Creamy and Cheesy Chicken Soup

I've been on the keto diet for about a week now. Without getting into too many specifics, I basically can't have more than 20 grams of carbs per day. This has forced me to check the nutrition label on literally everything I come across in the grocery store and in my pantry and fridge. I never realized that carbs were in so many things that I used to eat on a regular basis!

Being aware of nutrition labels for the past week has really put things into perspective for me. I now take whatever I put into my body more seriously and I have already dropped a couple of pounds within only one week! But this is definitely not to say that being on keto is easy- it's not, but it's also not the hardest thing in the world. I've discovered lots of new and satisfying recipes and alternatives to things I'd eat on the daily or put in my food, and this soup recipe is one of them!

Creamy and Cheesy Chicken Soup

CREAMY AND CHEESY CHICKEN SOUP
Yields: 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS:
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- 3 cups of cooked shredded chicken
- 8 ounces of cream cheese (1 package)
- 32 ounces of chicken broth (1 carton)
- 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
- salt
- pepper
- Italian seasoning
- garlic powder
- paprika
- cheddar cheese
- avocado slices, optional

TO MAKE:
1. Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add in the shredded chicken and coat the chicken with the melted butter.
2. After the chicken is warmed through and coated with butter, add in the cream cheese. Melt down the cream cheese and make sure it's mixed together nicely with the chicken. Add this point, add about a teaspoon of each seasoning and mix well.
3. Add in the broth and heavy cream and give everything a nice stir. Bring the soup to a boil, then let it simmer for about 10 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. 
4. Before serving, add in 2 big handfuls of shredded cheddar cheese and stir it into the soup, making sure it melts. 
5. Serve hot with extra cheese and avocado slices on top. Enjoy!