Low carb taco soup made in the Instant Pot! This quick keto soup recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes and it’s bursting with spicy Mexican flavors! I’ve included slow cooker instructions too!
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When I say that this low carb soup is actually exploding with flavor, oh man. I mean it.
This soup recipe has everything we love going on – tender chicken, spicy chipotle peppers, cream cheese for richness and body, and lemon and lime juice that work to make the flavors pop!
Mexican is my favorite cuisine in the world, so we make this one an awful lot. Maybe not super authentic, but it’s got all those flavors that I love.
If you also love Mexican flavors, try out our Keto Taco Soup! And be sure to keep a batch of our keto taco seasoning on hand. It’s so much better than the packets.
We like to make this low carb soup in the Instant Pot – it’s so quick that way! – but it can easily be made in the slow cooker as well. We’ve included instructions for both in the recipe card.
Ingredient Notes:
Chicken Breasts – You’ll want some skinless, boneless chicken breasts for this keto taco soup. They’ll get perfectly so tender and juicy in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker! Boneless chicken thighs would work as well.
Onion & Garlic – These make good additions to just about any soup recipe!
Chipotle Peppers – These come canned in adobo sauce. They pack LOADS of flavor, however they are fairly spicy. We kept the spice at a level 3 out of 10 on this (in my opinion), so feel free to add more or less of the peppers and sauce to suit your tastes.
Spices – Cumin, Chili Powder, Paprika, and Salt
Citrus – We use both lemon and lime to brighten this soup up and make the flavors sing. Fresh squeezed juice is best but the bottled kind works too.
Chicken Broth – Bone broth or stock also work.
Cream Cheese – This makes the soup creamy and thickens it up slightly.
Cilantro – A must for all Mexican dishes. If you’re allergic and think it tastes like soap, sub in parsley.
Chicken Taco Soup
We love this Chicken Taco Soup made with shredded chicken, but you’ve got options depending on what protein you have in the house!
Make this with ground chicken – just brown it first!
Make this with ground beef! Just brown and drain off any fat. You can brown it right in the Instant Pot using saute mode.
Chicken thighs will work in place of chicken breasts as well.
You can prepare this low carb taco soup in the Instant Pot or slow cooker, depending on how much time you’ve got! Both ways taste pretty amazing.
The chicken gets perfectly juicy and fork tender and is so savory in the creamy, cheesy chicken broth with the spicy peppers and seasoning.
Everyone loves Mexican flavors and this soup delivers!
How To Make Keto Taco Soup:
I’m going to include instructions for both a slow cooker version and an Instant Pot soup version below. I prefer this in the Instant Pot because it’s SO fast and easy, but I know we don’t all have pressure cookers laying around. 😉
Instant Pot Low Carb Soup:
Pressure Cook – Add everything but the cream cheese and cilantro to your Instant Pot, put the lid on, set it to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 18 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally and remove the lid.
Shred – Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it with a couple of forks. The chicken should be perfectly tender and juicy and easy to shred with a fork.
Cream Cheese – Drop a block of cream cheese into the broth, set the pot to sauté, and whisk well to combine the cream cheese into the broth. Once everything is smooth and creamy, add the chicken back into the low carb soup and stir in some cilantro. Boom. Done.
Slow Cooker Low Carb Soup:
Slow Cook – To make this taco soup in a slow cooker, add everything but the cream cheese and cilantro to the slow cooker and cover. Cook on low for 4 hours.
Shred – Remove the chicken and shred with two forks. It takes a little longer in the slow cooker, but the chicken will be just as juicy and fork tender as the pressure cooked version of this recipe.
Cream Cheese – Add the cream cheese to the taco soup mixture and whisk well to combine – you want the cream cheese completely melted and incorporated into the broth. It helps to warm the cream cheese in the microwave first. Stir the chicken and some cilantro back into the soup and serve!
Special Tools Needed:
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Instant Pot: I use the Instant Pot 6 Quart Duo and I love it! It makes the most amazing hard boiled eggs and I toss chicken breasts in there for shredding allllll. the. time. Shredded chicken is perfect to have on hand for recipes like cauliflower chicken fried rice and healthy stuffed peppers. I use the boiled eggs to make my avocado egg salad often.
Slow Cooker: This slow cooker works great! I also use it for making my keto chicken wings.
Citrus Squeezer: If you’re going to be using freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice you’ll need a citrus squeezer! This handy tools makes squeezing citrus super easy and mess free.
FAQs:
You can keep this low carb taco soup covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. It should reheat well on the stove or even in the microwave in smaller servings. You can also freeze this soup for up to a few months in a freezer safe bag. Make sure you let it cool completely before freezing.
I’ve never tried it myself but some readers have mentioned having success with making this recipe on the stove top. You’d need to adjust the cooking time of course. It’ll take longer than pressure cooking but should be done faster than slow cooking.
Sure! If you want a beef taco soup you could use ground beef instead, along with beef broth instead of chicken broth. You’ll want to brown the beef first before pressure cooking or slow cooking.
More Instant Pot & Slow Cooker Recipes:
- Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
- Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
- Crockpot Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup
- Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip
Low Carb Chicken Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chipotles in adobo sauce minced
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
Instant Pot Method
- Add the chicken, onion, garlic, chipotles, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, lemon juice, lime juice, and chicken broth to an Instant Pot.
- Cover, turn vent to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 18 minutes.
- Allow pressure to release naturally, about 10 minutes, before removing the lid.
- Remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks.
- Turn the Instant Pot to saute and add the cream cheese. Whisk constantly until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated.
- Turn Instant Pot off and return chicken to the pot. Add the cilantro and stir well to combine.
- Serve immediately
Slow Cooker Method
- Add the chicken, onion, garlic, chipotles, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, lemon juice, lime juice, and chicken broth to a low cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
- Remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks.
- Add the cream cheese to the slow cooker and whisk constantly until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated.
- Return chicken to the slow cooker and add the cilantro. Stir well to combine.
- Serve immediately.
Allyn Conklin says
This had become a staple at our house. I do add a can or 2 of rotel and one time i might try some broccoli to add some fiber in there.
Lacey says
I love this recipe, but my daughter hates meat. Can I make it without meat, if so how long would i cook it?
Karly Campbell says
Sorry, I haven’t ever tried this without chicken. You could try just leaving the chicken out, but I’m not sure how flavorful or hearty it will be if you don’t replace it with something else.
Ashley says
This is one of our go to meals. It’s a fam fave! I do add in a can or 2 of rotel and or diced tomatoes!
Karly Campbell says
Delicious!
Paige says
I doubled the recipe and we’re still almost out of it! My husband and kids all loved it. Will definitely make again!!
Karly Campbell says
Yay! I love to hear that! 🙂
Linda says
I thickened it with a little xantham and added jalapeño cream cheese. I think on my next serving I’ll add a dollop of sour cream of Greek yogurt to give it a little zing.
Dave R says
Low carb & high high on everything else, Cal 424, Fat 25g? Sodium 1023mg? All in one bowl???? No Thank You.
1bowl| Calories: 424kcal (21%)| Carbohydrates: 7g (2%)| Protein: 41g (82%)| Fat: 25g (38%)| Saturated Fat: 13g (81%)| Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g| Cholesterol: 156mg (52%)| Sodium: 1023mg (44%)|
Karly Campbell says
Yes, this recipe is great for keto since it’s higher in fat and sodium. Not every recipe will fit every person’s nutrition needs though, of course.
Linda says
You can make this “lighter” with low sodium stock and Neufchatel cheese. 423 calories doesn’t seem excessive if you’re eating this as a meal.
Alexis says
The soap flavor is not an opinion. People who taste soap don’t think it tastes like soap, it actually does taste like soap. It would be more appropriate to suggest, “If it tastes like soap try substituting parsley for cilantro”. There is no need to be passive aggressive to people who are affected by OR6A2 gene. Thank you.
Karly Campbell says
I wasn’t being passive aggressive at all.
Juan Salazar Jr. says
Love this recipe, I am TexMex and Approve! We have made it plenty of times. I also add a small bag of organic frozen corn. Delish!
Karly Campbell says
So glad you approve! 🙂
Kirby says
A really good recipe. It tastes like Mexico! A sprinkle or two of tajin when serving adds a little color and taste. A chopped serrano pepper or two works well also.
Karly Campbell says
Sounds delicious with Tajin!
Sherry Vaughn says
This looks wonderful