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Shredded chicken cabbage soup with pumpkin, potatoes, carrots, and celery in a light, flavorful broth, topped with fresh cilantro in a bowl
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Cabbage Chicken Soup for Weight Loss Recipe

This cabbage chicken soup is light, healthy, and actually filling. Low calorie, high in protein, and full of flavor, it’s perfect for weight loss.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean, Worldwide
Keyword: Chicken, comfort food, healthy, one pot
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Karina Carrel

Ingredients

SEASONING:

  • 1 teaspoon Goya Adobo All Purpose Seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
  • 2 chicken Marylands chicken, bone in, no skin

SOUP:

  • 1 onion cut into wedges
  • 1 carrot peeled and chopped
  • 1 stalk celery chopped
  • 2 cups chopped Kent pumpkin flesh no seeds, peeled
  • 1 potato peeled and chopped (optional)
  • 1/2 green cabbage cut into wedges
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons Salsa Lizano
  • 33 fl oz water add more as needed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro coriander or parsley
  • Salt and pepper to taste (only if needed)
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Combine seasoning ingredients together. Season chicken on both sides.
    Seasoned chicken marylands for cabbage chicken soup coated with spices before cooking
  • Add a drizzle of olive oil to a pot. Sear chicken for 3-4 minutes each side, or until golden.
    Searing seasoned chicken for cabbage chicken soup until golden to develop rich flavor
    • Don’t move the chicken too much at the start. Let it sit so it actually browns. That color at the bottom of the pot = flavor for the broth.
  • Add in onion, carrot and celery, mixing around the chicken. Cook for 2 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for a further minute until fragrant.
    Cooking vegetables with chicken for cabbage chicken soup including onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in a pot
    • Add the garlic last so it doesn’t burn. You just want it fragrant, not browned, or it can turn bitter.
  • Add the pumpkin, potato and cabbage, and remaining seasoning; mixing around to coat veggies in all of the flavour and chicken juices.
    Pumpkin, potato, and cabbage added to cabbage chicken soup with chicken in a pot before simmering
  • Pour in the water, salsa lizano and cilantro (or parsley).
    Cabbage, pumpkin, and potato mixed with chicken and seasoning in a pot for cabbage chicken soup
  • Bring to a simmer and cook until vegetables are soft.
    Chicken cabbage soup in a large pot with pumpkin, potatoes, carrots, and fresh cabbage, topped with cilantro before adding the broth
    • You’ll know it’s ready when the chicken pulls apart easily and the pumpkin starts to soften into the broth slightly. That’s what gives it more body without adding anything extra.
  • Taste test, season if desired.
    Cabbage chicken soup simmering in broth with chicken, cabbage, pumpkin, and vegetables cooking together

Notes

This is one of those soups that looks simple, but a few small details make a big difference in how it turns out.
Using bone-in chicken really matters here. As it cooks, the bones release flavor into the broth, giving you a deeper, more developed taste without needing stock. It’s what takes this from a basic vegetable soup to something that actually feels satisfying.
The pumpkin is another one. As it softens, it starts to break down slightly into the broth, which gives it body and a richer texture without adding anything heavy.
  • Bone-in chicken = better flavor and a more natural broth
  • Let the pumpkin cook down properly for extra depth
  • Taste at the end once everything has simmered together
If you want to switch things up, you can also roast the chicken with the same seasoning before adding it to the soup. It adds a slightly different flavor and works well if you have leftovers.
 
If you’re after something a little different, you can drizzle a bit of hot honey over the chicken in the last few minutes and broil it until slightly sticky and caramelised before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 64mg | Potassium: 607mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 15433IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 2mg