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I made this dish for my husband's birthday, it's his absolute favorite! Tender juicy chicken swimming in the freshness of lemon in a sauce that pairs beautifully with zucchini noodles, or you can eat the chicken all by itself! This is a quick and very easy dish to make, but tastes like it took you hours! If you love lemons like I do, you'll be in lemon heaven with this one!
I've been making this dish for many years, but always served it over penne. Since I started Keto, of course the days of penne are over and have been replaced with zucchini noodles, or zoodles, which I absolutely love! I have also discovered Palmini Noodles and they are delightful with these lemon chicken tenders.
What's in Lemon Chicken Tenders
- Chicken tenders
- Zucchini
- Chicken stock
- Grass-fed butter
- Lemons
- Garlic cloves
- White wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
- Dried basil
- Dried parsley
- Fresh basil
- Olive oil
- Xanthan gum
- Salt and pepper to taste
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
How to Make Keto Chicken Tenders with Lemon
Add the zest of 2 lemons, juice of 1 lemon, and the chicken tenders into a resealable plastic bag and allow to marinate for 20 minutes while you spiralize the zucchini.
Add the olive oil to a pot over medium heat. Add in the chicken tenders, salt, pepper and dried basil, and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until slightly golden. Remove and set aside.
Add in the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, careful not to brown or it will become bitter.
Add in the wine, and stir, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Allow the wine to reduce by half, then add in the chicken stock, remaining lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley and half of the basil. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, uncovered.
I love a strong lemon flavor in this dish, but if you like a slightly more subtle lemon flavor, you can hold back a little. It's a very versatile sauce so you can adjust as you'd like.
Add in the xanthan gum while stirring the entire time. This is a very important step when using xanthan gum because it can clump until you stir it in really well.
Add the chicken back into the pot and continue cooking for another 2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
Add the zoodles to a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave for about 45-60 seconds.
Pour some of the lemon sauce over the zoodles and toss until well coated. Add to a plate and top with the chicken tenders, some fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon.
Note: If you prefer Shirataki noodles as pictured in this photo, or you can even use Palmini noodles.
What are the Carbs in Chicken Tenders?
Just like most meat, there are no carbs in chicken tenders. On Keto there’s a focus on healthy fats. Because tenders come from the lean chicken breasts, it’s a good idea to pair them with some sort of healthy fat like you find in the buttery lemon sauce.
Can I Freese Lemon Keto Chicken Tenders?
You sure can. Cooked zucchini noodles do not freeze very well so you'll want to make those fresh. However, you can meal prep this dish easily by preparing the chicken and lemon sauce in advance and freeze in an air tight container until ready to reheat.
More Keto Chicken Recipes
- Thai Red Curry Coconut Grilled Chicken
- Grilled Chicken with Rosemary Citrus Glaze
- Keto Chicken Tenders
- Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole
- Keto Chicken Pot Pie
- Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole
- Creamy Chicken Tuscan Skillet
- Bacon Ranch Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Florentine Skillet
- Instant Pot Chicken Marsala
- Creamy Chicken Poblano Chicken
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Makes 4 Servings
Macros for the Lemon Chicken and Sauce (only):
Fat 13 grams - Protein 25 grams - Carbs 3 grams
*Please weigh your zucchini and adjust your macros per serving, accordingly.
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Lemon Chicken Tenders over Zoodles - Keto and Low Carb
Recipe Video
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- 3 small-medium zucchini, spiralized
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter
- zest and juice of 3 lemons, divided + 4 wedges for garnish
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup white wine, I used Pinot Grigio
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 tablespoon fresh basil, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Xanthan gum
- Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the zest of 2 lemons, juice of 1 lemon, and the chicken tenders into a resealable plastic bag and allow to marinate for 20 minutes while you spiralize the zucchini.
- Add the olive oil to a pot over medium heat. Add in the chicken tenders, salt, pepper and dried basil, and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until slightly golden. Remove and set aside.
- Add in the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, careful not to brown or it will become bitter.
- Add in the wine, and stir, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Allow the wine to reduce by half, then add in the chicken stock, remaining lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley and half of the basil. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, uncovered.
- Add in the Xanthan gum while stirring the entire time. Add the chicken back into the pot and continue cooking for another 2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Add the zoodles to a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave for about 45-60 seconds.
- Pour some of the lemon sauce over the zoodles and toss until well coated. Add to a plate and top with the chicken tenders, some fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon. Enjoy!
RECIPE NOTES
Hi, What is Xanthan for pls?
It's used mostly as a thickener and isn't actually specific to Keto. If you look on the labels of many condiments, particularly salad dressings you'll find it listed in the ingredients.