Butter chicken is one of my favorite ways to cook chicken on keto diet. There are many different variations of this dish and today I will show you another way to make this low carb and keto friendly.
You can serve this shredded butter chicken with low carb salad, bread, naan or riced cauliflower.
This keto shredded butter chicken recipe has many spices which will give the dish an incredible flavor. Feel free to adjust the amount of spices according to your liking, especially the hot spices like chili and ginger. It is very simple to prepare and you will want to try it again and again.
You can use chicken breast or chicken thigh for this recipe. You can grill the chicken, pan fry it or simply cook it in the sauce if you just want a one-pan meal.
I use chicken maryland with skin and bone on. A chicken maryland is a cut of meat that contains both the thigh and the drumstick. It’s also called whole chicken leg. Two large pieces of chicken marryland would weigh approximately 800g or 7oz. Remember, the size and type of chicken meat chosen for this recipe will depend on your choice and your macros.
Normally people will eat the whole chicken thigh but today I decide to try something different.
After the chicken legs are cooked, I remove the bone and tear it into small pieces. I find that shredded chicken will absorb more flavours from the sauce and taste better. If you don’t want the extra effort, feel free to skip this step. Simply just serve the whole chicken thigh with butter sauce.
To thicken the sauce and make it creamy, I use butter and heavy cream. You can use coconut cream instead of heavy cream too.
How to Make Low Carb Shredded Butter Chicken
Preparing the Chicken
In a bowl, mix all chicken ingredients except the olive oil. Coat the chicken well with this mixture.
Heat olive oil in a pan. Cook the chicken until it’s golden brown on all sides. Once cooked, set aside on a plate.
Making the Butter Sauce
In the same pan, melt a tablespoon of butter. Add tomatoes, garlic, onion, ginger, chili, cumin seeds, and turmeric. Cook for about 5 minutes until the veggies soften.
Add water, heavy cream, and the remaining butter to the pan. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat.
Blend the sauce mixture in a blender until smooth.
Combining Chicken and Sauce
Reheat the sauce in the pan. Add the cooked chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Let it simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Serving the Dish
If you prefer shredded chicken, remove the chicken from the sauce and shred the meat using your hands or a fork.
Place the shredded chicken on a plate, pour the sauce over it, and sprinkle with cinnamon and chopped coriander leaves.
Enjoy with cauliflower rice or a keto-friendly salad!
Related:
- Lemon Butter Chicken
- Grilled Cheesy Buffalo Chicken
- Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken
- Keto Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
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Keto Shredded Butter Chicken Legs
Ingredients
Ingredients For The Chicken
- 2 pieces Whole Chicken Leg (800g)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for cooking)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 red chili (optional)
- 1 tsp ginger freshly grated
- 1 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients for the sauce:
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/3 cup heavy cream (or coconut cream)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp ginger freshly grated
- 1 onion peeled and sliced
- 2 clove garlic
- 1 red tomato diced
- 1 red chili (optional)
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon (for topping)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cooking Chicken Thighs
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl (excluding the olive oil) and coat the thighs with the mixed seasonings.
- Pour the olive oil in a large bottom pan. Leave the chicken in the heated pan until golden brown on all sides and cooked through. Alternatively, bake or grill the chicken if desired. When done, transfer to a plate and reserve.
Making the sauce
- Melt a tablespoon of butter on a hot pan. Sauté the tomatoes, garlic, and red onion with the ginger, chili, cumin seeds, and turmeric for 5 minutes. Let the veggies soften. Pour the water and heavy cream into the pan. Add the remaining butter. Let it boil before removing from the heat.
- Blend the sauce in a blender to produce a smooth, creamy paste.
- Reheat the sauce in the pan. Gently drop the chicken in the sauce and season with more salt and pepper. Stir occasionally so as not to burn the bottom part. Leave to boil. Set the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes till the sauce thickens.
- Remove from the heat and serve. If desired, do the extra step below.
- To serve as shredded rather than whole chicken leg, take out the chicken from the sauce and place on a plate or chopping board. Scrape the meat off the bones using your hands or a fork.
- Transfer the chicken to a serving plate. Coat with the sauce and top with cinnamon and chopped coriander leaves. Serve with cauliflower rice or salad as a side.
Notes
Nutrition/Macros
FAQ
What goes well with butter chicken on keto?
On a keto diet, you can eat butter chicken with low carb sides such as seasoned cauliflower rice, cauliflower tortillas, keto naan or flatbread, and steamed or sautéed low-carb vegetables like broccoli or spinach.
How do you thicken butter chicken without flour?
To thicken butter chicken without flour, you can use coconut milk or heavy cream for a creamy consistency, reduce the sauce by simmering it for a longer time, or blend a portion of the sauce and mix it back in. Another option I would suggest is to use a low-carb thickening agent like xanthan gum or ground psyllium husk, adding it sparingly and stirring well until the desired thickness is achieved.
How to reheat leftover butter chicken
You can use a saucepan to warm up the butter chicken over medium-low heat. Make sure to stir occasionally until heated through. Alternatively, place it in a microwave-safe dish and microwave on medium power, stirring at intervals, until hot.
