• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Diabetes Strong

Healthy Life With Diabetes

  • Home
  • Diabetes
    • Type 1 Diabetes
    • Type 2 Diabetes
    • Prediabetes
    • Diabetes Devices
    • Diabetes Products
    • Diabetes Medication
    • Diabetes Complications
    • Mental Health
  • Diet
    • Meal Plans
    • Low Carb Foods
  • Exercise
    • Workout Videos
    • The Fit With Diabetes eBook
  • Recipes
    • The Diabetes Strong Cookbook
  • Diabetes Coaching
  • About

Home » Recipes » Coconut Chicken Soup

Kate VaynshteynBy Kate Vaynshteyn on March 15, 2018, Updated April 22, 2020
Recipes

Coconut Chicken Soup

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Coconut Chicken Soup
Two bowls of coconut chicken soup on a table

The rich taste and aroma of this easy Coconut Chicken Soup will warm your belly and soul! Loaded with vegetables and lean chicken breast, this dish will keep you full and satisfied for hours.

Two bowls of coconut chicken soup on a table next to the pot with extra cilantro and chilis

Every now and again, we all crave warm, comforting soups that fill our bellies and warm our souls.

This coconut chicken soup recipe does just that! It combines classic chicken and fresh vegetables with a bit of an exotic flavor – coconut. The result is a wonderful mix of familiar comfort food combined with a new exciting flavor that I think you will fall in love with (I did!)

Even better, this super easy dish comes together in one pot. All you have to do to prep is a bit of chopping.

As the soup cooks and simmers on the stovetop, your kitchen will fill with a delicious, warm aroma. You’ll be counting down the minutes until you can dive headfirst into a big bowl!

How to make coconut chicken soup

This soup cooks very quickly. Just make sure all your ingredients are prepared and ready to go before you start cooking, and then it’s just a matter of adding them all into the pot:

Step 1: Season the sliced chicken breast generously with salt and pepper.

Step 2: In a large (5-6 quart) soup pot, heat the coconut oil over high heat and add the chicken breast. Stir-fry over high heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside.

Step 3: Add the sliced onion, minced garlic, and minced ginger. Continue to stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes.

Step 4: Add the diced zucchini and cubed pumpkin, then stir. 

Chicken breast and vegetables sauteing in a pot

Step 5: Add the sliced bell pepper, sliced chili or jalapeño pepper, coconut milk, chicken broth, and lime juice. Give everything another good stir.

Soup gently simmering in a pot

Step 6: Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is fully cooked.

Step 7: Remove from heat and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with cilantro leaves to serve.

Closeup of a bowl of soup

It’s healthy as well as tasty!

With green zucchini, red bell peppers, and beautiful orange pumpkin, this soup makes it easy to meet your daily vegetable needs!

The wonderful fresh colors of these vegetables are due to all their different vitamins and nutrients. Zucchini is rich in Potassium, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B-6 while red bell peppers and pumpkin are both loaded with Vitamin A.

A good way to make sure you are getting a variety of nutrients from your foods is by “eating the rainbow,” or trying to make sure that you eat as many different colors of fruits and vegetables as possible each day. Luckily, that is easy to do with delicious and colorful soups like this one!

This soup also contains lean chicken breast, which will help fill you up because of the protein in the chicken. In fact, one serving of coconut chicken soup has 17.1 g protein, 11.6 g carbs, and 12.7 g fat. It’s a great nutrient profile to help you feel full and satisfied while also keeping you full for longer.

Is coconut milk good for you?

As if the vegetables weren’t enough, this soup also contains a health boost from the can of coconut milk!

Coconut milk is a good source of vitamins and minerals like manganese, iron, and magnesium. It’s also high in lauric acids, which are known for boosting your immune system. 

Regular coconut milk is calorie dense and high in fat, but since we’re using lite coconut milk for this recipe, you can enjoy the health benefits AND luxurious taste without guilt!

Storage

This soup reheats really well. In fact, it tastes even better the next day after all the flavors continue to meld together overnight. So don’t be afraid of making a big batch of this soup – you’ll want leftovers the next day!

You can store this soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days… if it lasts that long!

More healthy soup recipes

I am a huge fan of healthy and easy soups! They’re such a great way to warm up and nourish the body. If you’re looking for a few more yummy soup recipes, here are a few I know you’ll love: 

  • Chilled Beet Soup
  • Creamy Kabocha Squash and Cauliflower Soup
  • Vegan Mushroom Soup

For even more inspiration, check out this roundup of delicious low-carb soup recipes!

When you’ve tried this soup, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!

Recipe Card

Coconut Chicken Soup

The rich taste and aroma of this easy Coconut Chicken Soup will warm your belly and soul! Loaded with vegetables and lean chicken breast, this dish will keep you full and satisfied for hours.
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:30 minutes
Total Time:50 minutes
Author:Kate Vaynshteyn
Servings:6
Coconut chicken soup
4.66 from 35 votes
Review Print

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. chicken breast, thinly sliced
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced into half moons
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 medium zucchini, cut into quarters lengthwise and diced
  • 0.75 lb. pumpkin, cubed into ½ inch pieces (1 cup)
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and thinly sliced
  • 1 small chili or jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and thinly sliced
  • 14 oz. lite coconut milk (1 can)
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Handful cilantro leaves (optional)
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Season the sliced chicken breast generously with salt and pepper. 
  • In a large (5-6 quart) soup pot, heat the coconut oil over high heat and add the chicken breast. Stir-fry over high heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside.
  • Add the sliced onion, minced garlic, and minced ginger. Continue to stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the diced zucchini and cubed pumpkin, then stir.
  • Add the sliced bell pepper, sliced chili or jalapeño pepper, coconut milk, chicken broth, and lime juice. Give everything another good stir.
  • Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is fully cooked.
  • Remove from heat and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with cilantro leaves to serve.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is for 6 servings of coconut chicken soup.
This dish reheats very well. If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Nutrition Info Per Serving

Nutrition Facts
Coconut Chicken Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 231 Calories from Fat 114
% Daily Value*
Fat 12.7g20%
Saturated Fat 5.5g28%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.2g
Cholesterol 3.7mg1%
Sodium 45.1mg2%
Potassium 357.5mg10%
Carbohydrates 11.6g4%
Fiber 1.7g7%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 17.1g34%
Vitamin A 6195IU124%
Vitamin C 65.2mg79%
Calcium 19mg2%
Iron 0.9mg5%
Net carbs 9.9g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken coconut soup, Coconut soup, dairy-free
Did you make this recipe?Click here to leave a comment & star rating!

Success! Now check your email to download the eBook chapter.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Powered by ConvertKit
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Categories: Recipes Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Soup, Chicken & Turkey

Kate Vaynshteyn

About Kate Vaynshteyn

Kate Vaynshteyn runs the food blog Babaganosh.org, where she shares her favorite recipes for simple and wholesome dishes. She got into cooking when she moved out on her own after college and she loves trying new ingredients and cuisines. Kate was born in Ukraine, raised in Brooklyn, and lived in New Jersey for a while. She is currently living in the Bahamas with her husband, baby, and two cats and cannot wait to explore everything the Caribbean has to offer.

View all posts by Kate Vaynshteyn

Related Posts

  • Smooth & silky zucchini soup with eggs, turkey bacon and parsley. Easy and healthy fall and winter food.
    Zucchini Soup

    The calendar says end of September, so fall is officially here. That means it’s soup time! Living in Los Angeles, we can’t really tell that…

  • Diabetic chicken recipes
    12 Healthy Diabetic Chicken Recipes

    It's no secret that I am a huge fan of healthy and low-carb diabetic chicken recipes that taste great. Chicken is one of the cleanest…

  • Instant Pot Chicken Chili
    Instant Pot Chicken Chili

    This Instant Pot Chicken Chili is a delicious green chili that's simple to make and only requires a few ingredients. It's made without beans or…

Previous Post: « Healthy Vegetarian Spinach Rolls
Next Post: Low-Carb Cauliflower Oatmeal »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarGala Muchnik Muchnik says

    January 8, 2020 at 2:57 pm

    Hello
    14 oz. coconut milk and 2 cups of chicken broth? (14+16= 30/6=5 oz.)
    Is it enough for 6 people?

    Reply
    • Christel OerumChristel Oerum says

      January 9, 2020 at 1:22 pm

      It’s also 1 lb. chicken and a lot of veggies so should be a lot of food. If it’s a main meal, and you’re still hungry, you could have 2 servings as the calories are fairly low

      Reply
  2. Avatarmargaret says

    January 7, 2020 at 2:52 am

    My whole family are starting to eat healthier because my partner has been diagnosed with Sugar Diabetes Type 2. I have all boys who are big meat eaters along with my partner. We have a busy schedule so we have quick not so healthy meals. This recipe was quick and easy compared to the painful dinners myself and my partner have cooked after a long day at work – with no real motivation to cook something tasteful, we cooked to fill our bellies! My partner and I fell into a rut of cooking the same meals over and over (we’re both good cooks and love our food). I changed up the vegetables for ones the whole family could eat and left out the coconut milk (2 don’t like it) there wasn’t much left after dinner and I didn’t have the boys come back for a snack later! I will definately be trying the other 9 recipes!

    Reply
    • Christel OerumChristel Oerum says

      January 7, 2020 at 2:08 pm

      Excellent, so glad to hear this recipe was a hit

      Reply
  3. AvatarIvy Diaz says

    October 24, 2019 at 7:05 am

    I am so happy to see such amazing Recipes. Thank you. Keep them coming. I cant wait to make this Soup

    Thanks!
    Ivy

    Reply
  4. AvatarNicole says

    September 9, 2019 at 4:46 pm

    I made this soup for my Mom who is newly diabetic and she loved it. Does anyone know if this soup would freeze well?

    Reply
    • AvatarPearl says

      October 3, 2019 at 8:15 am

      I freeze all my soups and yes it does freeze well.

      Reply
  5. AvatarAngel Glover says

    April 22, 2019 at 3:18 pm

    how much is one serving?? one cup?? looks really good

    Reply
    • Christel OerumChristel Oerum says

      April 22, 2019 at 4:07 pm

      It will depend on how much you boil it down. The liquid and vegetables should be about a cup per serving and then chicken comes on top

      Reply
  6. AvatarRachel Rock says

    March 15, 2019 at 9:27 am

    This soup is fantastic! This will be a staple in our home!

    Reply
  7. AvatarChar says

    February 11, 2019 at 11:35 pm

    This soup was so delicious; I added mushrooms, carrots, peas and bok choy. Also some curry and a bit more coconut milk. So good, thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
  8. AvatarElkse says

    November 30, 2018 at 7:12 pm

    How many main dish servings does this make? BTW, I plan to use butternut squash if my store doesn’t have small fresh pumpkins.

    Reply
    • Christel OerumChristel Oerum says

      December 1, 2018 at 10:51 am

      This serves 6 people. You can see servings listed in all our recipes just below the preparation time.
      Hope you enjoy it

      Reply
    • AvatarJacqueline Johnson says

      July 25, 2019 at 1:12 pm

      Delicious! I can’t believe I tried this as I am not a squash fan at all. I only liked fried zucchini. And when I tried this and I could not find pumpkin, fresh or canned. So I used this squash from the produce, it was butternut. I never cooked with it before. After I assembled everything and it melded? To die for. Very very good. I added more coconut milk and more salt and pepper. Very good, rich and hearty Thanks!

      Reply
  9. AvatarPetrina says

    August 6, 2018 at 1:38 pm

    Question? How do
    Cut pumpkin? Do you mean an actual
    Pumpkin?

    Reply
    • Christel OerumChristel Oerum says

      August 6, 2018 at 3:17 pm

      Yes, the yellow pieces you see in the dish are pieces of pumpkin. If you don’t want to cut it yourself some supermarkets sell them precut

      Reply
      • AvatarCatherine says

        September 25, 2018 at 10:58 am

        Can you use sweet potato instead of pumpkin?

        Reply
        • Christel OerumChristel Oerum says

          September 25, 2018 at 1:25 pm

          From a flavour profile, I think you could, but I’m not sure the sweet potato will hold its shape.

        • AvatarCatherine says

          September 28, 2018 at 10:35 am

          Ok! Thanks. So I’ve made this and the pumpkin was the hardest part. Cutting it seemed difficult and dangerous but I did it! Can’t wait to taste it when it’s done!

        • AvatarJulia K. says

          July 29, 2019 at 7:15 pm

          I used sweet potato and the shape held nicely. Also I’ll add more spice for us…nice dish.

        • Christel OerumChristel Oerum says

          July 30, 2019 at 9:56 am

          Glad that worked out and that you enjoyed it

        • AvatarM says

          January 21, 2020 at 10:34 am

          I’m going to use Butternut or acorn squash. Pumpkins are all gone by now

  10. AvatarMolly says

    March 26, 2018 at 11:20 pm

    Welcome to the Diabetes Strong family Kate. I made the soup yesterday and it was great! I hope you will make more recipes for us people with diabetes 🙂

    Reply
    • Kate @ babaganoshKate @ babaganosh says

      March 28, 2018 at 7:40 pm

      Thank you so much, Molly! I am so glad you made the soup and enjoyed it, that means a lot to me. 🙂

      Reply
Newer Comments »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Popular Articles

What are normal blood sugar levels?

What are Normal Blood Sugar Levels?

How Natural & Artificial Sweeteners Affect Blood Sugar

The Best Sweeteners for People with Diabetes

How to lower your A1c

How to Lower Your A1c: The Complete Guide

How to cook chicken breast

How to Bake Chicken Breast in the Oven (So It’s Always Juicy)

How to Avoid High Morning Blood Sugars

How to Avoid High Morning Blood Sugar

Diabetes meal plan

7 -Day Diabetes Meal Plan (with Printable Grocery List)

Footer

Follow Us on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Disclosures
  • Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Editorial Policy
  • Advertisement Policy

© 2015 – 2020 Diabetes Strong. All right reserved. Diabetes Strong does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.