Get ready for a fiesta of flavors with our Keto Chicken Queso Soup! Introducing a recipe that combines the creamy goodness of queso with the comforting flavors of tender chicken. Imagine velvety cream cheese and rich heavy cream coming together in a flavorful broth, perfectly seasoned with a hint of taco goodness. Don't wait another moment - let's dive into a bowl of pure, cheesy deliciousness together!

Jump to:
- Preparation and cooking overview
- Chef's note
- 🍲 Ingredients for this keto queso chicken soup recipe
- Toppings option
- Ingredient substitutions
- Additional ingredients
- Cooking tools required
- Tools substitute options
- How to make Keto Queso Chicken Soup: step-by-step guide
- Cooking methods
- Preparation steps
- The stove-top method
- The instant pot method
- The slow cooker method
- How to serve with keto queso chicken soup?
- How to make it healthier
- Time-saving tips
- What can I prepare ahead of time?
- Storage and reheating instructions
- Storage instructions
- Reheating instructions
- Recipe wrap-up and conclusion
- Frequently asked questions
- 📖 Recipe
Preparation and cooking overview
Get ready to indulge in the deliciousness of Keto Queso Chicken Soup! This recipe takes just 30 minutes to simmer and infuse the flavors together. From toasting the spices to shredding the chicken and adding creamy goodness, you'll have a hearty, low-carb soup that's perfect for satisfying your cravings.
Chef's note
Get ready to embark on a flavor-packed journey with this chicken soup. Not only is this soup incredibly delicious, but it's also a great way to incorporate essential proteins into your low-carb diet. Feel free to swap out the chicken breast for tender shrimp or thinly sliced beef chunks to keep things exciting.
🍲 Ingredients for this keto queso chicken soup recipe
Toppings option
Ingredient substitutions
Additional ingredients
Cooking tools required
To make this Keto Queso Chicken Soup recipe, you will need the following tools:
Tools substitute options
Cooking should be fun and flexible, so feel free to make these adjustments using what you have available in your kitchen.
How to make Keto Queso Chicken Soup: step-by-step guide
Cooking methods
Preparation steps
- Prepare and measure all the ingredients in advance so that you have everything within arm's reach.
- Chop and prepare the ingredients before starting the cooking process. If you want to add extra ingredients to your soup, such as diced bell peppers, sliced mushrooms, chopped spinach, diced zucchini, or fresh parsley, then chop and prepare them before you start.
The stove-top method
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot.
- Add diced onion and minced garlic, and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion is soft.
- Add diced chicken breast or thighs, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
- Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and cover the pot with a lid.
- Simmer the soup for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the flavors melded together.
- Use a spoon to remove about 2 cups of the soup and transfer it to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it is smooth and creamy.
- Add the pureed mixture back to the pot and stir well.
- Add cream cheese, heavy cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and diced jalapeño peppers (if desired) to the soup. Stir well until the cheese is melted and the chicken soup is creamy.
- Taste the keto chicken cheese soup and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Serve hot with toppings of your choice, such as chopped fresh cilantro or diced avocado. Enjoy!
The instant pot method
- Set your instant pot to sauté mode and heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Add diced onion and minced garlic, and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion is soft.
- Add diced skinless chicken breast halves, canned diced tomatoes, chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
- Close the lid and set the instant pot to manual mode for 10 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, use the quick release to release the pressure.
- Add cream cheese, heavy cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and diced jalapeño peppers (if desired) to the instant pot. Stir well until the cheese is melted and the creamy keto soup got a texture.
- Serve hot with toppings of your choice, such as chopped fresh cilantro or diced avocado.
The slow cooker method
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic, and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion is soft.
- Transfer the onion mixture to a slow cooker. Add diced chicken breast or thighs, canned diced tomatoes, chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
- Add cream cheese, heavy cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and diced jalapeño peppers (if desired) to the slow cooker. Stir well until the cheese is melted and the keto queso soup is creamy.
- Serve the low-carb creamy chicken soup hot with toppings of your choice, such as chopped fresh cilantro or diced avocado.
Chef's pro tip
The most common mistake when cooking this soup is overheating the cream cheese. To avoid this, make sure to add cream cheese and heavy cream to the soup once the heat is reduced to low. This prevents the cheese from curdling and ensures a smooth, creamy consistency.
How to serve with keto queso chicken soup?
How to make it healthier
The recipe is already a healthy soup; however, if you want to go for a healthier version, make the following adjustments:
Time-saving tips
What can I prepare ahead of time?
Storage and reheating instructions
Storage instructions
Reheating instructions
Recipe wrap-up and conclusion
Our Keto Chicken Queso Soup is a total game-changer for anyone on the ketogenic journey. Picture tucking into a bowl full of aromatic spices and velvety cheese, creating a flavor symphony that will lift your spirits, even on the coldest of days.
Whether you're dishing it up as the star of the show or kicking off a meal as a tasty appetizer, this soup is sure to shoot straight to the top of your favorites list. So, come on, grab that spoon and dive into the comforting, delicious depths of keto chicken soup - it's waiting for you!
Frequently asked questions
📖 Recipe

Keto Queso Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 10 oz cans Rotel with diced green chiles
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream or whole milk
- Salt to taste
Optional Toppings:
- Sliced jalapeño
- Minced cilantro
Instructions
- In a cast iron dutch oven (or normal pot) heat the oil over medium heat. Stir in the Rotel and taco seasoning and cook for 1 minute just to toast the spices.
- Add in the chicken and broth, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and shred, set aside.
- Stir the cream cheese and heavy cream into the soup. You may want to use an immersion blender to make it creamier than just stirring. Once the cheese has melted add the chicken back into the soup. Season with salt to your taste and serve with desired toppings.
Kim in MN says
A damp and blustery Minnesota Fall day called for soup, and lucky. for me, your recipe landed in my inbox. This is a delicious soup, quick and easy, with universally appealing flavor. My husband and I enjoyed it very much! Thank You!
Alex Lester says
Hi Kim, really glad to hear that you enjoyed this soup!
Shoshana says
Could I add xanthan gum to thicken it or psyllium husk?
Alex Lester says
You could but this soup is already pretty thick.
Chris says
I’m new to Keto...... in your recipe above, how many servings does it make? Also the Carb/Fat/Protein/Calorie info, is that per serving or for the entire recipe?
Alex Lester says
Hi Chris, the number of servings is listed at the top of the recipe card in tiny print so it's easy to miss. The nutritional info is for one serving.
Alice says
I just made this for a quilting retreat this past weekend. I had a hard time not eating it all at home! Simple, easy, and fast-it's going on a recipe card.
Alex Lester says
Hi Alice, so glad you enjoyed it!
Bobby Jones says
Wow! This is a winner and a keeper! I did make some small tweaks when I made it for lunch today, but I stayed pretty true to form. First off, I found boneless thighs on sale this morning, so I used them instead of boneless breasts. They work nicely. Also, I forgot to pick up the avocado oil even though I put it on my shopping list. Because I was too lazy to go back to the store, I used EVOO. It also works very well, but I can't wait to try it with the avocado oil. Once it was done, I found it a bit too thin for my personal taste, so I added a little xanthan gum (about 3/4 teaspoon), which did the trick without altering the flavor. Thank you so much for sharing what has already become a favorite for a chilly day!
Sus says
Hey Alex, are those Rotel tomatoes drained or no?
Alex Lester says
Hi Sus, yes you'll want to drain the Rotel.
Linda says
Delish!
Kyle says
Just made this. It's great!
Alex Lester says
Awesome!
Nicole says
Do you put the chicken in raw or already cooked?
Alex Lester says
Raw but you could use already cooked chicken and just add it in at the end.
Lindsey says
I see this serves 4 but what size is a single serving?
Kristin Schmidt says
I'm wondering that too.
Cast Iron Keto says
Unfortunately, that’s not how recipes work. Unlike a packaged food product that is made by a single company, recipes can’t provide reliable serving weights due to the fluctuations in how different people measure and cook. To get a reliable serving size you’ll need to weigh your final dish then divide by the number of servings. You can also simply eyeball 1/4th of the recipe. I hope this helps!
Sherry Smith says
Which keto friendly oil would you substitute for avocado oil? Butter, coconut oil, mct oil, olive oil are my choices.
How many ounces in a serving?
Alex Lester says
Probably butter! We don't calculate serving sizes that way, it's simply 1/4th of the recipe.
Bryan Tobiason says
This was absolutely delicious. The only change I made was to add 1.5 lbs of chicken rather than 1 lbs. Ran everything through the blender before adding the chicken and it was silky smooth and gobbled by everyone, even the 2, 6 & 8 year old!
Karen says
This looks delicious! Can't wait to try it!
Lori says
I've made this twice now, it is YUMMY! I make a double batch and freeze for later. I added jalapenos, tabasco and some grated cheddar (love spicy) but otherwise same recipe. Definitely recommend!
Chelsie says
I made this last night and it was AMAZING! My new favorite soup. I forgot to pull out the frozen chicken, so I made it in the instant pot. I cooked the chicken, drained the water and shredded it with my kitchenaid. Then I threw the chicken and all other ingredients in the instant pot and hit the soup button. I did need to do some mixing when it was done, but when it came together it was so freakin' good. I cooked diced jalapeño with seeds to add some heat.
Rachel says
This is the single most popular keto recipe I have EVER made. I use 1/4 cup of taco seasoning and a packet of ranch mix to really pump up the flavor. I've made it on the stove top, in the instant pot, and in the crockpot. My husband and 9-year-old go nuts over this soup. It even won the crockpot cook-off at my office - and nobody knew it was keto until I sent out the recipe afterwards!
Tracy says
I was so desperate to try this soup knowing I didn't have all the ingredients, so I had to compromise and it was fantastic! I was out of fresh chicken breast so I used the Members Mark™ Premium Natural Chunk Chicken Breast canned in water (clean with only 3 ingredients). Didn't have chicken broth either so I just cut the entire recipe in half and used the water the canned chicken was packed in and also 1 chicken bouillon dissolved in 1 cup of water. This soup was so flavorful and delicious! I was very impressed that it came out this good with what I had. I can't wait to make it with fresh chicken! This is a definitely a soup that will slide into my Keto meal rotation for sure! THANKS Ü
Charlene says
This soup is delicious. An absolute keeper. I didn’t have all ingredients, but was able to do some limited substitutions. Next time, I’ll make sure I have everything on hand before starting. Thanks for providing this recipe.
Lori Eaton says
AMAZING perfect soup for a rainy COVID quarantine day! Doubled it and added extra seasoning!
Joy says
Fantastic and easy to make! My kids LOVED it! I had to throw together a quick dinner and used my instapot with this recipe because my chicken was frozen! Tastes wonderful! A+, will make it again! T
Cheryl says
Delicious! And so easy! Will definitely make again.
Mary Lee says
The net carbs are way off on this. With 1 can of Rotel only, I get 8 g. Net. 2 cans and cream cheese are 8 per serving without anything else added in.
Sandi says
This soup was delicious. Toasting the taco seasoning really added to the flavor and it’s just so easy to make.
Candace says
My friends and Family love this recipe. Every time I make it, it has been a major hit and has become a fan favorite! I sometimes modify it just to try new things like a dash of cumin or swap the toppings. I have tried topping it with avocado and pico de gallo for example. I love that it’s simple, delicious and healthy! Thank you for this recipe!!
V L Jones says
Super simple - very tasty. This is perfect for my diet. If you weren't Keto you could add a can of corn, drained, maybe a light colored bean, like a chick pea, rinsed. So easy for the busy Keto Mom trying to feed her family - set aside the Keto serving and jazz up the rest for the family. The only down fall is that I won't be able to eat just one bowl. : )