Coconut-Lime Turkey and Rice Soup is a great idea for leftover turkey, and you can make this soup with chicken if you don’t have any turkey! Just substitute cauliflower rice for the rice to make this a low-carb soup!
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I’ve offered up a lot of recipes using leftover turkey through the years, but this Coconut-Lime Turkey and Rice Soup was different than any leftover turkey soup I’ve made, with a slightly spicy broth, lime juice, and coconut milk as the base of the soup. I used cilantro but if you’re not a cilantro fan the original recipe used basil, and I’d love this with Thai Basil if I had some. If you don’t have any fresh herbs, I think thinly sliced green onions would also be nice. When I make this again I might shred the turkey apart into chunks instead of cutting it, but that’s the only thing I’d change, and this definitely going to be a repeater at my house!
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Want More Turkey Soup Ideas?
Check out Low-Carb and Keto Turkey Soup Recipes for lots more ideas for tasty soups with turkey, chicken, or ground turkey!
How can you make this Turkey and Rice Soup lower in carbs?
Now that I’ve become a fan of low-carb recipes with cauliflower rice, I would absolutely switch out the rice that’s added at the end in this soup for frozen cauliflower rice to make this a low-carb soup! That would make this eligible to join my other Low-Carb Recipes for Leftover Turkey!
How to Make Coconut-Lime Turkey and Rice Soup:
(Scroll down for complete recipe with nutritional information.)
- I used 2 cups of leftover turkey, and next time I’d shred the turkey into pieces instead of cutting it.
- You’ll need fresh ginger root to make this recipe (don’t even think of substituting ground ginger!) Slice about 6 slices of ginger.
- The ginger is simmered with chicken stock, garlic cloves, lime juice, soy sauce, and Golden Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link) or sweetener of your choice to make a flavorful base for the soup.
- Then remove garlic and ginger pieces and add the diced or shredded leftover turkey (or chicken), coconut milk, and some Green Tabasco Sauce (affiliate link), or use a fresh chile pepper if you prefer.
- Simmer that for about 6 minutes without letting it come to a boil.
- Add 1 1/2 cups of cooked rice or Cauliflower Rice (affiliate link) and cook a couple minutes more, just long enough that the rice is hot. (I first made this with Uncle Ben’s Brown Rice that I had in the freezer and just thawed it in the microwave. Now I would use frozen cauliflower rice that cooks in the bag in the microwave.)
- While the rice simmers in the soup, wash and finely chop the cilantro, basil, or Thai basil, or sliced green onions whichever you’re using.
- Stir in the chopped herbs or green onions, simmer a minute or two more and serve hot.
- Sliced limes to squeeze into the soup would be nice for serving.
More Soups to Make With Leftover Turkey or Chicken:
Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Turkey Soup Recipes ~ Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker
Greek Egg-Lemon Chicken Soup with Cauliflower Rice ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Seven Leftover Turkey Soup Recipes ~ Soup Chick
Weekend Food Prep:
This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep to help you find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken broth (see notes)
- 3 T fresh-squeezed lime juice
- 6 thin slices fresh ginger root
- 2 medium garlic cloves, sliced in half
- 1 1/2 T soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
- 1 1/2 T Golden Monkfruit Sweetener
- one 13.5 oz. can coconut milk (see notes)
- 2 cups diced turkey
- 1/2 tsp. Green Tabasco sauce (see notes)
- 1 cup cooked brown rice (see notes)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (see notes)
Instructions
- Slice 5-6 thin slices of ginger root.
- Peel 2 medium garlic cloves and slice in half.
- Put homemade chicken stock or chicken broth into a heavy soup pot and bring to a low simmer, then add ginger root slices, garlic cloves, lime juice, soy sauce, and Golden Monkfruit Sweetener, or sweetener of your choice.
- Let simmer on low for about 20 minutes, or until flavors are well blended.
- While the soup base simmers, shred apart the leftover turkey into bite-sized pieces until you have 2 cups.
- After 20 minutes remove the garlic and ginger pieces and add diced turkey, coconut milk, and Green Tabasco Sauce (affiliate link) or other hot sauce to the soup and let it continue to simmer on low about 6 minutes more.
- Be sure the heat is low enough that the soup won’t boil after the coconut milk has been added.
- After 6 minutes add the cooked brown rice or pre-cooked Cauliflower Rice (affiliate link) and let it simmer for a couple of minutes while you wash and chop the cilantro (or other herbs of your choice.)
- Add chopped herbs or green onions and simmer for 1-2 minutes more.
- Serve hot, with sliced limes to squeeze into the soup if desired.
Notes
I would use homemade chicken stock if you have some, but you can substitute 2 cans chicken broth if needed.
I love Golden Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link) but use any sweetener yo prefer.
Use light or full fat coconut milk, whichever you prefer.
Use more or less hot sauce to taste. Use any hot sauce you prefer if you don’t have Green Tabasco Sauce (affiliate link).
If you don’t like cilantro, use 1/4 cup chopped basil, Thai basil, or sliced green onions.
I used Uncle Ben’s Brown Rice. Use less rice or use Cauliflower Rice (affiliate link) for a low carb version.
Nutritional information is for the soup made with brown rice.
Recipe adapted from Coconut-Lime Chicken Soup from The Sunset Cookbook (affiliate link).
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 310Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 755mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 17g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
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Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
When it’s made with cauliflower rice, this Coconut-Lime Turkey (or Chicken) and Rice Soup would be suitable for low-carb and low-glycemic diets. The cauliflower rice version would work for the original South Beach Diet Phase One or the brown rice version would work for the original South Beach Diet all phases, but South Beach would prefer light coconut milk.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Check out Soup Recipes for more tasty soups or use Thanksgiving Recipes for more ideas for leftover turkey. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was posted in 2010. It was last updated with more information and the option to use cauliflower rice in 2021.
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Keto Short Rib Chili
Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.
There’s a definite chill in the air. Can you feel it? Well, maybe not in some parts of the country, but here in the Pacific Northwest, autumn is on its way, if not already here.
The best part of fall is the comfort food and there is no food more comforting than this short rib chili. Well, maybe my Shrimp and Bacon Chowder. Or perhaps my keto Cream of Mushroom Soup. And my Buffalo Chicken Soup is also pretty darn spectacular.
But this keto chili recipe definitely makes the short list.
Chili is and always has been one of my favorite foods, because even not very good chili is pretty darn comforting when you’re cold and hungry. How can you go wrong with meat cooked slowly in rich spices and a thick tomato broth? You can’t, that’s all. You can’t go wrong.
And the crazy part is that while I make chili all. the. time, I don’t actually have a good keto chili recipe here on All Day I Dream About Food. Until now, that is.
What makes the best keto chili?
Well, what really makes good chili is a matter of opinion and taste. And probably a few feuds as well. Everyone has their own take on the best way to make chili.
In my experience, a slow simmered chili recipe is best, as it allows the flavors to develop and intensify over time. So don’t be fooled by promises of “fast and easy”. Good chili is usually easy to make but it takes time to cook.
Keto chili should be devoid of any higher carb items like beans, though. That goes almost without saying, because beans are high in carbs and many consider them inflammatory. Onion needs to be kept to a minimum as well, since it’s surprisingly high carb.
Tomato sauce, paste, and puree can also send the carb count up if used too liberally. I like to keep my chili to less than 5g total carbs per serving, so I use a single can of diced tomatoes. Fire roasted tomatoes help bring out the best flavor.
But the focus of a good keto chili recipe should always be the meat and the spices. Use beef with a high percentage of fat for a satisfying meal, and be generous with the chili, cumin, and garlic.
Can you make keto chili ahead of time?
I find myself wanting to answer this question with a smart ass comment like “Is the pope Catholic?”. Because chili is perhaps the best make ahead meal on the planet.
It’s one of those dishes that seems to actually get better when it’s eaten the next day or even a few days later. And one of the benefits of keto chili is that there are no beans to get mushy as they sit and soften. So it’s just as good or better than the day you made it.
So go ahead and make a huge pot of this short rib chili. This particular recipe serves 10 people. Let it cool to room temperature and then split it up however you see fit. You can do individual servings, or portion it out for your family size.
The chili can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. We froze our leftovers back in May and I just fed my family the second portion about a month ago!
Because it contains acidic ingredients like tomatoes, I recommend storing in glass containers if you have them. If not, good BPA-Free tupperware works too.
Tips for making Short Rib Chili
Short ribs are ideal for comfort food dishes like this, because they are fatty and rich, and become incredibly tender with slow braising.
Always brown the ribs first: This step adds 10 minutes or so, but it’s worth it. Browning the meat in lard or oil helps bring out the best flavor, before the liquids are added. Otherwise, you are essentially just eating stewed meat. Transfer the ribs to a plate while making the rest of the chili.
Sweat the onions and other veggies: While I do keep the onion to a minimum, it definitely helps add flavor. So add the onion and green pepper to the pot and sauté in the oils and fats with a little bit of salt. This will help them release their juices and flavor.
Add the spices into the hot oil: Before adding any liquids into the pot, you want to briefly sauté the garlic, jalapeño, and spices in the hot oil. This enhances and intensifies the flavor.
Adjust the heat to your liking: My husband and I like our chili pretty spicy but our kids have more tender palates. So we keep the heat at a medium level. I always add the seeds from the jalapeño but you can leave them out if you want less spice. You can also leave out the cayenne. Or you can add more jalapeño and cayenne too.
Now add the liquids and the meat: Once the spices and garlic are fragrant, stir in the diced tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer before adding the meat.
Slow braise in the oven: You’re looking at a good two to three hours of cooking, but this time is completely inactive. You can be doing lots of other things during this time. Slow braising makes the meat from the short ribs fall off the bone and shred more easily.
Doesn’t this keto short rib chili sound like the perfect comfort food?
Check out my Keto Soups & Stews cookbook for more delicious comfort food recipes.

Keto Short Rib Chili
Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: keto chili, keto chili recipe, short rib chili
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 428kcal
Ingredients
- 3 lb bone in short ribs
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup bacon fat, lard, or other high-heat oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 large green pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium jalapeno pepper minced (leave the seeds in for more heat)
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
- ⅓ cup beef bone broth
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300F and season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper.
In a large dutch oven over medium heat, melt the bacon fat or lard. Once hot, add half the short ribs and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and brown the remaining short ribs. Transfer to the plate.
Add the onion and pepper to the pot, sprinkle with salt, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne, and cook another minute, until fragrant.
Stir in the roasted tomatoes and bone broth and bring to a simmer. Add the short ribs back into the pot, cover and transfer to the oven.
Cook 2 to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender. Remove the ribs, shred the meat and return the meat to the pot. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve with your favorite chili toppings.
Nutrition Facts
Keto Short Rib Chili
Amount Per Serving (1 serving = about 1 cup)
Calories 428
Calories from Fat 319
% Daily Value*
Fat 35.4g54%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1.2g5%
Protein 22.6g45%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
- Calories N/A
- Total Fat N/A
- Saturated Fat N/A
- Cholesterol N/A
- Sodium N/A
- Total Carbohydrates N/A
- Protein N/A
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