My High Protein Chicken Soup was the first recipe I created for our community. It hit all the notes: easy, comforting and delicious. And as an added bonus it is much higher in protein than store bought soup.
As you may notice, I use boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. While many advocate for chicken breast after surgery I have found a lot of my clients tolerate chicken thighs better than chicken breasts. At least this is the case for patients that have undergone VSG procedures as opposed to RNY. If you have had a RNY procedure I would suggest being more cautious with chicken thighs.
Chicken breasts are usually promoted because they are lower in fat than the the thighs. Fat may be more difficult to digest right after surgery, especially if you have had a RNY. Although chicken thighs have a tad more more fat, they are more moist than the breasts which may make them easier to tolerate. Plus, the thighs have nutrients such as zinc, iron and b vitamins, that many bariatric patients are at risk for deficiencies for.
Of course I always recommend following your surgeons guidelines, but feel free to ask them if it is okay for you to try the thighs if you are having a hard time tolerating the breasts.
Alright! Now let’s get down to business.
This easy chicken soup can be made on the stove top in less than 45 minutes. If you have a busy week ahead of you I would suggest preparing a batch on Sunday so you can eat it throughout the week.
I would make the following adjustments for each stage:
Pureed and Soft Stage:
If your guidelines recommend “no stringy” vegetables such as celery then substitute celery for 1 tsp of celery seed instead. Use an immersion blender or food processor to reach desired consistency.
Regular Stage:
Now that your body can tolerate more volume, you can increase the amount of veggies to your preferred amount.
High Protein Chicken Soup
This simple High Protein Chicken Soup is the perfect food to have after bariatric surgery. It well tolerated and has the familiar flavor of chicken noodle soup.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 35
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Comfort
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1.25 lbs boneless chicken thighs
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 celery, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 3 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon rosemary
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Then add chicken thighs and cook thoroughly (About 5-10 minutes each side. Once chicken is cooked, remove from dutch oven. Let cool. Once cool enough to touch, cut up into bite size pieces.
- Next, saute onions, carrot, and celery in the same dutch oven. There is no need to remove the liquid from the chicken because it will add to the flavor of the soup. Sauté veggies for 5 min.
- Add chicken broth, thyme, rosemary and cut up chicken. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 10-15 min.
- Remove from heat. Place in blender or use an immersion blender and puree until desired consistency.
Notes
Pureed & Soft Stage:
- Use 1 tsp of celery seed instead of celery if your guidelines say “No stringy vegetables”
Eating with family:
- If you are eating this with family, removed their portions prior to pureeing and garnish with parsley.
- Consider serving with whole wheat rolls to your family
Keywords: High Protein Chicken Soup
