Keto Black Pepper Chicken

My clean low carb/keto-friendly version of a popular Chinese-American takeout dishKeto black pepper chicken is one of those things you’d find in a Chinese takeout menu or at the food court, and what a great recipe to fix that kind of craving. I actually never had it before, but it’s one of my mom’s favorite to get at the buffets.

You can substitute regular soy sauce for the tamari if you’re not gluten-free, and I would highly recommend using all fresh ingredients, especially the garlic and ginger. And of course, I wouldn’t use anything but fresh, coarsely-cracked  black pepper. I’m normally all for dried pantry staples, but when it comes to chicken dishes which can be especially blah, the fresh ingredients really do make all the difference. You will not regret it.  I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon Tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)
1 1/2 lbs boneless/skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
3 teaspoon Allulose (or preferred sugar substitute)
2 tablespoons Tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)
1/2 tablespoon garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced (about a 1/2″ piece)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon coconut oil
3 large ribs of celery (75-100 grams), sliced
1 stalk of green onion tops, sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (or konjac powder/glucomannan)

1. Dice or slice the chicken into small pieces and mix with the tamari and black pepper together in a glass or plastic bowl and set aside to marinate for 10-15 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, combine half the sesame oil, the rice vinegar, Allulose, and Tamari. Set aside.

3. In a wok or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the coconut oil and add the diced marinated chicken pieces, and do not crowd the pan. Stir-fry the meat quickly to just get golden brown on all sides, then remove to a plate. You don’t want to totally cook it at this stage.

4. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the other half of the sesame oil, along with the minced garlic and fresh ginger to the pan, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

5. Add the vinegar/tamari sauce mixture to the pan.

6. Sprinkle the xanthan gum over the top and stir (if using konjac powder/glucomannan, see step #9 instead)

7. Bring the mixture to a shimmer, then add the chicken back to the pan, along with the celery, sliced green onions, and chicken broth.

8. Increase heat and let simmer a few minutes until celery is fork-tender and the chicken is heated through. If you used xanthan gum, this is the point where the sauce should have thickened just enough to coat the back of a spoon, like a clear gravy.

9. If using konjac powder/glucomannan, sprinkle it over the chicken at this stage, turn off the heat, and stir. Let sit about 5 minutes and stir again, and the sauce should thicken slightly. If it’s too thick, add a couple of tablespoons of broth or water and stir.

9. Serve hot. Add extra green onions and black pepper on top, if you like (I LIKE!).

NOTES:

Substitutions:

– Refined light olive oil (not virgin or extra-virgin) or avocado in place of coconut oil for frying the meat

– Regular soy sauce, liquid aminos, or coconut aminos, for the tamari, if you are not gluten-free.

To make this keto Black Pepper Chicken PSMF friendly, I do the following:

– Use boneless/skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs (I’ve done it twice, it’s fine)

– Swap in 1-2 sprays of coconut oil nonstick spray for the coconut oil when browning the meat (I also use a slick nonstick pan so the meat won’t stick)

– Leave out or reduce the sesame seed oil (just sprinkle a few seeds on as garnish if you like the taste)

– Use fat-free chicken broth

1. Ellen Miller | May 13th, 2021

   I see coconut oil mentioned in the directions, but I did not see it in the ingredients. How much do you use?

   Reply
   • bobbi jo woods | May 14th, 2021

     Hi Ellen. Thanks for pointing that out. I fixed it.

     You shouldn’t need more than 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil. I did not use more than a teaspoon, but I was also using a very slick pan and trying to keep the fat low for a PSMF version.

     Hope you like the recipe!