Read on to discover many great ketogenic chicken recipes.
Keto Chicken Recipes
When you eat chicken on a keto diet, you definitely want to keep the skin and go for the darker meats. Boneless skinless chicken breast is not naturally keto; however, you can make it keto by adding a high fat sauce to it. You can also check out the Lectin Avoidance Diet Cookbook to find a wide variety of foods that make eating for people with food sensitivities or just trying to be the healthiest versions of themselves incredibly easy and satisfying.
1) Roasted Chicken with Herb & Mustard Cream Sauce
4 chicken breasts on the bone, skin on
Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Handful fresh sage leaves
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
6 whole garlic cloves
Juice of 1 lemon
For the sauce:
½ cup white wine
½ cup canned, full fat coconut milk
½ cup unsweetened plain almond milk
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 heaped teaspoons whole grain mustard
Spritz of lemon juice
Himalayan salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Season the chicken generously. In a large pan, brown the chicken breasts in a splash of olive oil or coconut oil. Add the herbs and garlic and allow to fry for another minute. Transfer the chicken and herbs to a baking dish and drizzle with the lemon juice. Place in the oven and allow to roast for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through but still juicy. To make the sauce, deglaze the pan you cooked the chicken in with the wine (or alternatively, chicken stock or water). Add the almond milk, coconut milk, bay leaf, thyme, and mustard and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly reduced. Season with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve the sauce with the roasted chicken breasts. Serves 4.
2) German-Inspired Chicken (Schnitzel)
1 cup ground almonds or almond meal
2 lemons
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 chicken breast fillets
1 Tbsp arrowroot
1 egg, beaten
In a bowl, combine almonds, the zest of one lemon, and parsley. Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally, to make it thin. Flatten out between 2 pieces of parchment paper using a meat mallet or rolling pin until thin. Coat chicken breast in the arrowroot, and then dip each piece into the egg, followed by the almond meal. Using a little olive oil or coconut oil, cook the schnitzel in a pan over low-to-medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until lightly golden. Serve with a squeeze of lemon. Makes 4 servings. Serve with cauliflower mash and green beans with dill.
3) Five Spice Chicken with Creamy Sauce
1 lb boneless chicken thighs
½ tsp Himalayan salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp adobo seasoning
½ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp ground mustard
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk
¼ cup mashed avocado
¼ cup almond milk
Rinse chicken and pat dry. Combine the salt and spices in a small bowl. Sprinkle the resulting seasoning onto both sides of all the chicken pieces, rubbing it into the meat. Place the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken. Cook for about 3-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Then reduce heat to medium-low and add the mashed avocado, coconut milk, and almond milk Stir to combine and coat the chicken in the cream mixture. Let the sauce thicken for about 3 minutes. Plate the chicken and pour the sauce over top. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serves 4.
4) Street-Eats Chicken Tikka Masala
3 tablespoons coconut oil (divided)
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
½ cup unsweetened plain almond milk
½ cup canned coconut milk
2 teaspoons paprika
A small pinch or drizzle of stevia
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook and stir just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, ginger, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and turmeric into the onion mixture; fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir tomato sauce into the onion and spice mixture, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low. Simmer sauce for 10 minutes, then mix in almond milk, coconut milk, paprika, and a small pinch or drizzle of stevia. Bring sauce back to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until sauce is thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp coconut oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Stir chicken into the hot oil, sprinkle with curry powder, and sear chicken until lightly browned but still pink inside, about 3 minutes; turn often. Transfer chicken and any pan juices into the sauce. Simmer chicken in sauce until no longer pink, about 30 minutes; adjust salt and sweetness to taste. Serves 6.
5) Greek Chicken with Yogurt Sauce
For the chicken:
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Himalayan Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless breasts, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
For the yogurt sauce:
1 cup plain coconut milk yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini
1 Tbsp lemon juice (from half a lemon)
Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
First, make the marinade: In a medium bowl, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, and spices. Gradually whisk in the olive oil. Set aside 1/4 cup of the marinade to use for serving. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl with the remaining marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the tahini and yogurt together until smooth. Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Either thread chicken pieces on metal skewers and grill outdoors, or use a grill pan: Set a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat and heat until a drop of water sizzles on it. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil to the grill pan and swirl to coat. Arrange chicken pieces on the hot pan and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until seared on the outside and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Transfer the cooked chicken to a platter with the yogurt sauce on the side. Serve with an arugula salad with cherry tomatoes, red onion, and cucumbers. Serves 4.
6) Chinese Chicken Salad
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced into strips
Himalayan Salt
1 Tbsp dark sesame oil
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3-4 green onions, sliced
1 carrot, cut in matchsticks
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
Dressing:
1 Tbsp coconut aminos
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
A few drops of liquid stevia
1 Tbsp dark sesame oil
¼ cup MCT oil
In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Set aside. In a large sauté pan over high heat, add both oils. In the meantime, make sure the chicken strips are patted dry and sprinkled lightly with salt. Arrange them in the hot pan. Stir-fry the chicken over high heat until cooked through, about 3-6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. In a large bowl, toss the chicken and salad ingredients together. Toss with dressing just before serving. Serves 4-6.
7) Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken
1 cup chicken broth
¼ cup dry white wine
Juice of one lemon
2 cups full-fat coconut milk
2 Tbsp macadamia nut oil
¾ teaspoons Himalayan salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
3 or 4 chicken breasts, pounded thin for even cooking
¼ cup coconut flour (for dredging the chicken)
Himalayan salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced to ¼” thickness
2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp fresh basil, more if desired
Optional: toasted pine nuts to be added at serving
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, heat chicken broth and white wine over medium-high heat. Boil until reduced by one third, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add lemon juice and coconut milk. Heat to a slow simmer and then add macadamia oil, one tablespoon at a time. Lower heat a bit more and continue cooking at a very low simmer, whisking occasionally while making the chicken and tomatoes.
Combine coconut flour with salt and pepper to taste. After chicken has been pounded to an even thickness, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12″ skillet on medium-high heat. Lightly dredge chicken in the flour mixture, shaking extra flour off before placing chicken in a pan. Heat chicken over medium-high heat until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Place chicken on an oven-safe plate, cover with foil, and place in oven to keep warm. In the same pan you cooked the chicken (do not wash out the pan), add the last tablespoon of oil and lower heat to medium. Add the tomatoes in a single layer, adding salt and pepper as desired. Let cook until tomatoes start to disintegrate and caramelize, about 4 minutes. Stir tomatoes and add garlic cloves. Continue to cook, stirring only occasionally. The tomato mixture will stick to the pan a little. Turn heat to low while you finish preparing chicken and sauce.
Remove chicken from oven and slice on diagonal, about 1″ thick slices. Add chicken to the skillet and lightly toss with tomatoes. Add the ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper to the cream sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken and lightly stir all ingredients together. Sprinkle with fresh basil. Plate, and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts. Enjoy! Serves 4.
8) Chicken with Marsala Cream Sauce
6 chicken breasts
3 Tbsp coconut flour
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp macadamia nut oil
¾ cup dry Marsala
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¾ cup full-fat coconut milk
Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Lemon wedges and chopped fresh Italian parsley, to garnish
Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a rolling pin to flatten and stretch. Cut each breast in half or into quarters, cutting away and discarding any sinew. Spread out the coconut flour in a shallow bowl. Season well and coat the meat. Heat the oils in a large saucepan or frying pan until sizzling. Arrange chicken pieces in the pan and saute over medium heat for about 3 minutes per side –until crispy and tender. Transfer into a dish and cover to keep warm. Once all the chicken has been cooked and removed from the pan, lower the heat. Mix the Marsala and lemon juice in a bowl. Add to the pan and raise the heat– bringing to a boil. Whisk and incorporate the chicken bits left in the pan, and then add the coconut milk. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce is reduced and glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning. Spread the sauce over the chicken, plate, and then garnish with lemon wedges and parsley. Goes well with steamed or sauteed green beans. Serves 6.
9) Grilled Bacon, Avocado, & Basil Stuffed Chicken
4 Chicken breasts
Himalayan salt & freshly ground black pepper
12 slices bacon
1 avocado, cut in 8 slices
Big handful fresh basil, sliced
Butcher’s twine
Olive oil
Prepare grill for medium indirect heat. Flatten chicken breasts with a mallet or rolling pin between two sheets of baking paper or plastic wrap. Then season with salt & pepper. Layer 3 slices of bacon on one side of each breast, then cover half of each breast with 2 avocado slices and top with basil. Tightly roll each breast from the stuffing end and tie with twine so that you have four rolled chicken breasts. Brush the rolled breasts lightly with olive oil and sear each side over direct heat on the grill for 2 minutes per side, a total of 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, transfer the rolled chicken breasts to the indirect side of the grill, and replace the lid. Cook for an additional 20 minutes, turning once, until chicken is cooked through and the center has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Serves 4.
10) Almond-Crusted Chicken Strips
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup almond meal
1 Tbsp paprika
1⁄2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Slice chicken breasts into long strips, 1-2 inches wide.
Mix together almond meal, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper. Dredge each piece of chicken in egg and then coat with the almond mixture. Place pieces on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Serves 4.
