Keto Pesto Chicken Casserole With Feta Cheese & Olives. Unite in this creamy, easy-to-make keto chicken dish, Mediterranean superstars, feta cheese, olives, and pesto. Give it a go whether using low-carb, store-bought or your own home-made pesto. Your family and your taste buds will thank you!
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs boneless chicken thighs
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp butter or coconut oil
- 1⁄3 cup (2¾ oz.) red pesto/green pesto
- 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
- 3 oz. (2⁄3 cup) pitted olives
- 5 oz. (1 cup) feta cheese, diced
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
For serving
- 5 oz. (2½ cups) leafy greens
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Into bite-sized pieces, cut the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
- To a large skillet, add butter or oil and in batches, fry the chicken pieces on medium-high heat until it gets golden brown.
- Mix pesto and heavy cream in a bowl using store-bought low-carb red/green pesto, or making your own.
- In a baking dish, place the fried chicken pieces together with garlic, feta cheese and olives. Add the pesto/cream mixture.
- For 20-30 minute, bake in oven, until around the edges, the dish turns bubbly and light brown.
Tips
- In most grocery stores, a number of low-carb store-bought varieties of pesto are available.
- Red pesto is typically made with garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, tomatoes/sun-dried tomatoes and basil leaves. Green pesto is typically made with garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, pine nuts and basil leaves. Look for ones with not soybean oil or canola oil, no sugar, and less than
- FIVE net carbs per serving but with real olive oil.
- A simple side dish of crunchy romaine lettuce/field greens complements the rich flavors. Lightly sautéed asparagus/green beans also works.
- You can pair it with cauliflower rice, roasted cauliflower or fried broccoli if you feel like making this dish even heartier.
Meal prep
- By frying the chicken ahead of time, this dish can be prepared. You can assemble the entire casserole and before baking it, keep in the fridge for a day. Just make sure before placing in the oven, you let it come to room temperature. Since the pesto can sink to the bottom, it’s also good to give it a stir.
- They are perfect for this dish, if you have chicken or turkey leftovers. First 3 steps of the instructions, just skip and take it from there. You can also use a rotisserie chicken if you’re short on time. Take the meat off the bones and into bite-sized pieces, divide it. From step 3, follow the instructions.
Storing and reheating
- You can store it in the fridge if you intend to eat the casserole within 2-3 days. Otherwise to place the casserole in the freezer, it’s better where it will last up to THREE months. For freezing, make sure your casserole dish is suitable.
- If freezing, before you plan on serving it, let thaw in the refrigerator the day. You don’t want your dish to crack so don’t place a cold baking dish straight into a hot oven from the fridge. At 300°F, reheat the casserole in the oven until it gets thoroughly warm.
Nutritional Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 296
Calories from Fat 189%
Daily Value*
Fat 21g32%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 20g40%
