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You are here: Home / Cooking Methods / Slow Cooker / Zesty Queso Keto Chicken Soup

February 12, 2018

Zesty Queso Keto Chicken Soup

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Whether you eat keto or not, this zesty queso keto chicken soup is my new favorite for chilly nights. You can make it in the slow cooker or instant pot and it’s creamy, slightly spicy and full of flavor. Instant Pot Chicken Queso Soup In bowl

While I’m ready for winter to be over, I’m never ready for soup season to end. This queso keto chicken soup is creamy and smooth and packs a big punch of flavor from the use of salsa verde in the soup base.

You can make this as low carb or high carb as you’d like, too! This chicken queso soup would be great with the addition of some black beans and frozen corn. Serving it up with some tortilla chips is also delicious!

I’m very non-committedly trying to eat keto for a while so I keep the recipe as is and eat with a good serving of diced avocado and Monterrey jack cheese. I’m pretty sure I could live off this soup.

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Instant Pot Chicken Queso Soup

Making Chicken Keto Soup in the Instant Pot

This chicken queso soup can be made quickly in the Instant pot and it’s definitely my favorite way to make it! Directions for doing so are in the recipe card below.

Making Queso Chicken Soup in the Slow Cooker

When I think ahead this recipe is great in the slow cooker, too. Just throw all the ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on low for at least 6 hours or until the chicken shreds easily.

Instant Pot chicken Queso soup

Recipe Tips for this Queso Keto Chicken Soup

  • Adding ingredients: like I mentioned above, if you don’t need this soup to be low-carb, this soup is great with the addition of black beans and frozen corn. Just add them in with the rest of the soup ingredients and cook as directed.
  • The recipe calls for salsa verde or green salsa. Note that prepared salsa verde can vary greatly in heat. I’ve found that Herdez brand has a medium heat that my family can handle. La Costena is another brand I’ve used and liked.

Can I use Neufchatel Cheese instead of full-fat Cream Cheese?

Neufchatel cheese is very similar to cream cheese but is a bit moister and has a lower fat content (1/3 fat) of regular cream cheese. I haven’t tried using it in this recipe specifically, but have in other soup recipes with success. It may be a bit harder to incorporate into the soup, so you may have to put a little bit of muscle into it, but it should melt fully and leave you with a soup that is lower in fat. I do not advise using fat-free cream cheese, however.

Want more Instant Pot soup recipes?

  • Zesty Instant Pot Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup
  • Instant Pot Lentil Soup
  • Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup
Instant Pot chicken Queso soup

Zesty Queso Keto Chicken Soup

Whether you eat keto or not, this zesty queso keto chicken soup is my new favorite for chilly nights. You can make it in the slow cooker or instant pot and it's creamy, slightly spicy and full of flavor. 
5 from 10 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 237kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
  • 28 ounces petite diced tomatoes not drained
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup salsa verde or green salsa
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • avocado and monterrey jack cheese for topping

Instructions

Instant Pot:

  • Place chicken, taco seasoning, tomatoes with juices, salt, chicken broth, and green salsa in Instant Pot. Set to manual mode and cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. Allow pressure to release naturally (about 15 minutes), remove and shred the chicken. Set aside. 
  • Stir softened cream cheese into the soup in the pot and whisk until fully melted into the soup. Return chicken to the soup and serve with diced avocado and monterrey jack cheese.

Slow Cooker:

  • Place all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours or until the chicken is tender and shreds easily. Whisk cream cheese into the broth fully if needed after cooking time is up. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 1061mg | Potassium: 718mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 22.3% | Vitamin C: 24.1% | Calcium: 8.9% | Iron: 12.3%

Filed Under: Chicken, Easy Dinner Recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Slow Cooker, Soups & Stews

Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you. Nutrition facts are for informational purposes only and are generated from a calculator. Please don’t rely solely upon these nutrition facts and do your own calculations to meet your own specific dietary needs.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nan White says

    February 16, 2019 at 11:36 am

    Great soup!!! Delicious….making it for the 6 th

    Reply
  2. ALauren says

    February 2, 2019 at 1:41 pm

    Jeebus can you shrink the ads? Your site has my computer running 10 times slower.

    Reply
  3. Sue says

    December 30, 2018 at 7:27 am

    Sodium content is 44 percent. That is extremely high. Maybe it can be adjusted.

    Reply
  4. Alisa Farmer says

    November 4, 2018 at 5:06 pm

    Three thumbs up from my family! This immediately went on the list of foods to eat again. I’m always searching for something new to feed my diabetic husband who controls his diabetes with his diet, and with my homemade taco seasoning, this was declared a winner.

    Reply
    • Denise says

      January 13, 2019 at 6:24 am

      Recipe for your taco seasoning?

      Reply
  5. Winnie krushensky says

    October 26, 2018 at 3:58 pm

    The cream cheese curdled

    Reply
    • Sandi says

      November 12, 2018 at 8:48 am

      I used my immersion blender after adding the cheese and it blended everything beautifully. Instead of 8 oz. cream cheese, I used 4 oz. cream cheese and 4 oz. Queso Fesca cheese. Delicious recipe!

      Reply
  6. Judy C. says

    October 9, 2018 at 7:41 am

    To reduce carbs if your taco seasoning has too many, try substituting with Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch Dip mix instead. It has zero carbs for 1/2 tsp. so for the amount needed for this recipe, it probably has 1 carb. The taco seasoning I have has 9 carbs for the amount used in this recipe. I’d rather eat my carbs in the tomatoes! Great recipe, by the way!

    Reply
  7. Chris M says

    October 8, 2018 at 4:31 pm

    Yikes 9g sugar per serving and 12 net carbs, definitely not keto friendly.

    Reply
  8. Paulette Boone says

    September 22, 2018 at 9:05 am

    Maybe I’m missing something, but the carbs per serving for this seem super high for being Keto. Is it for the whole batch and then divide by the amt of servings?

    Reply
    • Angela says

      September 26, 2018 at 5:28 am

      It’s the taco seasoning . If you use your own seasonings instead of a mix the carbs will go way down.

      Reply
    • Chris M says

      October 8, 2018 at 4:33 pm

      I agree also 9g of sugar definitely not keto friendly. I’ll pass on this one

      Reply
  9. Marla Pfister says

    September 22, 2018 at 5:53 am

    I tried to find salsa verde/green salsa in my supermarket but didn’t have any luck. If I can’t find it, is there a substitute ingredient I can use?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Anne says

      September 22, 2018 at 2:31 pm

      Tomatillos boiled for 10 my no or until soft. Remove tomatillos and put in blender. Ad d a little of the boil d water to make texture you like. Add some lime juice ,cumin ,garlic & onion powder

      Reply
  10. Susan says

    September 17, 2018 at 9:33 am

    This looks so good! However, I was wondering how much is considered a serving?

    Reply
  11. LeAnna says

    September 16, 2018 at 3:24 pm

    Oh my gosh, just wanted to let you know how amazing this was! Thank you! I will be making this again.

    Reply
  12. Kelly says

    September 4, 2018 at 6:32 am

    This soup was delicious! Will definitely make this again!

    Reply
  13. Nik says

    September 3, 2018 at 7:17 am

    It is a very nice post.
    Thanks for sharing this yummy and healthy recipes ideas .I love to try different yummy food and healthy recipes …

    Reply
  14. Julie says

    September 1, 2018 at 4:42 pm

    So good, I tripled the recipe. Cooked and shredded the chicken separately, added all ingredients to a big pot on the stove. Cooked for about an hour and a half. Served with tortilla chips. A little spicy, whole family enjoyed it. Easy and filling, thank you!

    Reply
  15. Carol says

    August 31, 2018 at 3:59 am

    Do you know if this will freeze well?

    Reply
  16. Quandora says

    August 28, 2018 at 3:31 pm

    I don’t have an Instant Pot; can I use a slow cooker? If so, how long do I cook it?

    Reply
  17. Sara says

    August 8, 2018 at 6:19 am

    How much is a serving?

    Reply
  18. Alicia says

    July 29, 2018 at 8:37 pm

    This was delicious will make it again!! I substituted the salsa for fresh roasted green Chile peeled and diced. Thank you!

    Reply
  19. Rachel says

    June 9, 2018 at 5:07 pm

    The nutritional value is not including cheese and avocado, right?

    Reply
  20. Lisa Cowan says

    May 28, 2018 at 10:42 am

    I’m wondering where the sugar comes from? Is it in the taco seasoning? Since we are doing Keto I subbed 1 Tblsp Tajin seasoning for the taco seas. & it was wonderful! Will make again, and again, and again!!

    Reply
    • Jerry says

      July 2, 2018 at 6:48 pm

      I’m sure the sugars come from tomatoes and salsa (natural) not added sugar.

      Reply
  21. Sarah says

    April 4, 2018 at 8:01 am

    Is it one chicken breast cut in half to make two halves or 2 chicken breasts, both halved, making 4 pieces of chicken total? I know it reads as just 2 halves, but I just wanted to be sure

    Reply
    • Conniefrances says

      August 7, 2018 at 8:32 pm

      Chicken breasts you buy from the store are already halves. Whole chicken breasts are quite large.

      Reply
  22. Chamblee says

    March 28, 2018 at 2:04 pm

    What are the total calories, fat, carbs, etc.. per serving? I don’t see that information listed. Thanks!

    Reply
  23. Andrea says

    February 22, 2018 at 5:54 am

    My husband and I are doing a Keto diet during Lent, and this recipe was a hit! This will definitely be a staple for us! Thank you!

    Reply
  24. Calvin Nicholson says

    February 14, 2018 at 4:50 am

    What size are the cans of tomatoes

    Reply
    • Calvin Nicholson says

      February 15, 2018 at 5:29 pm

      I used 2 14.5oz cans and it worked perfectly.

      Reply
      • Heather Cheney says

        February 16, 2018 at 10:50 am

        Thanks, Calvin! 14.5oz is right and I’m sorry for omitting from the recipe. I’ve added it to the card now!

        Reply
        • Calvin Nicholson says

          February 16, 2018 at 12:26 pm

          No Problem. Thank YOU for this recipe!!

          Reply
  25. Trish says

    February 12, 2018 at 9:49 pm

    I’m clearly behind. What’s Keto? It’s mentioned but doesn’t show up in the ingredients list.

    Reply
    • Heather Cheney says

      February 16, 2018 at 10:48 am

      Keto is short for ketogenic and is a term for a low-carb diet that is high in protein and fat and low in carbs. This soup is very low carb and can be eaten if you’re following a keto diet, that’s why it’s in the title.

      Reply
      • Terry says

        November 25, 2018 at 10:49 am

        Moderate protein, fat until satoated.

        Reply
      • Donna says

        December 27, 2018 at 3:22 pm

        Keto is low carb, MODERATE protein, high fat. Excellent way to improve your health and lose weight.

        Reply

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I'm a cheese popcorn junkie, pizza snob, purse hoarder and I once made Kenny Loggins a sandwich! Oh also, I kinda like food. Let's make something delicious together! Read More…

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