After a period of indulgence, many find themselves craving the familiar comfort of Chinese food. However, traditional Chinese takeout is often loaded with flour-thickened sauces and sugar, making it incompatible with a ketogenic diet. Fortunately, it's entirely possible to recreate your favorite Chinese dishes at home with a keto-friendly twist. This article explores a variety of keto Chinese food recipes, offering options for lunch, dinner, and even dessert, all while staying true to the principles of a low-carb lifestyle.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
The key to successful keto Chinese cooking lies in understanding which ingredients to avoid and what substitutions to use.
- Sugar: Replace white or brown sugar with keto-friendly sweeteners like monk fruit or Swerve. These alternatives offer zero calories and zero net carbs.
- Rice and Noodles: Instead of rice or noodles, consider using vegetables like roasted or steamed broccoli. Shirataki noodles are another excellent low-carb substitute that works well in stir-fries. Cauliflower rice can also mimic the texture of rice.
- Thickeners: Instead of cornstarch, use arrowroot powder in moderation or xanthan gum to thicken sauces. Arrowroot powder is a paleo-friendly option, and a small amount can effectively thicken sauces.
- Soy Sauce: Opt for gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos. Coconut aminos are a sauce made from coconut blossom nectar that is fermented and blended with salt.
- Oils: Use oils with high smoke points, such as vegetable or peanut oil, for stir-frying. Toasted sesame oil adds an authentic flavor to many dishes.
Keto Chinese Food Recipes to Try
Here are some ideas to get you started on your keto Chinese food journey:
Chicken Dishes
- Sesame Chicken: This recipe uses toasted sesame seed oil to flavor both the sauce and the chicken. Arrowroot powder and a beaten egg can mimic the battered texture of traditional sesame chicken.
- Kung Pao Chicken: A flavorful dish with a balance of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors.
- Orange Chicken: Recreate the classic takeout flavor with a low-carb keto orange chicken recipe that's crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and coated with a sweet, sticky citrus sauce.
- Chicken and Broccoli: Sliced chicken breast paired with broccoli florets and a homemade sweet and savory Chinese sauce. This dish can be prepared with fresh or frozen broccoli.
- General Tso’s Chicken: A sweet, spicy, and savory dish that can be adapted for a keto diet.
- Chicken Lo Mein: Use Konaberry noodles or zucchini noodles as a low-carb alternative to traditional noodles.
- Chicken Stir-Fry: A customizable dish featuring chicken and your choice of low-carb vegetables.
- Teriyaki Chicken: This tangy teriyaki chicken recipe falls apart on your fork. The secret ingredient is a homemade teriyaki sauce that uses gluten-free soy sauce. For a quick lunch, add this shredded chicken to your favorite lettuce wraps.
Beef Dishes
- Beef and Broccoli: Thinly sliced steak pan-seared and tossed in stir fry sauce with tender broccoli.
- Mongolian Beef: A copycat recipe of P.F. Chang's Mongolian Beef, featuring tender beef coated in a sweet and savory sauce with a touch of spice.
Pork Dishes
- BBQ Pork: Make this simple BBQ pork recipe in the oven. It has an intoxicating blend of unique spices that are mouth-watering and delicious.
- Sweet and Sour Pork: Everyone loves this oven-baked sweet and sour chicken recipe.
- Spicy Pork: Homemade keto Chinese food is on the menu this week with this super-spicy pork recipe.
Seafood Dishes
- Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry: An easy-to-make recipe that tastes so good you won't even realize it's sugar-free.
- Shrimp Coconut Curry: A dish bursting with flavor and spices.
- Sesame Shrimp Skewers: The perfect keto, gluten-free dish for busy nights.
Soup Dishes
- Egg Drop Soup: A mild and light soup that makes a perfect appetizer.
- Hot and Sour Soup: A flavorful and tangy soup that is a safe choice at Chinese restaurants.
- Vegetable Beef Soup: A savory broth with huge pieces of veggies. Add some bean sprouts for a little extra taste and color!
- Ramen: Customize this keto ramen soup with your favorite vegetables and garnishes.
- Thai Curry Chicken Soup: An incredibly simple soup recipe that is bursting with flavor! It has a vibrant presentation and complex, bold flavor yet can be ready in only 25 minutes!
Side Dishes
- Cauliflower Fried Rice: Top with some pork belly and fresh chopped green scallions. It's awesome as a side dish or the main course.
- Zucchini Noodle Salad: A quick salad that is full of flavor and is the perfect side dish. Add some steamed vegetables and chili peppers for some heat to the side.
- Egg Roll in a Bowl: Similar to crack slaw, this keto egg roll in a bowl recipe uses our mini beef sticks and comes together in just about 15 minutes.
- Stir Fried Broccoli and Mushrooms: Use the oven or air fryer to make this simple keto-friendly teriyaki salmon accompanied with stir fried broccoli and mushrooms.
Vegetarian Dishes
- Keto Stir Fry: This easy chicken egg foo young recipe is the ideal alternative to General Tso's chicken.
- Green Tea Ice Cream: The perfect way to finish a keto Chinese food meal.
Other Asian-Inspired Recipes
- Pad Thai: Use shirataki noodles for a keto-friendly version of this popular Thai dish.
- Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Loaded with chopped chicken, crisp vegetables and sweet and spicy Thai peanut sauce!
Tips for Ordering Keto at Chinese Restaurants
Ordering keto Chinese food can be challenging, but here are some tips:
- Safe Choices: Hot and sour soup and egg drop soup are generally safe choices.
- Steamed Options: Stick with steamed options that aren't covered in sauce.
- Avoid: Breading, sugary sauces, and white rice.
- Hoisin Sauce: Avoid store-bought or restaurant hoisin sauce. Make your own using soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, peanut butter, and a keto-friendly sweetener.
General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
Here’s an example of a keto-friendly General Tso’s Chicken recipe:
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- Crush the Pork Rinds: Put pork rinds in the food processor and pulse them until crushed.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Combine almond flour with pork rinds in one bowl.
- Scramble Eggs: Scramble 2 eggs in another bowl.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 325F.
- Coat Chicken: Dip each chicken breast in the egg mixture, then dredge in the pork rind/almond flour mixture.
- Heat Oil: In a pan, heat up 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil and 1 Tbsp. Coconut Oil.
- Fry Chicken: Continue frying them, flipping them over when needed to create a crust.
- Transfer to Baking Tray: Once they are finished frying, transfer them to a baking tray. I do about 2-3 batches of frying before I’m finished. Overcrowding the pan will allow too much of the oil to be soaked up and create a soggy texture.
- Prepare the Sauce:
- Mix the Sauce: Mix it well until thoroughly combined.
- Pour Sauce Over Chicken:
- Bake Chicken: Put the chicken in the oven for 60 minutes.
- Check Sauce Consistency: After 30 minutes you can see that the sauce has started to thicken.
- Continue Baking: After 45 minutes you see that it’s almost done.
- Final Result: After the one hour is up, the sauce has become thick and rich.
- Ingredients for the Sauce:
- 2 1/2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce (Low Sodium)
- 2 Tbsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 2 tsp. Ginger
- 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp. Onion Powder
- 1 tsp. Paprika
- 1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
- Servings: This makes about 3 servings at 1.4 pounds each, depending on the size of chicken breasts you use.
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