• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipe Index
  • FAQ
  • About
  • Cookbooks

All Day I Dream About Food

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • FAQ
  • About
  • Cookbooks
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • FAQ
    • About
    • Cookbooks
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Nut Free » King Ranch Chicken Soup – Keto Recipe

    Published: Oct 1, 2020 · Modified: Aug 17, 2021 by Carolyn

    King Ranch Chicken Soup – Keto Recipe

    This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    8.0K shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This cheesy keto chicken soup is so thick and creamy. All the best flavors from King Ranch Chicken in a hearty slow cooker soup recipe.

    Titled image of Keto King Ranch chicken soup in a white bowl with a colourful striped napkin beside it

    The chilly weather approaches, and you need this King Ranch Chicken Soup recipe in your life. It is so rich and cheesy and creamy, and bursting with spicy Tex-Mex flavors. And so easy to make in your slow cooker!

    It’s not quite a “dump-and-run” recipe but it’s close. That’s my own personal term for recipes where you simply pop everything into your crockpot and walk away, and dinner is done. I love those recipes… who doesn’t?

    In this recipe, you have the extra step of cooking the garlic in butter and then making in into a thickened soup base. But the results are spectacular so I wouldn’t change a thing!

    What is King Ranch Chicken Soup?

    You might well be asking yourself what King Ranch Chicken is. I was too, when I started seeing posts for it on Pinterest. From what I could see, it looked like a very tasty, albeit carb-a-licious, chicken casserole.

    Upon a little investigation, I found that it is indeed a chicken casserole, and it takes its name from the largest ranch in the US. It’s a Tex-Mex style casserole with tomatoes, cream of mushroom soup, and cream of chicken soup.

    I also spotted a number of King Ranch Soup recipes, like this one, and realized that they would be easy, and delicious, to keto-fy.

    Most of these soup recipes take quite a bit of flour whisked into the butter, to create a roux. A roux like this helps thicken the broth, but that’s not really an option for keto.

    So I used some cream cheese and some glucomannan to thicken the broth, for a super rich, hearty keto chicken soup.

    Top down photo of King Ranch Chicken Soup in a white bowl with handles.

    How to make Keto King Ranch Chicken Soup

    Easy, fun, and delicious. Let’s get started!

    1. Use boneless skinless thighs, or breasts if you prefer. You can even do this soup with frozen chicken – simply add 30 minutes to the cooking time.
    2. Use fresh tomatoes if you can, as they are slightly lower in carbs than canned. I used fresh tomatoes from my garden.
    3. De-seed your jalapeño, if you like milder soup. I always leave the seeds in for more heat.
    4. Cook the garlic in the butter, then add the spices and cook for another minute or so. Then stir in the broth.
    5. Thicken the broth with glucomannan or xanthan gum. My preference for a recipe like this is glucomannan because it is easier to whisk in and becomes much less gloppy.
    6. Pour the sauce over the other ingredients and turn on your slow cooker! Once it’s done cooking, remove the chicken and shred it. Add the cheeses to the slow cooker and blend, then add the chicken back in.

    Ta-da! You are now about to enjoy some deliciously spicy Keto King Ranch Chicken Soup.

    A ladle scooping keto cheesy chicken soup out of a white bowl.

    Can you make this soup in an Instant Pot or on the stove?

    This recipe is easily adapted for Instant Pot or stovetop.

    For an Instant Pot, I would follow the same process and cook on high for 30 minutes or so. Let the pressure release naturally before opening the lid.

    For the stove, I would start with Step 2 in a large saucepan or stockpot. Then I would add the chicken, tomatoes, and jalapeno right into that same pot and cook it that way.

    Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Proceed with Step 5 as directed.

    A spoon digging into slow cooker King Ranch Chicken Soup

    More keto chicken soup recipes

    • Keto White Chicken Chili
    • Keto Thai Chicken Soup with Zoodles
    • Easy Keto Chicken Enchilada Soup
    • Keto Buffalo Chicken Chowder
    • Keto Chicken Cauliflower Rice Soup
    • Jalapeno Popper Chicken Soup
    Top down photo of King Ranch Chicken Soup in a white bowl with handles.

    Keto King Ranch Chicken Soup

    This cheesy keto chicken soup is so thick and creamy. All the best flavors from King Ranch Chicken in a hearty slow cooker soup recipe.
    5 from 13 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: king ranch chicken soup, slow cooker chicken soup
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 3 hours
    Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 414kcal

    Equipment

    • slow cooker

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
    • 1 cup diced tomatoes
    • 1 large jalapeno, diced (more if you want it spicier)
    • ¼ cup butter
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
    • 3 cups chicken broth
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¾ teaspoon pepper
    • ¾ teaspoon glucomannan (optional, thickens the soup)
    • 2 cups cheddar or colby jack, shredded
    • 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into chunks
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • Add the chicken, tomatoes, and jalapenos to a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker.
    • In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chili powder and cumin and cook another minute. Stir in all the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
    • Remove from heat and stir in the salt and pepper, and the glucomannan if using, to thicken the sauce. Pour over the chicken in the slow cooker.
    • Set the slow cooker to high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
    • When the time is up, remove the chicken to a plate. Add the shredded cheese and the cream cheese to the slow cooker and replace the lid. Let melt 10 minutes, then use an immersion blender to blend everything together.
    • Shred the chicken with two forks and stir back into the soup. Serve hot with chopped tomatoes, cilantro, and additional cheese, as desired.
    Nutrition Facts
    Keto King Ranch Chicken Soup
    Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
    Calories 414 Calories from Fat 260
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 28.9g44%
    Carbohydrates 3.6g1%
    Fiber 0.7g3%
    Protein 27.1g54%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    8.0K shares

    free email series

    Secrets to Keto Baking

    Tips and tricks to delicious and healthy recipes!


    Nutritional Disclaimer

    Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

    Reader Interactions

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Kelly says

      March 29, 2022 at 2:35 pm

      5 stars
      I made this for dinner last night and my family RAVED about it. My husband took leftovers for lunch and raved about it again.
      Thank you for the amazing recipe. I definitely will make it again.

      Reply
    2. Amy F. says

      March 11, 2022 at 12:18 am

      5 stars
      This is one of my all-time favorite soups!!! Amazing!

      Reply
    3. Penelope says

      February 17, 2022 at 6:06 pm

      5 stars
      A cold front came in so I decided this would warm us up nicely tonight… I had all of the ingredients on hand & sure didn’t want to go to the store! Oh I didn’t have the tomatoes so I used a can of tomatoes with green chilis. It’s finished & tastes delicious!! I made it on the stovetop but roasted the chicken & onion first, I also roasted a red bell pepper since I had one that needed to be used & added it. It is simply divine. Thank you!

      Reply
    4. Lynn says

      January 26, 2022 at 3:51 pm

      5 stars
      This is excellent! I used the suggestion of another poster and used poco de Gallo, which adds huge depth. Then I used rotisserie n, and lunch was made in about a half-hour.

      Reply
    5. Boonee says

      January 26, 2022 at 12:52 pm

      5 stars
      Made this AT work in my IP, everyone raved about it. Turned out amazing. No one knew it was Keto but my team all complimented me on it and were debating who would get the left overs the next day. I call that a major win, especially in a shop of Auto Mechanics!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        January 26, 2022 at 12:53 pm

        Wow, I call that a win too!

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    FREE Secrets to Keto Baking

    Tips and tricks to delicious and healthy recipes!

    NEW E-COOKBOOK!
    The cover of Easy Dairy-Free Keto Desserts ebook.

    Carolyn Portrait

    Looking for the best low carb recipes? You’ve come to the right place! I’m Carolyn, a major carnivore and an unrepentant sweet tooth. Here you will find all you need to enjoy the low carb keto lifestyle to the fullest! Read more

    COPYRIGHT © 2022 · ALL DAY I DREAM ABOUT FOOD · DISCLOSURE POLICY · PRIVACY POLICY

    Copyright© 2022