A catchy jingle for a bottled skillet sauce from decades ago is what got me thinking about this one. Keto creamy country chicken takes that same one-pot concept and makes it genuinely tasty, and genuinely keto.
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This is one of my favorite chicken dishes, right up there with my Keto Chicken Cacciatore, also known as Italian Chicken Stew. Both are one-pot dinners that taste like more effort went in than actually did.
Use a big skillet with a lid that fits snugly. You need the surface area for browning and the seal for finishing the chicken through steam.
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Chef Jenn’s Take on Creamy Country Chicken
Adding the cream too early is the most common misstep here. It should go in only at the end, after the chicken has finished cooking through in the covered pan. Adding it earlier makes the sauce heavier and less bright.
Brown the chicken skin-side down first, then remove most of the rendered fat, keeping about a tablespoon to sautee the vegetables in. Cook the onion, garlic, celery, and carrot first, then add the mushrooms. Return the chicken to the pan with the green beans, broth, and thyme, cover, and simmer until the chicken reaches 165 degrees. Only then does the lid come off and the cream go in, simmering uncovered a few minutes to concentrate the flavor.
This dish is meant to be customized. Skip any vegetable you don’t like, and omit the carrots entirely if you’re doing strict keto. If you want it thicker, a quarter teaspoon of xanthan gum does the job, though it keeps thickening as it sits, so don’t add too much or it turns slimy.
Keep the side dish simple. This main already carries a lot of flavor, and a side shouldn’t compete with it.
What You’ll Love About Creamy Country Chicken
- Customizable, skip or swap any vegetable to match what you have on hand.
- One skillet, about 30 minutes, and a genuinely comforting result.
- Loaded with vegetables, so it’s a full meal in one pan.
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs – Skin-on, bone-in for the best flavor. Boneless, skinless breast works too, reduce the cook time so it doesn’t turn stringy.
- Celery, carrots, onion, and garlic – Diced or chopped. Omit the carrots for strict keto.
- Mushrooms – Sliced or quartered.
- Green beans – Chopped.
- Chicken broth – Low sodium.
- Dried thyme – Standard pantry staple.
- Heavy whipping cream – Full fat, added only at the very end.
- Xanthan gum – Optional, for a thicker sauce. A little goes a long way.
How to Make Creamy Country Chicken
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper. Brown skin-side down first in a large skillet over medium-high heat, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Remove all but about a tablespoon of the fat from the pan. Add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots, and sautee for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook 2 more minutes.
Return the chicken to the skillet. Add the chopped green beans, chicken broth, and thyme. Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F.
Remove the lid and add the cream. Simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes to concentrate the flavor. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed, and serve.
Make It A Meal
For more chicken dinners in the same rotation, Chicken Taco Casserole, Lemon-Oregano Chicken Kabobs, and Greek Meatballs are all worth keeping on hand.
Storage
This freezes well two ways. Prepare through the point right before finishing the chicken, chill overnight, then freeze in a freezer-safe dish for up to 3 months, cooking the chicken fully to 165°F when you reheat and finish it. Or fully cook it first, chill, and freeze the same way.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe runs about 7 net carbs per serving. The number in the recipe card below will recalculate once this post is republished, so use it as an estimate until then.
Yes, just reduce the cook time so it doesn’t turn stringy or tough, since breast meat cooks faster and dries out more easily than thighs.
Keep it simple, steamed broccoli, pan-fried green beans, or a simple veggie side all work. The main dish already carries a lot of flavor, so a side shouldn’t compete with it.
Yes, either stop right before the chicken finishes cooking and freeze it that way, cooking it fully when you reheat, or cook the whole dish first and freeze it complete.
Add Preferred SourceCreamy Country Chicken (low-carb, keto)
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 8 ounces mushrooms
- 6 ounces green beans
- 1 cup carrots
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- parsley for garnish
Instructions
- 1. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towel (to reduce oil spits), and season well with the salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Starting skin side down, brown the chicken thighs for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
- 2. Remove all but 1 tbsp of the chicken fat from the pan. Add the chopped onions, garlic, celery, and carrots. Sautee for 3-4 minutes until softened slightly. Add the mushrooms and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- 3. Put the chicken back in the skillet. Add the chopped green beans, chicken stock, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 12-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and the internal temperature is 165-F.
- 4. Remove the lid and add the cream. Bring back to a simmer and let cook for 2-3 minutes with the lid off to condense the flavors. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with your favorite veggies.
Video
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Like This? Also Try:
- Chicken Taco Casserole
- Lemon-Oregano Chicken Kabobs
- Greek Chicken Meatballs
- and be sure to check out my cookbooks!
This looks like such a delicious dish that the whole family will enjoy – and I love that it is keto too!
I love how easy it is to prepare this creamy chicken dish. It’s great that it’s also a keto dish.
My kids would love this because chicken always wins! Creamy makes it even better. Can’t believe it’s keto too.
Such a delicious meal for a large family. love the fact you made this creamy and rich.
A classic recipe! The tips were really helpful
You got me at creamy! This is a fantastic homey dish that we enjoy regularly on weeknights. This recipe is easy to follow and comes out perfect.
Move out of the way traditional chicken soup…made this for my husband and I down with the flu, so easy to make and sooo comforting! On my list of go too’s. And keto to boot
So glad you loved it! It sure is a comforting dish! Feel better soon!