For those following a ketogenic diet but craving the vibrant flavors of Indian cuisine, this article explores several Indian keto chicken recipes that are both delicious and easy to prepare. These recipes offer a way to enjoy the rich spices and creamy textures characteristic of Indian food while staying within the low-carb guidelines of a keto diet.
Keto Butter Chicken
This recipe aims to recreate the classic butter chicken dish with minimal seasonings and readily available ingredients, making it a convenient option for any night of the week.
Ingredients and Preparation
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks.
- Generously coat the chicken with turmeric, ginger, salt, chili powder, and cinnamon. Set aside in a bowl.
- Heat a skillet to medium heat and add butter. As the butter melts, dice the onion and garlic and add them to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
- Increase the pan heat to medium-high and add the chicken. Cook until the outside is white, approximately 3-5 minutes.
- Once the chicken is almost fully cooked, add heavy whipping cream and tomato paste. Mix in the tomato paste until it runs smoothly through the heavy whipping cream, creating an orange color.
- Turn the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Remove the lid and combine.
- For a thicker curry sauce, allow it to reduce with the lid off until it reaches the desired consistency.
Serve with low-carb naan or over cauliflower rice. This butter chicken can be stored in a sealed container for up to 10 days in the fridge and 2 months in the freezer.
Low Carb Chicken Biryani
Traditional Chicken Biryani is not weight loss friendly. However, this low-carb version offers a flavorful alternative that aligns with a ketogenic lifestyle. This one-pot meal is packed with flavor and can be customized to suit individual preferences.
Crafting the Biryani
Crafting a delicious Low Carb Chicken Biryani is all about boosting flavor and maintaining the perfect texture, even without traditional rice.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
- Pour some ghee into a skillet.
- Add in onions and brown well.
- Add in ground chicken and mix well.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the riced cauliflower and mix well.
- Mix well, and cover with a lid.
- Simmer slowly together for the flavors to meld, and the cauliflower to cook slightly.
Low Carb Chicken Biryani is wonderfully adaptable, letting you tailor the spice level, protein, and veggie mix to match your cravings. Low Carb Chicken Biryani is full of bold spices and savory richness, so pairing it with fresh, cooling sides makes the perfect balanced meal. If you want to extend its life, you can freeze the biryani for up to 2-3 months.
Ingredients
- For Chicken:
- 1 teaspoon Ghee
- 1 pound Ground Chicken
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- Vegetables:
- 1 teaspoon Ghee
- 1 Red Onion
Instructions
- Heat a 10-inch deep pan or skillet and add ghee.
- Add the onions, cooking until they brown at the edges, about 10 minutes.
- Turn on your exhaust fan, add the ginger garlic paste and the jalapeño, and cook for a minute or two.
- Put in the ground chicken, break up clumps and cook until chicken is no longer raw.
- Once it releases water, add in all the spices and mix very well. Keep cooking until the water evaporates, and the spices are well-mixed in.
- Use 1/2 c of water to deglaze the pan, scraping up the bits of brown from the bottom.
- Add in chopped cilantro and mint, and the uncooked riced cauliflower.
- Mix everything very well and cover with a lid.
- Turn the stove on low and let all of it simmer slowly together for the flavors to meld, and the cauliflower to cook slightly.
Keto Chicken Tikka Masala
Keto tikka masala is actually very similar to butter chicken. The difference is that butter chicken has a creamier sauce, while the tikka masala sauce contains onions and more tomato.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast or skinless chicken thighs
- Plain full-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt (or sour cream) or coconut yoghurt
- Butter and heavy cream or coconut oil/olive oil and coconut milk
- Tomato passata and tomato puree
- Onion, garlic, ginger, spices (garam masala)
Instructions
- Add the diced chicken to a large bowl with the chicken marinade ingredients and mix to combine.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter or oil in large non-stick frying pan. When hot, add the chicken. Fry for about 3 minutes per side, or until golden and almost cooked through. This takes about 8 minutes in total. Remove from the pan.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan and fry the onions for 3 minutes on a medium heat until golden.
- Add the garlic, ginger and spices and fry for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Now, add the passata. Turn the heat down to a simmer (medium / low).
- Time to finish off the keto chicken masala sauce! Stir in the heavy cream / coconut cream and optional low-carb sweeter (I used a golden erythritol / monk fruit blend).
- Add the chicken back in the pan and cook for about 5 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through and warm.
- Serve with chopped fresh coriander and optional cauliflower rice.
This chicken tikka recipe is great for meal prep. Once you have tried it once (and I'm certain you'll end up loving it), double or triple the dish and freeze in portions.
Chicken 65 (Keto Version)
Chicken 65 is a spicy fried chicken dish, this keto-friendly version aims to capture the flavor without the excessive heat and carbs.
Preparation
- Cut the chicken into small cubes/bite-size pieces.
- Marinate with the salt, pepper, half the red chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, 1 tsp of chopped curry leaves, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste and vinegar.
- Then coat the chicken with the egg and psyllium husk and deep fry.
Creator
Sahil, the creator of Headbanger’s Kitchen, developed this keto-friendly version of Chicken 65.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Tips and Considerations
- Spice Level: Adjust the chili according to your preference. Start with a small amount and add more as needed.
- Dairy-Free Options: For dairy-free versions, substitute butter with coconut oil/olive oil and heavy cream with coconut milk. Use coconut yoghurt instead of regular yoghurt.
- Marinating: Don’t rush the marinating process. The longer the chicken marinates, the more flavor it will have.
- Vegetable Prep: A mini chopper or food processor can be used to finely chop garlic and ginger.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve these dishes with cauliflower rice, low-carb naan, or creamy keto mashed cauliflower.
- Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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