Chicken À La Pesto: A Keto-Friendly Dish?

Chicken a la pesto is a delicious and easy-to-make meal that can be enjoyed by people following a keto diet. The dish typically includes chicken, pesto, and a variety of other ingredients such as cheese, vegetables, and spices. It can be prepared in different ways, including baking, pressure cooking, and frying, and can be served with low-carb sides such as zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, or a simple side salad.

Chicken a la pesto keto ingredients

Chicken a la pesto is a keto-friendly dish that can be prepared in a variety of ways. Here are the ingredients you will need for some popular variations of the recipe:

Baked Keto Pesto Chicken

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins
• Basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
• Mozzarella cheese (shredded or sliced)
• Kosher salt (optional)
• Black pepper

Keto Pesto Chicken with Feta Cheese and Olives

• Boneless chicken thighs
• Butter or coconut oil
• Red or green pesto
• Heavy whipping cream
• Pitted olives
• Feta cheese
• Garlic cloves
• Leafy greens (optional)

Pesto Chicken & Broccoli

• Chicken breast tenders
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• Avocado oil
• Broccoli
• Grape tomatoes
• Chicken broth or water
• Basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
• Parmesan cheese

Keto Pesto Chicken

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Pesto sauce
• Rice vinegar (sugar-free)
• Monk fruit
• Salt

You can also add your own twist to these recipes by including additional ingredients such as fresh mozzarella, balsamic reduction, shrimp, salmon, or other vegetables of your choice.

Chicken a la pesto keto cooking methods

Chicken a la pesto is a keto-friendly dish that can be cooked in several ways. Here are some cooking methods to prepare this delicious meal:

Oven-Baked Keto Pesto Chicken

This method involves baking the chicken in an oven and is a simple way to prepare a tasty keto pesto chicken. Here are the steps:

• Grease a large casserole dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Place the chicken breasts in the dish and season with salt and pepper.
• Spread basil pesto over the chicken generously.
• Top with sliced or shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted and golden.
• You can broil the dish for a few minutes to brown the cheese, if desired.

Instant Pot Keto Pesto Chicken

If you're short on time, using an Instant Pot is a great option:

• Set your Instant Pot to high saute.
• Add oil and chicken to the pot and cook for about 3 minutes per side until browned.
• Remove the chicken and place a trivet and 1 cup of water or broth in the pot.
• Arrange the chicken in a single layer and top with pesto.
• Secure the lid and cook at high pressure for 6 minutes.
• Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then do a quick release.
• Remove the lid, add tomatoes and cheese, and let it sit until the cheese melts.

Stovetop Keto Pesto Chicken

For a one-pot meal, you can prepare keto pesto chicken on a stovetop:

• Slice chicken tenders into 1-inch pieces and season with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
• Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over high heat.
• Add the chicken to the skillet and sear for 3 minutes on each side without stirring until golden brown.
• Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
• Add chicken broth to the pan and scrape the bottom to remove any fond.
• Add broccoli florets and grape tomatoes (or other vegetables of your choice) to the pan. Cover and steam for about 2 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the chicken and basil pesto until everything is coated.
• Top with shredded parmesan cheese and serve.

Air Fryer Keto Pesto Chicken

Air frying is another option for cooking keto pesto chicken:

• Prepare the chicken by coating it with pesto and topping it with cheese, similar to the oven-baked method.
• Place the chicken in the air fryer basket and cook at 350°F for about 10-12 minutes, or until cooked through.
• Air frying helps achieve a crispy texture on the cheese while keeping the chicken moist and juicy.

These methods provide a range of options to prepare keto pesto chicken, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your time and equipment availability. Enjoy your delicious and keto-friendly meal!

Chicken a la pesto keto cooking times

Chicken a la pesto is a keto-friendly dish that can be prepared in a variety of ways. Here are some cooking instructions and estimated cooking times for a few different recipes:

Baked Keto Pesto Chicken

This recipe involves baking chicken breasts in the oven with pesto and mozzarella cheese. Here are the steps and estimated cooking times:

• Grease a large casserole dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Place the chicken breasts in the dish, spread pesto over them, and top with mozzarella cheese.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
• Optionally, you can broil the dish for a few minutes at the end to brown the cheese.

Keto Pesto Chicken with Marinade

This recipe involves marinating chicken thighs in a mixture of pesto, rice vinegar, and monk fruit, and then baking them in the oven. Here are the steps and estimated cooking times:

• Combine the chicken thighs with the marinade ingredients in a large bowl or ziploc bag and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and place the chicken in an 8 x 12 casserole dish.
• Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pesto Chicken & Broccoli

This recipe involves stir-frying chicken tenders with broccoli and other vegetables and then coating them in pesto. Here are the steps and estimated cooking times:

• Slice the chicken tenders into 1-inch pieces and season them with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
• Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over high heat and sear the chicken for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
• Set the chicken aside and add the broccoli florets and grape tomatoes to the skillet, steaming them for about 2 minutes.
• Return the chicken to the skillet, stir in the pesto until everything is coated, and top with shredded parmesan cheese.

Keto Pesto & Feta Chicken Casserole

This recipe involves frying bite-sized pieces of chicken and then baking them in the oven with a pesto and heavy cream mixture, feta cheese, and olives. Here are the steps and estimated cooking times:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Fry the chicken pieces in butter or coconut oil until golden brown.
• Combine pesto and heavy cream in a bowl.
• Place the fried chicken pieces in a baking dish with the olives, feta cheese, and garlic. Add the pesto/cream mixture.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the dish becomes bubbly and lightly browned around the edges.

Chicken a la pesto keto nutritional information

Chicken a la pesto is a keto-friendly dish, especially when made with chicken thighs, which are considered the best cut of chicken for the keto diet. This is because they are a darker meat with a higher fat content compared to chicken breast.

Chicken a la pesto is a low-carb meal, but it is important to check the nutritional information on the pesto you are using, as some brands contain added sugar. A good option is to use a brand such as Mezzetta, which contains no added sugar and has zero net carbs per serving.

A nutritional breakdown of a creamy keto pesto chicken recipe with sundried tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese is as follows:

• Calories: 303
• Carbohydrates: 5g
• Protein: 11g
• Fat: 27g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 2g

Another recipe for keto pesto chicken provides the following nutritional information:

• Calories: 407.9
• Carbohydrates: 2.2g
• Protein: 49.2g
• Fat: 21.2g
• Saturated Fat: 9.1g
• Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.1g
• Monounsaturated Fat: 5g
• Trans Fat: 0.02g
• Cholesterol: 154.6mg
• Sodium: 948.7mg
• Potassium: 674.2mg
• Fiber: 0.2g
• Sugar: 0.9g
• Vitamin A: 661.8IU
• Vitamin C: 2mg
• Calcium: 313.7mg
• Iron: 1mg

Chicken a la pesto keto serving suggestions

Chicken a la pesto is a keto-friendly dish, especially when using boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which have a higher fat content than chicken breasts.

There are several ways to serve chicken a la pesto while keeping it keto. Here are some suggestions:

Oven-Baked Keto Pesto Chicken

This recipe is simple and can be prepared in just 5 minutes. It requires only a few basic ingredients: chicken breasts or tenderloins, basil pesto, mozzarella cheese, salt, and pepper. The chicken is baked in the oven with pesto and cheese, resulting in a delicious and flavourful dish.

Keto Pesto Chicken with Marinade

This recipe involves marinating chicken thighs in a mixture of pesto, rice vinegar, monk fruit, and salt. The chicken is then baked in the oven, resulting in juicy and flavourful meat. This dish is best served with keto-friendly sides such as roasted vegetables or cauliflower rice.

Pesto Chicken & Broccoli

This one-pot recipe is quick, easy, and can be customised with various ingredients. It includes chicken breast tenders, black pepper, garlic powder, avocado oil, broccoli, grape tomatoes, chicken broth, basil pesto, and shredded parmesan. The dish is cooked in a skillet, resulting in a healthy and filling meal.

Keto Pesto Chicken Casserole

This recipe is a great option for an easy weeknight meal. It includes chicken breasts, pesto, mozzarella cheese, salt, and pepper. The chicken is baked in a casserole dish with pesto and cheese, creating a tasty and convenient keto option.

Sides and Customisations

When serving keto pesto chicken, it is best paired with keto-friendly sides. Some options include roasted vegetables, cauliflower rice, keto pasta substitutes such as hearts of palm noodles, keto mashed cauliflower, or a green salad.

Additionally, you can customise your pesto chicken by using different types of pesto, such as sundried tomato, kale, spinach, or almond pesto. You can also add extra ingredients like fresh sliced tomatoes, heavy cream, cream cheese, or cooked vegetables such as broccoli florets, cauliflower, or caramelised onions.

Frequently asked questions