Low Carb Chicken Skillet Recipe (Easy One Pan Meal)
This Low Carb Chicken Skillet Meal is easy, delicious, and a perfect keto dinner. Because this low-carb meal uses only one pan, it makes cleanup a snap. Everyone will love this tasty comfort dish with chicken thighs, riced cauliflower, and fresh green beans. 
Low Carb Chicken Skillet One Pan Meal
This is one of my favorite healthy chicken skillet recipes. The cauliflower rice in this recipe is cooked in a sauce that I modified from one of my grandmother’s recipes that I found in an old church cookbook. My grandmother taught me at a very early age to love cooking. When I was little, I’d stay at my grandparent’s house while my parents were working. We’d start our day in the summertime by picking fresh veggies from the garden that we’d later cook for dinner that night. I’m so thankful for my southern roots in the kitchen and how she so lovingly and patiently allowed me to be part of her day.
I remember her baking chicken in this sauce many times. I modified her recipe to make it keto-friendly, and it does not disappoint. This recipe is incredibly flavorful and adds extra life to the typically bland cauliflower rice while keeping the roasted chicken extra moist. This cast-iron skillet chicken thigh recipe is delicious, and as a bonus, it brings back so many memories of my grandmother.
Do I Have to Use a Cast Iron Skillet for This Recipe?
The short and easy answer is no, any skillet will do. However, I love cooking with cast iron skillets as they provide many benefits that I’ve outlined below:
- Chemical Free
- Very Affordable and long-lasting – I have several Cast Iron Skillets that are over fifty years old that were handed down from my grandmother. Other skillets in my kitchen, especially those with a stick-free surface, I typically replace once a year.
- Infuses your food with iron
- Oven Safe
For this recipe, I suggest using a 12 inch cast iron skillet such as the one pictured above that I found on Amazon at a great price.
You’ll find a step-by-step tutorial below, as well as a video to walk you through exactly how to make this delicious cast iron chicken skillet meal.
How to Cook Chicken in a Skillet?
Heat olive oil in a skillet to medium-high heat and allow it to get hot first, then add chicken breasts or thighs to the cast iron pan. Leave the chicken on each side for 4-5 minutes before turning. While you are searing, it’s essential to leave the chicken and don’t attempt to turn it over; otherwise, it will stick to the bottom of the pan. It also allows the chicken to get golden brown and crispy. If the chicken does stick, go ahead and finish browning, then follow the steps listed below to deglaze the bottom of your pan.
How to Deglaze a Pan
Add chicken broth to the bottom of the pan while it is still hot, then stir around and scrape the bits of chicken that are stuck to the pan. Don’t throw out the brown bits of chicken; they add fantastic flavor to the riced cauliflower.
Cauliflower can be bland and mushy, but frying it in butter with seasonings made it so tasty. Almost everyone in my family loves this dish; in fact, this is my oldest daughter’s favorite way to eat riced cauliflower. The only one who doesn’t is my son, who hates cauliflower no matter how it is prepared.
Don’t be afraid of spices; they add layers of flavor to this low-carb chicken skillet one-pan meal. The seasonings in this chicken go beyond salt and pepper to incorporate herbs like rosemary, oregano, and poultry seasoning for a bold punch.
Pour the rich, savory sauce right on top of the cauliflower rice and bring it to a boil. Allow all of the spices to mesh together by simmering.
Add the chicken thighs back to the cast iron skillet with lemon slices on top. You will continue to simmer the chicken and the cauliflower rice in the sauce so that the chicken cooks all the way through and the sauce thickens up a bit.
Fresh green beans are a great addition to any low-carb meal, adding color, flavor, fiber, and freshness. Green beans are one of my favorite veggies; they’re super fresh and add tons of nutritional value to your low-carb meal.
Are Green Beans Keto?
While green beans are technically a member of the legumes family, which many avoid when following a keto diet, they are much lower in carbs than other beans. One cup of green beans has seven grams of carb and 3 grams of fiber, making it four net carbs per serving. In short, green beans are keto-friendly. Enjoy!
Yum! I’ve tested this recipe at least four times the past month, and it is delicious! I love that everything cooks together, making clean-up a snap without skimping out on an incredible keto meal.
Can I Use Chicken Breasts in This Recipe?
Sure! You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts or even skin-on split chicken breasts in this recipe. I would recommend using a digital meat thermometer to test doneness. I am prone to overcooking chicken without one.
Don’t Miss Any New Recipes:
Don’t miss any recipes like this Low Carb Skillet Chicken Recipe. If you aren’t already following my Easy Keto/Low Carb Recipe Page on Facebook, I post all my new recipes and content here. Follow me on Pinterest for inspiration, recipe ideas, and more low carb/keto recipes here. If you are just getting started following the keto/ low carb diet and would like more information, tons of fantastic resources and help are available. Amazon also has several excellent books you may want to check out here.
More Low Carb Cast Iron Chicken Skillet Recipes:
- One-Skillet Chicken and Asparagus Recipe
- Keto Cheesy Mexican Skillet Chicken
- Keto Chicken with Mushroom Sauce Recipe
- Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken with Broccoli Bake
- Keto Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli Bake
Low Carb Cast Iron Skillet Recipes:
- Keto Ground Beef Casserole
- Low Carb Chicken Philly Cheesesteak
- Keto Cheesy Ranch Chicken Bacon Recipe With Broccoli
Low Carb Chicken Skillet Meal
Ingredients
- 1½ - 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1⅓ cups chicken broth
- (2) 10 oz packages of frozen steamed riced cauliflower
- 12 oz package of fresh green beans
- 1 stick butter
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp parsley
- ½ tsp oregano
- ¼ tsp rosemary
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- lemon slices
Instructions
- Pat chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, then add salt and pepper to both sides. (The salt and pepper used in this step are not included in the ingredients.)
- In a 12-inch hot cast iron skillet, add chicken to 1 tablespoon hot oil. Make sure not to crowd the chicken, or it will not brown on each side. Don’t try to flip or move the chicken for the first 4 minutes, or it will stick to the pan.
- While the chicken is searing, microwave riced cauliflower. Since you are cooking two packages at the same time, increase your cooking time by two or three minutes. Remove chicken from the skillet, then set aside.
- Microwave the steamed riced cauliflower. Since you are steaming two bags at once, I typically increase the suggested cooking time by 2-3 minutes.
- Deglaze the cast iron skillet by pouring in 1/3 cup of chicken broth. While the pan and broth are still hot, use a wooden utensil to scrape off the bits of chicken that are stuck to the bottom of your skillet. Don't pour these bits out because they are super flavorful.
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet along with the chopped onion and minced garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add the steamed riced cauliflower.
- Continue to saute the cauliflower in the butter for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a small bowl, add the remaining chicken broth, remaining butter, heavy whipping cream, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, poultry seasoning, rosemary, oregano, salt, and pepper. Reserve the parsley to sprinkle on top of the chicken in a later step.
- Pour mixture into the skillet and bring riced cauliflower to a boil. Reserving the parsley for later.
- Put the already browned chicken on top of the riced cauliflower and place a lemon slice on top of each chicken thigh. (If you don't have lemon slices, it's okay to omit.)
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes covered.
- While the chicken and cauliflower are simmering, steam the fresh green beans in the microwave. I bought a bag of green beans that can be steamed in the microwave for about 5 minutes. If you don't have a steam bag add fresh green beans to a microwave-safe dish with 1/3 cup of water cook for 6 minutes, then drain.
- Remove the lid from the skillet and move the chicken to one side. On the other side, add the fresh steamed green beans on top of the cauliflower rice.
- Cover and simmer on medium/low for 7 minutes.
- Remove the lid from the skillet and check the temperature of the chicken. The internal temperature should read 165 degrees.
- Cooking times may vary due to variances in the thickness of chicken thighs. If the chicken isn’t done yet, cover with the lid again and cook until it reaches 165 internal temperature. The digital thermometer should be inserted into the thickest part of the chicken.
- If the sauce hasn’t cooked down completely, spoon over each chicken breast before serving, and sprinkle parsley over the top.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Are these for chicken breasts or thighs? The ingredients and instructions are different.
You can use either. I’ve used both.
Delicious meal. Was looking for something that was low carb without cheese. This was incredible.
So glad you enjoyed it!
In the picture, it shows skin-on chicken, which also appear to have bones as well. Should we be using skinless boneless or skin on bone in? I know it will change the cooking time if using bone in.
This has become one of my families favorite meals.
Simply delicious!
I am so glad you and your family love it.