While I have discussed my preference for chicken breasts vs thighs for most of my recipes, this is one of my exceptions. I use chicken thighs in this creamy keto Tuscan Chicken recipe? for extra flavor. The mix of the fresh tomato and spinach and the richness of the cream and parmesan is so divine — and this one pot meal is so simple to make yet is like bring transported to the coast of Italy!
When buying chicken thighs, go for the organic and grass-fed whenever possible. Since the thighs are fattier than chicken breast – and the fat is where a lot of what the chicken eats can hang around, you want it to be as clean as possible. This is why I normally prefer chicken breast, but for this recipe, the meatier flavor of the thighs combined with a little more fat, and then with the creamy sauce comes together very nicely. Serve this with cauliflower rice because you want something to soak in the keto tuscan chicken sauce – it’s so good I could drink it!
I like to use a cast iron skillet for this dish – you can use a regular skillet, however I find cast iron creates a nicer “crust” on the chicken – and I serve this straight from the stove to the table, and the cast iron is nice for presentation (and clean up too!). Cast iron last forever also – my Lodge 10-inch cast iron skillet is used practically daily for a decade and is like the day I got it — no other skillet compares!
Keto Tuscan Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 4 skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 teaspoon HImalayan pink salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons grass-fed butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes keep 1/3 of the tomatoes whole and half the others
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- fresh chopped Italian flat parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Pour oil In a cast iron skillet over medium heat. You can use a regular skillet, however I find cast iron creates a nicer "crust" on the chicken - and I serve this straight from the stove to the table, and the cast iron is nice for presentation (and clean up too!)
- Add chicken thighs and salt, pepper, and oregano.
- Cook until golden brown and a nice crust forms - about 5 minutes on each side.
- Remove your chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Add butter to the skillet and add the garlic - stir to pick up any of the chicken remains and until the garlic just starts to soften - a couple of minutes at most.
- Add cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the whole tomatoes start to pop (this part gives me so much satisfaction, by the way).
- Add spinach and move it around until it begins to wilt.
- Stir in heavy cream and parmesan and stir well until the sauce starts to simmer lightly. Turn the heat down to low and continue to simmer until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Add the chicken thighs back into the skillet cook for about 4 - 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and finish off with the lemon juice and sprinkle with parsley.
- Serve right away over cauliflower rice.
