This easy, low carb Tuscan Garlic Chicken recipe is a taste of Italy, keto style! Tender chicken breast is simmered in a luxuriously creamy garlic sauce then black olives and spinach are stirred in just before serving. Bright color and a lush texture come together to create a main dish that’s brimming with garlicky goodness.
For this recipe you’ll need: chicken breast, salt, garlic, heavy cream, spinach, olive oil, Italian seasoning, black olives, chicken stock, and Parmesan cheese.
Table of Contents
Tuscan Garlic Chicken Backstory
While I truly love food in most forms and flavors I have to admit a special place in my heart for Italian dishes, followed closely by French and Tex-Mex.
Of course, there’s always Asian, African, Indian, and classic Southern to consider, as well.
What does creamy Tuscan chicken taste like?
I grew up thinking that Italian food was characterized by sun dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and pasta with plenty of gooey Mozzarella. Don’t get me wrong, I love those things. But honestly there are so many other ingredients, flavors, and textures that make up Italian cuisine that it will make your head spin around like a moth in a mitten.
This creamy Tuscan garlic chicken recipe is a good example. Although I’m not sure how Olive Garden decided it was Tuscan chicken. The dish is more authentically from the Lombardy area of Northern Italy where there’s an abundance of dairy products. I guess Lombardy Garlic Chicken didn’t sound as good?
Whatever you want to call it, this low carb spin on the Olive Garden Tuscan Garlic Chicken recipe is definitely ready to become one of your favorite meals. The creamy sauce is infused with garlic flavor and the chicken breast just about falls apart. The fresh spinach adds color, nutrients, flavor, and texture but you could use broccoli or asparagus if you like.
In many ways this is a similar dish to my Chicken Asparagus Alfredo that’s so popular. I think this recipe is a little bolder and less delicate in flavor, though.
Tips for Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken
This is such an easy dish! There’s not really much to it so it’s hard to go wrong but here are some tips and trick to make it even easier.
- If you have cooked chicken just use that to make this dish literally instantaneous! Or, stop and pick up a rotisserie chicken at the store.
- Plain American black olives work in this dish but try any of the more flavorful imported olives like Kalamata, Aglio, or Alfonso.
- If you marinate the chicken breast in some garlicky dill pickle brine for 30 minutes before cooking it will have a great flavor and be even more tender.
- The more flavorful the chicken stock is the better the finished dish will be. I found adding some garlic powder, onion powder, and white pepper really kick up the flavors.
- Substitute shrimp for the chicken in this dish. So good!
- Put this on top of a pile of pasta like my low carb egg noodles and make Tuscan chicken pasta.
- Like Alfredo sauce, it’s important not to let the cream sauce come to a boil. Just simmer it.
- You may be tempted to put some tomato in this for color and flavor. Personally I love cherry tomatoes and the powerful flavor of a sun dried tomatoes. Unfortunately, a sun dried tomato is so flavorful but just 100 grams has 38 grams of sugar and 56 grams of carbs. So not very low carb and definitely not keto friendly.
- Capers are a nice garnish and add a little tang.
- You can’t freeze this dish. Make just as much as you need because it doesn’t warm up well, either.
What wine goes well with Tuscan chicken?
If you’re drinking wine a Chardonnay or this White Wine Spritzer will go really well. The richness of the heavy cream in the sauce gives it such flavor that a nice full Chardonnay pairs really well. You could have a light red, such as a Chianti or a light Pinot Noir as well. The great thing about this Tuscan chicken recipe is you can have most any light to medium bodied wine. Although a heavy bodied wine like a Cabernet may overpower it.
Could you use chicken thighs instead?
Yes ! Chicken thighs have more saturated fat than a chicken breast and that’s why they are more juicy and have more flavor. They take a bit more work as a boneless chicken breast is easier to slice thinly as it’s bigger and firmer than a chicken thigh. But I’ve made this dish with both and either one that you have handy will work great.
Low Carb Tuscan Garlic Chicken Recipe
When you need a quick dinner that tastes like comfort food this easy, low carb Tuscan Garlic Chicken recipe is the perfect taste of Italy, keto style! A luxuriously creamy garlic sauce envelopes chicken breast, black olives, and spinach. Serve with a buttery Chardonnay for a restaurant quality dinner at home.
Low Carb Tuscan Garlic Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breast thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup spinach chopped
- 2 tablespoons sliced black olives
Instructions
- Salt the chicken.
- Add olive oil to a large, heavy skillet.
- Heat until oil begins to shimmer.
- Add the chicken and turn down the heat to medium.
- Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic.
- Turn chicken and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Remove chicken and garlic- set aside on a plate.
- Add the chicken broth to deglaze the pan.
- Cook at a strong boil for 2 minutes using a wooden spatula to loosen the stuck on particles of chicken.
- Add the cream, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese.
- Whisk until it starts to thicken.
- Add the chicken, spinach, and olives.
- Simmer until heated through and sauce has reduced enough to coat a spoon.
- Serve.
Nutrition
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Click on the image to see the recipe. From left to right (all low carb): Chicken Shawarma, Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Alfredo
I made this last night. It was FANTASTIC! The only change I made was to substitute kale for the spinach. I think next time I will add some sliced mushrooms. Everyone asked me to make this recipe again….SOON!
Am I missing the spinach in the recipe but it is pictured? I just didn?t know when to add it
Looks delicious
Just toss in a handful at the end.
Marye, this looks great….will definitely be making. But I think there is a error in your app input. With 1/2 lb chicken, I think this will generously serve 2 and then be only 310 cal per person.