Craving a warm bowl of chicken noodle soup? Try this Paleo version that uses fiber-rich spaghetti squash instead of pasta for a hearty and filling meal.
Chicken noodle soup is good for the soul, and this recipe is here to prove it! We use a nutrient-dense homemade veggie broth, a mix of healthy veggies like spinach and mushrooms, and protein-rich chicken for a soup that’s as nutritious as it is tasty!
To help this recipe come together quicker, prepping ingredients a day or two ahead of time is key. This recipe uses leftover chicken that’s already been cooked, but you can cube it and sauté it separately if you don't have any on hand. You can always add slices of raw chicken to the pot when it starts to boil, but it’s much tastier to get a crust on the outside by cooking it by itself instead. It’s worth the extra effort!
It’s also easier to use already-cooked spaghetti squash to help minimize prep time. If you don’t have time to do it ahead of time, you can get the squash roasting while you start the soup, so you won’t lose too much time!
Start by slicing the spaghetti squash in half, rubbing with olive oil, and getting it into the oven. Meanwhile, sauté a mirepoix mix of veggies. Once soft, add sliced mushrooms (any variety you like!) and herbs and spices. We used fresh thyme here, but you could also use ½ teaspoon of dried thyme instead. You can also experiment with other herbs and spices. Fennel seeds, oregano, or rosemary would work nicely here.
Next, add your broth and bring to a boil. If you don’t have homemade veggie broth on hand, you can use low sodium chicken or veggie broth from the store in a pinch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover slightly, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cooked chicken, simmer a bit more, then add the cooked spaghetti squash and baby spinach. Continue to cook another minute or so, or until the spinach is just wilted. Season with black pepper to taste, and ladle up your bowls!
For hundreds of pure Paleo recipes be sure to check out The Real Paleo Diet Cookbook and Real Paleo Diet Fast and Easy.
Dr. Loren Cordain’s final graduate student, Trevor Connor, M.S., brings more than a decade of nutrition and physiology expertise to spearhead the new Paleo Diet team.
One of the original members of the Paleo movement, Mark J. Smith, Ph.D., has spent nearly 30 years advocating for the benefits of Paleo nutrition.
Ironman athlete, mom, author, and nutrition blogger Nell Stephenson has been an influential member of the Paleo movement for over a decade.
As a professor at Colorado State University, Dr. Loren Cordain developed The Paleo Diet® through decades of research and collaboration with fellow scientists around the world.
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