup high in sodium, carbs, and calories. That’s why we propose you make your own. It’s easy and comforting, and your house will smell absolutely delicious!

How It’s Skinny Helps Cut Carbs

It's Skinny Pasta is the ideal ingredient in chicken soup because it contains ZERO net carbs. So you get all the slurpy deliciousness of noodles without the guilt or calories (It's Skinny has only 9 calories per bag)!

How does It’s Skinny do it? Well, it’s made from a not-so-secret ingredient called konjac. Konjac root looks a little like a turnip. It's lumpy and, frankly, a little funny looking. But what it's lacking in looks, it makes up for in satisfying fiber.

For many years, konjac root has been used in Asia as medicine and food. It happens to make an excellent base for pasta. These miracle shirataki noodles contain ZERO net carbs. They're low-calorie, vegan, kosher, gluten-free, and delicious. These noodles are keto-friendly and paleo-friendly, and they won’t even break your intermittent fast!

We make It’s Skinny Noodles in four amazing varieties:

• Angel Hair
• Fettuccine
• Spaghetti
• Rice

Try a package of your favorite shape to start, or order the variety pack to give each type a shot. Once you try It’s Skinny, you’ll be amazed that low-carb can be so good!

It’s Skinny Pasta is easy to work with, too—simply open the package, drain, and add them to your dish at the end of cooking time. The noodles are ready to eat in 2-3 minutes flat—no boiling water or waiting for the perfect texture.

Ready to try this chicken noodle soup with savory broth, tender vegetables, and shredded chicken? Here’s what you need to know!

Frequently Asked Questions About Low-Carb Chicken Noodle Soup

Before you start cooking, you may have some questions. We have answers! We always encourage you to make It’s Skinny your way. So when you’re recreating your favorite dishes, get creative in the kitchen! Cooking is meant to be fun! With noodles this easy, it’s hard to make a mistake.

Can I Use Other Vegetables in this Soup?

We make this soup low-carb by leaving out potatoes and other starchy vegetables. The single carrot and parsnip add some carbohydrates, but it’s a very low amount. So, any vegetables you add may change the carbohydrate counts in this soup. That said, you can add any vegetables you love!

This chicken noodle soup is particularly nice with leafy greens like kale or spinach. You could add broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, or any other vegetables you like. Cauliflower could be an excellent addition to this soup; mushrooms can increase the savory flavors. Garlic is also a welcome addition to this comforting soup (especially if you’re fighting off a cold).

How Can I Make a Greek or Chinese Variation of this Chicken Noodle Soup?

To make a Chinese variation of this soup, you could add bits of scrambled egg at the end of cooking time. You could also add a dash of soy sauce to increase the umami flavor. Mushrooms, water chestnuts, Bok choy, bean sprouts, and snow peas will all give this soup flavors of your favorite Chinese noodle soup.

For a Greek variation, include some squeezes of lemon juice in the soup. Add oregano to the broth and consider including scrambled egg whites at the end of the cooking time. If you want to get even more authentic, consider swapping the It’s Skinny Angel Hair for It’s Skinny Rice, following the same directions.

Can I Use Frozen Vegetables? Cooked Chicken?

We’re all for shortcuts at It’s Skinny! The ingredients here in this low-carb chicken noodle soup recipe make it extra comforting and pair well together. But feel free to opt for the convenience of frozen mirepoix (carrots, onions, and celery mix) or swap the escarole for frozen spinach.

As for the chicken, if you have a rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken already shredded, you can use it instead of the chicken thighs. Although the slow-cooked chicken bits really increase the broth's flavor, you can get a similar effect (especially if you're craving soup in a hurry). Avoid the can and take a few shortcuts!

Low-Carb Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe with It’s Skinny Angel Hair

Ready to start cooking up a big bowl of comfort? While the broth takes a little while to cook, most of that time is hands-off. Start it up on a cold afternoon, and you'll enjoy a delicious bowl of comforting chicken noodle soup for dinner!