Low-Carb Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup

If you're looking for a tasty and healthy twist on traditional Chinese chicken noodle soup, then this high-protein dinner recipe is for you. Seasoned with fragrant aromatics, this low-carb and low-calorie soup is perfect for chilly days or when you're feeling under the weather.

Instead of regular noodles, we'll be using shirataki noodles, which are made from konjac root and are low in carbs and low in calories. However, if shirataki noodles aren't available, you can always substitute them with zucchini noodles or kelp noodles, both of which are also low in carbs and have a similar texture to shirataki noodles.

Combined with a homemade chicken stock, fresh veggies like Bok Choy, scallion, chillies, carrot, zucchini, and cabbage, and flavorful aromatics like garlic, ginger, Chinese cooking wine, and sesame oil, this soup is sure to satisfy your taste buds and leave you feeling full for longer.

This recipe makes four regular (main course) lunch or dinner servings, or up to 8 servings if eaten as a starter.

So let's get started and learn how to make this delicious low-carb and low-calorie Chinese chicken noodle soup with shirataki noodles!

Recipe Tips

We are using boneless, skinless chicken breasts although you can use chicken thighs with or without skin and bones. As a bonus, the bones and skins will add even more flavour! Finally, you can use chicken carcasses like I did here.

As mentioned above, instead of shirataki noodles (aka zero noodles), you can use zucchini noodles or kelp noodles.

If you need to avoid gluten, you will likely need to use a different cooking wine than Shaoxing. Most of the brands I found contain gluten although the one I used was gluten-free and sugar-free. Here are some of the alternatives:

• dry sherry
• dry white wine
• sake or cooking sake

More Low-Carb Soups

Hungry for more? Try any of these delicious low-carb soups!

• Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
• Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
• Chicken Noodle Soup Jars
• Anti-Inflammatory Egg Drop Soup
• Tom Kha Noodle Bowls
• Italian Stracciatella Soup
• Duck Ramen
• Vietnamese Pho

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Step-by-step

1. Start by making the stock. Fill a large saucepan with water (or chicken stock for more flavor). Add the chicken breasts, one cloves of sliced garlic, one peeled and quartered onion, one 2-inch (5 cm) piece of sliced ginger and one star anise.

2. Bring to a boil and cover with a lid. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, and then take off the heat.

   

3. While the stock is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Drain and rinse the shirataki noodles and follow the instructions here if you want to remove any residual odour (not required as it won't make a huge difference in this recipe).

4. Dice the zucchini and peel and slice the carrot. Slice the Chinese Napa cabbage (or use savoy cabbage) and halve the baby bok choy (or you can use regular bok choy cut into thick slices).

5. When the stock is ready, remove the chicken breast from the saucepan and set aside to cool down. Strain the stock and discard all of the aromatics. Once the chicken is cool enough to touch, shred into pieces.

   

6. Place the stock back on the cooker and heat up. Once simmering, add the carrots, cover with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add all of the remaining vegetables, shirataki noodles, Chinese cooking wine, coconut aminos (or tamari sauce) and cook for another 5 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender.

7. Take off the heat and add back the shredded chicken and stir in the sesame oil. Season with salt to taste.

   

8. To serve, garnish with freshly sliced green onions and optionally chillies. To store, let it cool down and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

   

Recipe

Low-Carb Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup

★★★★★5.0 (3 ratings)

This high-protein Chinese chicken noodle soup recipe features a delicious twist with shirataki noodles ...

Hands on

15m

Overall

30m

Servings

4

7.7 g

Net carbs

31.5 g

Protein

5 g

Fat

221

kcal

1 serving2 servings3 servings4 servings5 servings6 servings7 servings8 servings9 servings10 servings11 servings12 servings16 servings

US + metricMetricUS

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Ingredients makes 4 servings

• Chicken stock:
• 2 large chicken breasts (500 g/ 1.1 lb)
• 5 cups water or chicken stock (1.2 L)
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2-inch (5 cm) piece ginger, sliced
• 1 small brown onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 star anise
• Soup:
• 1 pack shirataki noodles (200 g/ 7.1 oz)
• 1 medium zucchini, diced (200 g/ 7.1 oz)
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced (85 g/ 3 oz)
• 200 g baby bok choy or regular bok choy (7.1 oz)
• 2 cups sliced Chinese Napa cabbage (85 g/ 3 oz)
• 2 tbsp tamari sauce or coconut aminos (30 ml)
• 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (30 ml)
• sea salt, to taste
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 medium green onions, sliced (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
• Optional: fresh chillies, to serve

Instructions

1. Start by making the stock. Fill a large saucepan with water (or chicken stock for more flavor). Add the chicken breasts, one cloves of sliced garlic, one peeled and quartered onion, one 2-inch (5 cm) piece of sliced ginger and one star anise.

2. Bring to a boil and cover with a lid. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, and then take off the heat.

3. While the stock is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Drain and rinse the shirataki noodles and follow the instructions here if you want to remove any residual odour (not required as it won't make a huge difference in this recipe).

4. Dice the zucchini and peel and slice the carrot. Slice the Chinese Napa cabbage (or use savoy cabbage) and halve the baby bok choy (or you can use regular bok choy cut into thick slices).

5. When the stock is ready, remove the chicken breast from the saucepan and set aside to cool down. Strain the stock and discard all of the aromatics. Once the chicken is cool enough to touch, shred into pieces.

6. Place the stock back on the cooker and heat up. Once simmering, add the carrots, cover with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add all of the remaining vegetables, shirataki noodles, Chinese cooking wine, coconut aminos (or tamari sauce) and cook for another 5 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender.

7. Take off the heat and add back the shredded chicken and stir in the sesame oil. Season with salt to taste.

8. To serve, garnish with freshly sliced green onions and optionally chillies. To store, let it cool down and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Nutrition per serving, 2 cups/ 480 ml

Carbs 15%Protein 62%Fat 23% of calories

Net carbs

7.7 g

Total carbs

11.1 g

Fiber

3.3 g

Sugars

4.6 g

Protein

31.5 g

Fat

5 g

Saturated fat

0.9 g

Calories

221 kcal

Sodium

985 mg · 42.8% RDA

Magnesium

71 mg · 17.7% RDA

Potassium

849 mg · 42.4% EMR

Nutrition by ingredient

Per 2 cups/ 480 ml	Net carbs	Protein	Fat	kcal
Chicken, breast (without skin, raw)	0 g	28.1 g	3.3 g	150
Water, still	0 g	0 g	0 g	0
Garlic, fresh	0.5 g	0.1 g	0 g	2
Ginger root, fresh	0.8 g	0.1 g	0 g	4
Onion, brown (yellow), raw	1.1 g	0.2 g	0 g	6
Star anise, spices	0.2 g	0.1 g	0.1 g	2
Shirataki noodles, konjac noodles	0.8 g	0 g	0.1 g	2
Zucchini (summer squash, courgette)	1 g	0.6 g	0.2 g	8
Carrot, fresh	1.4 g	0.2 g	0.1 g	9
Bok choy (pak-choi) cabbage, fresh	0.6 g	0.8 g	0.1 g	7
Chinese cabbage (also known as napa cabbage, Chinese leaf, winter cabbage), raw	0.6 g	0.3 g	0 g	6
Tamari sauce (gluten-free soy sauce)	0.4 g	0.9 g	0 g	5
Shaoxing cooking wine	0 g	0 g	0 g	8
Salt, sea salt	0 g	0 g	0 g	0
Sesame oil, toasted	0 g	0 g	1.1 g	10
Spring onion, scallion, green onion, fresh	0.4 g	0.1 g	0 g	2
Total	7.7 g	31.5 g	5 g	221

Serving size 2 cups/ 480 ml

• Gluten free
• Dairy free
• Egg free
• Nut free
• Pork free
• Avocado free
• Coconut free
• Fish free
• Shellfish free
• Beef free