Creamy Keto Pesto Chicken with sundried tomatoes, olives and feta cheese. My absolute favorite one pot meal that is super quick and easy to throw together with only 4g net carbs per serving.
Serve this delicious cheesy pesto chicken recipe over low carb pasta, cauliflower rice, or zucchini noodles. This is one of those simple recipes you can make every week or save and add to your meals during the week.
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Why you'll love this recipe?
- It's keto, low carb, gluten free and sugar free so it's great for people with diabetes or anyone watching their carb intake.
- Kids love this recipe and they even enjoy helping to make it.
- Easy to make in 30 minutes or less.
- Make ahead and save it for lunches and dinners throughout the week.
- Goes great served with vegetables, keto pasta and even served on top of a salad.
- Only 4g net carbs per serving.
Ingredients used to make this easy keto pesto chicken
Made with ingredients that will add lots of flavors but still keep it low carb so you can enjoy a tasty meal without the guilt.
- Chicken: you can use skinless chicken thighs or skinless chicken breasts, whichever you prefer will work for this recipe.
- Pesto: keeping it simple and easy, we use a good quality store bought fresh basil pesto sauce for this recipe, no need to spend time making homemade pesto.
- Cream Cheese: making it rich and creamy cheesy pesto with some cream cheese.
- Olive oil, parmesan, salt and pepper
Optional Ingredients
These ingredients are all optional but they do add a lot of flavors and are the true stars of this recipe.
- Feta Cheese: for that tangy, rich and slightly salty flavor makes this recipe over the top delicious.
- Sundried Tomatoes: for that sweet and tart flavor that is much more intense than a regular tomato, so a little goes a long way.
- Black Olives: we used sliced black olives to add a mild salty flavor and some texture to the recipe.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Steps by step instructions
How to make this easy keto pesto chicken recipe?
STEP 1: Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Warm up the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Then add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook until browned. Depending on your stovetop you may need to adjust the heat.
STEP 2: Once the chicken is browned create a well in the centre of the skillet and add the cream cheese. Surround the cream cheese with the browned chicken to help it get warm and melty. Once it's softened, mix it with the chicken until everything is coated.
STEP 3: Add the sundried tomatoes, black olives and feta cheese. Give it a mix, just until everything is warmed through.
- STEP 4: Next add the pesto and give it one last mix to warm through. You do not have to cook the pesto. Just a quick stir is all that's needed to make sure the pesto is well combined with the other ingredients.
STEP 5: Transfer to a separate bowl for serving or top it over some low carb pasta, cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles. We used Kaizen Foods Keto Pasta, here is some keto and low carb pasta available on amazon. Top it with some freshly grated parmesan.
Recipe tips and variations
Pro Tips:
Intense Flavors: don't be afraid to add in some oil from the pesto jar or sundried tomato jar to add more intense flavors to this recipe.
Saucier: I'm not a big fan of too much sauce but if you want this to be saucier, add more of the pesto sauce or ½ cup of heavy cream at the same time as you add the cream cheese.
- Serving: serve with vegetables, low carb pasta, cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles or on top of a salad.
- Storage: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Meal Prep: store in individual portions and save for lunches or weeknight dinners.
Variations:
This low carb chicken pesto recipe is super flavorful and great for a weeknight meal. Here are some different variations on how to make it or variations on some of the ingredients.
Pesto Chicken Casserole: make this recipe as a casserole by placing all the ingredients in a baking dish with the cream cheese in the center. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes and then stir the ingredients with the warmed cream cheese and bake for another 20 minutes at 400°F or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from oven and top with grated parmesan and serve. Can also be made in the instant pot.
Cheese: if you are not a fan of feta cheese, swap it with some goat cheese or shredded mozzarella.
Vegetables: add more veggies to this recipe like bite-sized pieces of cauliflower or broccoli or sliced peppers.
Spicy: turn up the heat on this keto recipe and add some red pepper flakes to give it a warm spicy flavor.
This recipe is not dairy free but you can limit the amount of dairy by reducing the cream cheese by half and swapping the feta and parmesan with vegan cheese.
Frequently asked questions
Traditionally a basil pesto sauce is made with fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, salt and parmesan.
This creamy keto pesto chicken recipe contains 4g net carbs per serving. This does not include what you serve with the chicken.
Recipe Card
Creamy Keto Pesto Chicken
Instructional Recipe Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 oz cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped sundried tomato optional
- 2 tablespoon sliced black olives optional
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese optional
- ½ cup basil pesto sauce
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- Brown the chicken with the olive oil and salt and pepper in a skillet over medium heat.4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, 2 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- add the cream cheese and surround it with the browned chicken to soften. Then mix it in to coat the chicken.1 oz cream cheese
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix through until warm, remove from the heat and top with grated parmesan. Serve with vegetables, on top of low carb pasta, cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles. (See recipe video)1 tablespoon chopped sundried tomato, 2 tablespoon sliced black olives, ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese, ½ cup basil pesto sauce, ¼ cup grated parmesan
Notes
Pro Tips:
Intense Flavors: don't be afraid to add in some oil from the pesto jar or sundried tomato jar to add more intense flavors to this recipe. Saucier: I'm not a big fan of too much sauce but if you want this to be saucier, add more of the pesto sauce or ½ cup of heavy cream at the same time as you add the cream cheese.Important Information
For more information, tips and variations please review the recipe video and content above and below the recipe card.
Updates and Revisions
If the video and recipe card differ, follow the recipe card for the latest ingredients and instructions.
Nutritional Information
Nutrition info is estimated and varies by ingredients, measurements, and portions.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooked food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more food guidelines
Delwyn Berry says
Very tasty and quick meal,
Audrey says
Turned out super- this is a wonderful site for Keto recipes!
Nancy says
Great way to use up pesto. Tasty n easy to make