Keto And Chicken: Is Roasted Chicken Keto-Friendly?

Chicken is a great source of protein and can be cooked in a variety of ways. Roasted chicken is a classic dish that is easy to make and can be a crowd-pleaser. But is roasted chicken keto-friendly? The answer is yes! Roasted chicken is an excellent option for those on a keto diet as it has a higher fat content, especially dark meat chicken. However, both dark and white meat can fit well into a keto diet.

There are many recipes available for keto-friendly roasted chicken, such as Keto Peruvian Roasted Chicken, Keto Roast Chicken in Garlic Butter, and Perfect Roast Chicken. These recipes usually involve marinating the chicken with various spices, herbs, and citrus juices, and then roasting it in the oven. Some recipes also include making a green sauce or gravy to go with the chicken.

So, if you're on a keto diet, you can definitely enjoy a delicious roasted chicken dish!

Keto roast chicken in garlic butter

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs whole chicken, a whole bird
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Butter
• Chicken broth
• Dried herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, and parsley)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper, both inside and out.
• Place the chicken breast up in a baking dish.
• Combine the garlic and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. The butter should melt but not brown.
• Let the butter cool for a couple of minutes.
• Pour the garlic butter over and inside the chicken.
• Bake on the lower oven rack for 1-1 ½ hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 180°F (82°C). Baste with the juices from the bottom of the pan every 20 minutes.
• Serve with the juices and a side dish of your choice.

Tips:

• If you don't have a meat thermometer, poke a skewer between the thigh and breast—the juices should run clear, not pink.
• For extra juicy chicken, you can brine it beforehand.
• For a lemony flavor, add lemon juice and/or lemon zest to the sauce.
• If you don't have a roasting pan, arrange the chicken on top of a hearty vegetable (e.g. Brussels sprouts or onion) for roasting.

How to make a juicy roast chicken

Ingredients

• 1 x 4-5 lb whole chicken
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil or butter
• Fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, tarragon, parsley)
• 1 lemon, cut into quarters
• 1 onion, cut into quarters
• 1 head of garlic, cut in half
• Root vegetables (optional)

Method

• Preheat the oven to 425-450°F and place a rack in the lower third of the oven.
• Remove the giblets from the chicken and pat the chicken dry inside and out with paper towels.
• Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper, inside and out.
• Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the lemon, onion, garlic, and herbs.
• Truss the chicken and place it on a roasting rack over a pan. If you don't have a roasting rack, you can place the chicken on top of root vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, onion, radishes, or turnips.
• Baste the chicken with butter or oil.
• Roast the chicken for 1-1.5 hours, or until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Baste the chicken occasionally during cooking.
• Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Tips

• To ensure crispy skin, do not cover the chicken while roasting.
• To speed up cooking time, skip stuffing the bird so that hot air can circulate more easily.
• Let the chicken come to room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting to ensure even cooking.
• Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken.

The best keto sides to serve with roast chicken

Chicken is a great option for a keto diet, especially with its higher fat content. Here are some delicious keto-friendly side dishes to serve with roast chicken:

Keto-friendly vegetables

Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots are some great keto-friendly vegetables that can be roasted or steamed. You can also make mashed cauliflower as a low-carb alternative to mashed potatoes. Try adding butter, cream cheese, or shredded mozzarella to your mashed cauliflower for extra flavour.

Keto "Mac" & Cheese

For a comforting side dish, try making a keto-friendly mac and cheese with cauliflower instead of pasta.

Keto Biscuits

For a Southern-style side, make some keto biscuits with bacon and cheese. Serve these with keto gravy for extra flavour.

Keto "Fries"

Try making low-carb "fries" with avocados or carrots. These can be made in the oven or air fryer for a crispy texture.

Keto Coleslaw

A bag of pre-made coleslaw from the grocery store is a crunchy and extremely low-carb option to serve as a side.

Keto Green Beans

Green beans are another great keto-friendly vegetable. Try making them cheesy or serving them with bacon for extra flavour.

Keto Mushrooms

Sauteed or roasted mushrooms are another tasty side option. You can also make garlic butter mushrooms for a more elegant dish.

Keto Salads

A fresh salad is always a great option for a keto side. Try a keto Caesar salad or a Mexican-style salad with avocado.

Keto Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash is a perfect low-carb alternative to pasta. It can be cooked in the oven or microwave and served as a side to any low-carb chicken recipe.

These sides will surely impress your friends and family and keep your meal keto-friendly!

How to prep a roast chicken

Step 1: Prepare your chicken and roasting pan

Firstly, you'll need to decide whether to spatchcock (or butterfly) your chicken, which will reduce cooking time and deliver a crisp-skinned chicken in under 45 minutes. To do this, use a pair of kitchen shears or a very sharp knife to cut along one side of the chicken's backbone. Open up the bird so it lies flat, then cut along the other side of the backbone to remove it entirely. Alternatively, you can splay the chicken by cutting the skin along the thigh on each side, where the legs connect to the body, and splaying the thighs out flat.

If you'd rather not cut into your chicken, you can truss it by tying the chicken's legs together at the ankles with kitchen twine, and then using another piece of twine to tie the wings to the breast. This will keep the white meat moist and give the chicken a nice, compact shape.

Place your chicken in a roasting pan with a rack, or use a rimmed sheet pan or oven-proof skillet (like cast-iron). If you don't have a rack, you can use vegetables like carrots, celery, or sliced onion to prop the chicken up.

Step 2: Season your chicken

Take your chicken and pat it dry with paper towels, ensuring it is dry inside and out. This will help the skin to crisp up. You can then choose to brine your chicken, either by dry brining or wet brining. For a dry brine, rub the chicken with a mixture of salt, pepper, grated garlic, grated lemon or citrus zest, and herbs. For a wet brine, submerge the chicken in a basic salt-and-aromatic solution. Leave the brined chicken uncovered in the fridge for at least an hour, or up to 24 hours for maximum crispiness.

Step 3: Add aromatics to the chicken cavity

For extra flavour, you can stuff the chicken cavity with whole sprigs of herbs, smashed and peeled garlic cloves, quartered onions, halved and squeezed-out lemon, or a combination of these aromatics.

Step 4: Burnish the chicken with fat

Although you don't need to add fat to a roast chicken, doing so will help to brown the skin. You can drizzle olive oil or brush melted butter over the chicken, or stuff the skin with compound butter made with herbs. Use your fingers to gently loosen the skin from the breast and smear butter between the meat and the skin.

Step 5: Glaze the chicken (optional)

For extra flavour, colour, and shine, you can glaze the chicken during the last 10-20 minutes of cooking. Mix a combination of sugar with an intense condiment or seasoning, such as honey, lemon, and soy sauce; maple syrup, hot sauce, and black pepper; or brown sugar, lime juice, and mustard. Brush this mixture onto the chicken and watch carefully so it doesn't burn—if it does, cover the chicken with foil to finish cooking.

Step 6: Roast the chicken

Preheat your oven to between 375 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit for a faster cooking time and crispier skin, or go low and slow at 300 to 350 degrees for a more tender bird. Place the chicken in the oven and roast for at least an hour, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don't have a thermometer, pierce the thigh with a knife—if the juices run clear, the chicken is cooked.

Step 7: Rest and carve the chicken

Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. To carve, start by removing the legs, then cut through the joints that connect the drumsticks to the thighs. Next, cut the wings off, then slice along the breastbone to remove the breasts. Finally, turn the chicken over and find the "oysters", the small knobs of meat next to the backbone.

How to carve a chicken

Roasted chicken is a great meal option for those on a keto diet. Here is a detailed guide on how to carve a chicken:

Firstly, gather your tools. You will need a carving knife or a sharp chef's knife, a set of tongs or a carving fork, a platter, and some aluminium foil.

Now, get set up. Place the chicken breast-side up on a cutting board and let it sit for 15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute within the meat. If there are any excess juices in the chicken cavity, tilt it slightly over the roasting pan to empty them out. You can save these juices for making gravy!

Next, you'll want to remove the legs and thighs. Pull the leg away from the body of the chicken and cut through the skin and down through the joint at the base of the thigh. Repeat on the other side, then place the legs/thighs on a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.

Now, separate the drumsticks from the thighs. Place the thigh skin-side up on the cutting board and cut the leg off at the joint. You may need to use your hands to find the joint by tugging the leg slightly. Repeat with the other thigh.

Time for the breast meat. Loosen the base of the breast by making a long, horizontal cut above the wing on the left breast, continuing until you reach the point where the leg used to meet the breast. Then, with your fork in the right breast, make a deep vertical cut down the breastbone of the left breast. Finish by cutting in an angled, downward motion underneath the breast, releasing it from the carcass.

You can now slice each breast half into diagonal slices, taking care to keep the crispy skin intact.

Finally, remove the wings. Pull the wing away from the body and cut through the joint. You can also remove the wing tips by cutting through the joint between the drumette and the tip. Place the wings on the platter with the rest of the carved chicken.

And there you have it! You've successfully carved a chicken. Enjoy your meal!

Frequently asked questions