For those following a ketogenic diet, Greek cuisine offers a wealth of flavorful and satisfying options. By focusing on fresh, whole ingredients and healthy fats, you can enjoy the vibrant tastes of Greece while staying within your macros. This article explores a variety of Greek keto recipes, from easy weeknight meals to meal prep staples, providing you with the inspiration and guidance you need to create delicious and nutritious dishes.
Sheet Pan Greek Chicken Thighs
Sheet Pan Greek Chicken Thighs are an easy and flavorful weeknight meal option. This recipe is low-carb, keto-friendly, and gluten-free, loaded with vegetables and savory deliciousness. My favorite part about this recipe is that it can be used for meal prep!
Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are recommended for the best flavor and crispy skin. However, boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used with an adjustment to the cook time.
- Vegetables: Green bell pepper, red onion, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes.
- Marinade: Extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, fresh dill, and minced garlic.
- Toppings: Feta cheese, parsley, kalamata olives, and fresh dill.
Instructions
- Prepare the Marinade: In a large mixing bowl, combine extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, fresh dill, and minced garlic. Whisk the ingredients for about 30 seconds.
- Marinate the Chicken: Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and allow to marinate for at least one hour, or cover and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
- Prepare the Vegetables: Slice the green bell pepper, red onion, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. Add the vegetables to a sheet pan. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 400° F. Remove the chicken from the marinade before adding to the sheet pan. Place the pan into the oven and allow to cook for 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 165° F on an instant read thermometer. For extra crispy skin, you may opt to broil the chicken for the last 4 minutes of cooking.
- Serve: After roasting, top the chicken with feta cheese, parsley, kalamata olives, and fresh dill.
Meal Prep
This recipe is ideal for meal prep. Place each portion of the chicken into an airtight container and store for up to 5 days. It’s the perfect grab-and-go lunch.
Paleo Greek Meatballs with Dairy-Free Tzatziki
These easy Greek meatballs are flavorful and delicious, especially when paired with a dairy-free paleo Tzatziki sauce.
Ingredients
- Meatballs: Ground beef, ground lamb, and Greek seasonings.
- Tzatziki Sauce: Cucumber, coconut milk, lemon juice, dill, and garlic.
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatballs: Combine all meatball ingredients (except olive oil) well with your hands until fully combined, careful not to overwork the meat.
- Bake the Meatballs: Form mixture into 24 balls and place an inch apart on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 mins or until browned and cooked through, careful not to over-bake.
- Make the Tzatziki Sauce: Squeeze excess liquid out of the grated cucumber and add to the bowl of a food processor. Discard the liquid part of the coconut milk so you are left with the solid cream, and add that to the processor as well, along with the remaining ingredients. Pulse/process until fully combined - it won’t be completely smooth.
- Serve: Remove from oven and serve with tzatziki sauce and Greek salad. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
These Paleo Greek Meatballs are versatile and can be used in various meals, including breakfast hashes.
Read also: Delicious Keto Chicken
Keto Greek Meatball Bowls
These Keto Greek Meatball Bowls offer a quick and speedy twist on the flavors of a classic Greek Salad.
Ingredients
- Meatballs: Ground meat, Greek seasonings.
- Salad: Red onion, feta cheese, lemon zest and salad vegetables.
- Dressing: Olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatballs: Place all the meatball ingredients in a mixing bowl and use your hands to combine. Shape into meatballs.
- Cook the Meatballs: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook about 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through and internal temperature is 160 degrees F.
- Make the Dressing: Make the dressing by combining the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper in a blender or mason jar.
- Assemble the Bowls: Add all the salad ingredients to the base of a large mixing bowl. Top with the cooked meatballs and dressing.
For meal prepping, prepare the salad veggies and store without dressing until ready to serve. After the beef meatballs have cooked and cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. These meatballs can be air fried, baked, or pan-fried.
Low-Carb Greek Chicken Bowls
Combining the benefits of the Mediterranean and Keto diets, these low-carb Greek Chicken Bowls are bursting with colors and flavors. Skillet-grilled seasoned chicken is paired with Greek salad staples, making it a simple, satiating, and nutritious option for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
- Greek Chicken: Chicken breast, olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Greek seasoning, and sea salt.
- Tzatziki Sauce: Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, dill, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Red Wine Vinegar Dressing: Olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, and sea salt.
- Salad Toppings: Cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, Kalamata olives, and feta cheese.
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: Combine the chicken, oil, lemon juice, vinegar, Greek seasoning, and salt in a sealable container. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- Make the Tzatziki: Stir together the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, dill, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and marinade to the skillet. Cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until it is brown and its internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Prepare the Dressing: Whisk together the oil, vinegar, oregano, and salt in a small bowl.
- Assemble the Bowls: Divide the chicken among individual serving bowls. Top with the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, olives, and feta cheese. Drizzle with the red wine vinegar dressing and serve with the tzatziki sauce.
This recipe is great for meal prep; every element can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge for a few days.
Keto Greek Salad
This Keto Greek Salad is a light and flavorful option, perfect for a quick lunch or side dish.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Ingredients
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Onions
- Feta cheese
- Kalamata olives
- Olive oil
- Vinegar or lemon juice
- Lettuce (optional)
Dressing
Traditional Greek dressing is often made with olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice, which are both generally considered keto-friendly ingredients.
Adjustments
To keep the carbs in check, adjustments can be made to the traditional salad. Lettuce can be added, and the amount of tomatoes and onions can be moderated.
Greek Lemon Chicken
This Greek Lemon Chicken recipe is a vibrant, one-pan meal that brings bold Mediterranean flavors to your table. Tender chicken thighs and low carb veggies bake together in a zesty lemon-herb marinade.
Ingredients
- Chicken: Bone-in chicken thighs (can use boneless, but adjust cooking time)
- Vegetables: Cauliflower and zucchini (broccoli and Brussels sprouts are good alternatives)
- Marinade: Olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, dried parsley, basil, marjoram, and ground nutmeg.
- Toppings: Olives, feta, and chopped tomatoes (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley, basil, marjoram, and nutmeg.
- Prepare the Sheet Pan: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Spread the cauliflower and zucchini out on a large rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle with half of the marinade and toss to combine.
- Add the Chicken: Place the chicken on top of the vegetables, evenly spaced apart. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon the remaining marinade over the chicken and spread over each thigh to coat.
- Bake: Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the skin of the chicken is golden brown.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle the olives, feta, and chopped tomato over the pan and bake another 5 minutes.
Tips for Success
- For boneless chicken thighs, roast the cauliflower by itself for 10 minutes first. Boneless thighs take only about 20 minutes.
- Cook everything on a bare pan, not lined with parchment paper, for better caramelization.
- Make the cauliflower florets an even size for even cooking.
The marinade can also be used on fish and pork, or as a salad vinaigrette.
15-Minute Keto Greek Bowls
These Keto Greek Bowls offer a fast and easy dinner option, featuring spiced meat and a creamy spearmint cream sauce.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Ingredients
- Ground Beef or Lamb Mixture: Ground beef or lamb, butter, sea salt, dried oregano, onion powder, black pepper, lemon or lemongrass essential oil or lemon rind.
- Spearmint Cream Sauce: Heavy cream, chevre soft goat cheese, spearmint essential oil or dried spearmint or fresh spearmint leaves, black pepper.
- Other Ingredients: Cauliflower rice, tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, Greek olives, lemon wedges, fresh mint, fresh oregano.
Instructions
- Make the Spearmint Cream Sauce: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk thoroughly to combine, until smooth. Set aside.
- Cook the Meat: Heat medium size skillet over high heat. Add butter. When melted, add ground beef or lamb, sea salt, dried oregano and onion powder. Cook over high heat 5 minutes, breaking up meat into small pieces with your spatula the whole time.
- Finish the Meat: When meat is mostly cooked, turn off heat, but leave pan on burner. Move meat to outer edges so the middle of the pan is empty. Add the remaining butter. While it melts, add the lemon or lemongrass essential oil (or lemon rind) and pepper. Stir the butter into the meat.
- Assemble the Bowls: Fill each bowl with hot cauliflower rice, or have guests/family each make their own. Top rice with meat, cucumbers, tomatoes, red bell pepper, thin lemon triangles or larger wedges for squeezing, olives, spearmint cream sauce and fresh mint. Garnish with oregano.
These bowls are high in fat and low in carbs, making them a great option for those following a ketogenic diet.