Spicy Keto Thai Chicken Soup
Published June 20, 2020 • Updated March 3, 2026
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I started making this keto Thai chicken soup for camping trips and now it's how I make it at home too. Steam the chicken and vegetables in a foil packet, pour it all into a coconut milk bone broth, and you have a full bowl in about 15 minutes.
I came up with this method on a camping trip a few years ago. I needed something hot, filling, and easy to clean up, so I threw diced chicken thighs and vegetables into a foil packet and grilled it. When I poured the steamed contents into coconut milk broth, the flavor was better than anything I’d made on the stovetop. The enclosed steam keeps the chicken thighs tender and juicy in a way that simmering in a pot just doesn’t.
Now I make it this way every time, even at home. The foil packet does all the heavy work. You get perfectly cooked chicken, wilted spinach, and softened zucchini without a single pot to scrub afterward. If you like Thai-inspired keto meals, try my Thai chicken salad for a cold version of that same flavor profile.
For the broth, I use Power Provisions Coconut Milk Thai Bone Broth Soup. I’ve tested it against making my own with 1/2 cup coconut milk and 1/2 cup chicken bone broth, and both work. The Power Provisions packet is just faster and the seasoning is already dialed in. Either way, the broth comes together while the foil packet cooks, so everything finishes at the same time.
The heat level is real. Thai chilies and chili garlic sauce inside a sealed foil packet concentrate the spice more than you’d expect. I like it that way, but if you’re sensitive to heat, start with one chili instead of two or three. You can always add red pepper flakes at the table.
This is one of the few low carb soups I make that works just as well outdoors as it does in my kitchen. The foil packets travel well in a cooler, the broth heats up in a small pot over any heat source, and cleanup is basically crumpling up foil. If you’re into grilling chicken, my keto grilled chicken tenders use a similar high-heat approach. And if you want another bowl-style meal, the keto ramen scratches that same itch on cold nights.
For garnishes, I squeeze a lime wedge over the top and throw on some fresh cilantro. Chopped peanuts add a nice crunch if you have the carb room. A few thin slices of Thai chili on top look great and add one more layer of heat.
One thing I want to mention: if you’ve never tried foil packet cooking, don’t press the foil down tight onto the food. Leave a gap inside for steam to circulate. That air pocket is what cooks everything evenly. Fold the top and sides snugly but loosely. My buffalo chicken stuffed avocados are another good option when you want bold flavor without a complicated method.
Ingredients
1/3 cup caulifower rice -
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced
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salt & pepper
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1 cup baby spinach leaves
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1/2 cup zucchini sliced into half moon shapes
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1/4 cup carrots, julienned
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2-3 thai chile peppers or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
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1 package Power Provisions Coconut Milk Thai Bone Broth Soup
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or substitute with 1/2 cup coconut milk and 1/2 cup chicken broth
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat grill
Preheat grill to high (about 400 to 500 degrees). If using an oven, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Lay down foil
To a double-lined sheet of foil, lay down cauliflower rice into the center. Add diced chicken thighs on top and season with salt and pepper.
Fold the pack
Bring the long edges of the foil to meet at the center and fold a crease together at the top and roll down, but do not press the foil all the way down onto the food. Leave a gap inside the foil for air to circulate around the food. Fold in the sides to the top.
Grill
Grill over direct high heat or bake at 400 degrees until chicken is no longer pink and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Make soup
While the chicken foil packet is cooking, prepare the Power Provisions coconut milk soup according to package directions. You can substitute 1/2 cup of coconut milk and 1/2 cup chicken bone broth if desired.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Does this work on a campfire, or does it need a grill?
I've made it both ways. A campfire works fine as long as you have a grate to set the foil packet on. The heat is less consistent than a grill, so I give it a few extra minutes and check the chicken before pulling it off. One of my readers pulled his packet at 12 minutes on a hot grill and the thighs were already falling apart, so the 15-minute mark has some buffer built in. For the broth, I just heat it in a small pot next to the fire. This is genuinely one of my favorite keto camping meals.
Can I make the foil packets ahead and cook them at camp?
I do this every time I go camping. I assemble the foil packets at home with the diced chicken, cauliflower rice, vegetables, and chili garlic sauce, then keep them in the cooler until I'm ready to cook. They hold up fine for 1-2 days. I pack the broth packets separately and heat the broth on-site while the foil packets grill. Cuts my camp cooking time down to basically just waiting.
What can I use instead of the Power Provisions soup packet?
I tested making my own with 1/2 cup coconut milk and 1/2 cup chicken bone broth, and that's my go-to when I don't have the packets on hand. You'll want to add some fish sauce, a squeeze of lime, and a pinch of ginger to get closer to that Thai flavor. It's a little more work but the result is solid. I keep the Power Provisions packets stocked because the seasoning is already done, but the DIY version is what I reach for when I run out.
Can I freeze the broth without the chicken and vegetables?
I freeze the coconut milk broth by itself all the time. It holds up well for about 3 months in a freezer-safe container. I don't freeze it with the vegetables because the spinach and zucchini get mushy after thawing. When I want to meal prep, I'll make a big batch of the broth, freeze it in portions, then assemble fresh foil packets the day I want to eat. Thaw the broth overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove.
What garnishes work well on top?
My usual finish is a lime wedge squeezed over the top and a handful of fresh cilantro. I also like chopped peanuts for crunch when I have the carb budget. Thinly sliced Thai chilies on top look great and add more heat. A drizzle of sesame oil is another option I reach for sometimes. If you like that garnish style, my sesame chicken salad uses a similar finish.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
I've made it with breast and it works, but you have to watch the timing more closely. Thighs stay juicy in the foil packet because the steam and the fat content protect them. Breast can dry out if you go past 15 minutes. I pull breast packets at 12-13 minutes and check with a thermometer. If you like working with chicken breast, my bacon wrapped chicken tenders are another way I keep lean cuts moist.
How do I tone down the heat?
I love the heat level as written, but my husband doesn't. When I make it for both of us, I skip the Thai chilies in his packet and only use 1 teaspoon of chili garlic sauce instead of 2. The coconut milk broth mellows things out naturally, so even the regular version isn't as aggressive as it sounds. You can always add red pepper flakes at the table if you want more.
Can I make this entirely on the stovetop?
I've done it on the stovetop when I didn't want to fire up the grill. Dice the chicken, sear it in a pan until cooked through, then add the vegetables and let them soften for a few minutes. Pour in the broth and simmer for 5 minutes. It works, but I'll be honest, the flavor isn't quite the same. The foil packet concentrates the chili garlic sauce and steams everything together in a way that a pan can't replicate. If you want a soup you can do entirely on the stove, my keto bread bowl is built for that.
You can have all the delicious flavors of homemade soup at your fingertips while you’re camping. I steam the chicken and vegetables in a foil packet on the grill, campfire, or oven, then add everything to Power Provisions Thai Coconut Milk Bone Broth – it’s flavored with ginger, garlic, cilantro, and green onion.
This works just as well at home when you want a fast, warming meal.
I partnered with 
If you don’t have access to Power Provisions soups, substitute 1/2 cup of full-fat coconut milk and 1/2 cup 
Now that summer is finally here and camping season is underway, I figured I should share a solid camping recipe. To make a foil packet, pile all the ingredients into a double lined sheet of foil (or use heavy duty aluminum foil), wrap them up, and place on hot coals in the campfire or on a grill. Don’t place the packets directly on flames or you’ll burn your food!
The nice thing about foil packets is that they’re easy to assemble and require almost no pots or pans. Everything goes into a sheet of aluminum foil and cooks on the grill or in the oven.
You can prep the spicy chicken and vegetables ahead of time, which makes meal prep easy – especially for a camping trip. Assemble your foil packet ahead of time and place in a Ziploc bag, or just put all the ingredients in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator or cooler until ready to cook.
The Thai coconut bone broth soup is ready to prepare as well. Power Provisions soups are ready-to-cook and come in a convenient to-go cup that only takes about a cup of hot water.
If you're subbing coconut milk and chicken broth for the bone broth packet, throw an extra teaspoon of chili garlic sauce in the foil before sealing. Steam concentrates everything but you lose depth without bone broth, and that extra hit brings it back. Made this four times. Batch two almost put me off before I figured it out.
I've never done the foil packet method before and was pretty sure I'd mess it up, but the chicken came out so tender it basically fell apart into the broth. Made this on a Tuesday because I needed something fast, and it really was ready in 15 minutes. My husband walked in, looked at the bowl, called it "a science experiment," and then ate the whole thing without another word. The coconut milk broth got him, I think. He was lifting the bowl to drink the last of it, which he never does. I subbed red pepper flakes for the Thai chiles because I couldn't find them, still had plenty of kick. Already hunting for the actual chiles so I can try it right.
Thai food was the hardest thing to give up going keto and this soup genuinely gave it back to me. The coconut milk broth with the thai chiles is so close to what I used to order that I texted my sister the link before I even finished the bowl.
Texting mid-bowl is the right call. The coconut milk broth with the thai chiles is the part I keep coming back to. Squeeze a lime wedge over the top if you haven't yet, it's the thing that makes it taste most like the real version.
My husband has basically no spice tolerance, so I've been hunting for Thai-inspired keto soups we can actually eat together. This one looks perfect, except I know the thai chiles plus the chili garlic sauce would put him off completely. If I skip the chiles but keep some of the chili garlic sauce, will it still taste Thai? Or is the heat actually doing something to the flavor beyond just being hot? I've killed a few recipes by cutting all the spice and ending up with something flat and muddy, which would be a waste when that coconut milk bone broth base sounds so good. I just want to know what I can actually cut without losing the whole point of the soup.
Skip the chiles, keep 1 teaspoon of chili garlic sauce instead of 2. The sauce is more garlic than heat anyway, and that's what makes it taste Thai. I make it this way for my husband too.
Used to get Thai coconut soup from this tiny spot near my old office every winter. Went keto and figured that was gone forever. Made this last week and the coconut broth with the chili garlic sauce hit exactly like I remembered. Honestly got a little teary.
The chili garlic sauce is what took this from ok to actually right. Worth getting a little teary over.
First time making a foil packet soup and I went in nervous about whether the cauliflower rice would hold up in the steam. It does, and the chili garlic sauce hit so much harder in that enclosed packet than I expected. I used the Power Provisions broth, pulled it off the grill at about 12 minutes since my grill runs hot, and the chicken thighs were already falling apart tender. Now I need to know: does this translate to a campfire setup, or does it need the consistent heat of a grill? We have a trip planned for March and this is going on the menu.
Campfire works. I actually made this for camping before I ever tried it on the grill. You need a grate over the coals so the packet isn't sitting directly in the flames. Heat is less consistent out there, so since your grill pulls it at 12 minutes, I'd plan on 15-16 over a fire and check the chicken before you pour the broth in.
4th time making this. love the foil pack method, makes cleanup stupid easy and chicken stays juicy
The foil pack is the move. I started doing it for camping trips and now that's how I make it at home too. Faster cleanup and no dried-on chicken bits to scrub.