Move over shrimp, there’s another scampi in town, and just one bite of this keto Chicken Scampi will make you a fan! Follow me, Chef Jenn, as I show you all my chef tips and tricks to make this amazing keto chicken recipe perfectly every time!
This keto main dish is a dinner winner, and it comes together in under 30 minutes. Plus, with a lemon-garlic sauce so good you’ll want to lick your plate, you’ll be making this keto Chicken Scampi recipe again and again!
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what You Need To Make Keto Chicken Scampi
- Digital meat thermometer
- Chicken tenders – see my notes below
- Avocado or olive oil
- Chicken broth – make your own chicken bone broth to keep it low in net carbs!
- Lemon – fresh is best!
- Garlic – fresh is best!
- Butter – ice cold butter cut into chunks
- Parsley
- Green onion
What Kind of Chicken Cuts for Chicken Scampi?
Chicken tenders are my favorite for making this amazing keto Chicken Scampi. They cook quickly and there’s no trimming required (unless you remove the white tendon from the tenders but I rarely do.)
However, you can also use boneless and skinless chicken thighs in chicken scampi, or cut up a boneless and skinless chicken breast.
How To Make Chicken Scampi
- Heat a good, heavy skillet over medium high heat on the stovetop. A cast iron skillet is perfect for this job!
- Heat the oil in the skillet until it is shimmering but not smoking.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper and lay it into the skillet. Brown the chicken for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown, then flip it over.
- When the chicken is all browned (you may have to work in batches) set it aside.
- Add the chicken broth to the skillet and turn the heat up a bit to simmer the broth and reduce it by about half. Add the chicken (and any juices from the plate) and simmer until the chicken is cooked to 165-F. Use a good digital thermometer to be accurate.
- When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the skillet (put it on a clean plate) add the lemon juice and turn off the heat.
- Using a whisk, add 2-3 cubes of butter at a time, whisking it in to create a luscious and thickened sauce.
- Add the parsley and green onion to the sauce and spoon it over the chicken. Enjoy!
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- If you don’t mind a few extra carbs, add a splash (1/4 cup or so) of white wine to the pan after you remove the chicken. Let the wine cook and reduce by about 1/2 before adding the chicken broth.
- A pinch of red pepper flakes will add a nice bit of heat to this dish.
- Don’t overcook the chicken or it will dry out and your tenders will be tough.
- Make sure the heat is off when you make the butter sauce. You don’t want to melt the butter too quickly or you’ll end up with a buttery mess.
- If your sauce does separate (the butter pools apart from the broth and lemon juice) take an immersion blender to it and that should help to recombine the sauce.
What Goes well with Chicken Scampi
Add a nice veggie like Simple Cauliflower Rice or Beans with Bacon and you’ll have a meal the whole family will love! Another tasty pick is this air fryer Asparagus with Garlic – lemon sauce and garlic? Yes please! And, if they’re not on keto, simply make some noodles or rice for them as a side dish.
Does This Keto Chicken REcipe Freeze?
Weeeelll….yes. It will freeze. However, the sauce will separate and won’t look so creamy when you thaw and heat it. You can get around that by hitting the sauce with an immersion blender.
To freeze this keto chicken scampi no wine recipe, cool it overnight in the fridge. Then, put it into freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to three months.
Thaw it in the fridge overnight, and heat it slowly in the oven or in a pan on the stovetop. See my notes below for heating the buttery scampi sauce.
How to Reheat Scampi Sauce
This is a butter-based sauce so if you get it too hot, the butter will separate. My trick is to heat the chicken separately from the sauce. Then, when the chicken is piping hot, spoon the cold sauce over the top. It’ll melt just enough to be tasty, without separating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! It sure can be. To help control the carbs, the chicken isn’t dusted in flour, and there’s no wine in the creamy scampi sauce. With 2 net carbs per serving, you can feel good about eating this easy keto chicken recipe.
It is going to taste similar to the Olive Garden’s version, but theirs is served with pasta and the chicken is dusted with flour, and the sauce is also thickened with flour making it too high in carbs for a keto diet.
This recipe has 2 net carbs per generous serving, making it a great choice for keto and low-carb diets.
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Step By Step Process
Ingredients in Chicken Scampi. 
Everything prepped. 
Brown the chicken. 
Reduce the broth. 
Add the butter and stir. 
Add parsley.
Keto Chicken Scampi
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds raw chicken tenders
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large skillet. Sesaon the chicken tenders with the salt and pepper. Over medium-high heat, brown the chicken on both sides. Work in batches and don't over-crowd the pan. Add more oil as needed.
- Remove the chicken and add the garlic. Cook for one minute. Add the chicken broth and simmer a few minutes to reduce and concentrate the broth flavor.
- Return the chicken to the pan (along with any juices) and simmer the chicken 2-3 minutes or until it is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a serving dish, leaving the juice behind in the pan.
- Cut the cold garlic into chunks. Remove the broth from the heat and add the lemon juice. Using a whisk, whisk in 2-3 of the cold butter cubes to the pan, whisking until melted. Add another 2-3 cubes and repeat until the butter is incpororated and the sauce is slightly thickened. Add the green onion and parsley and check for seasoning.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken tenders and enjoy!
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.
More Easy Keto Recipes to Love
Need more keto goodness? Check out this hearty minestrone soup or more keto soups and chowders. Or, this keto Corned Beef Hash might be a tasty pick for you and your family.
I made this recipe last weekend and it was incredible! Thanks so much for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Only 30 minutes to all this deliciousness? Yes please! My busy week needs more fabulous recipes like this one!
This sounds amazing and it’s done in under 30 minutes? Yes, please!
I’ve only ever tried shrimp scampi, but this looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it!!
Such a great way to serve chicken, so easy, and really delicious. I’m adding this to our meal rotation. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
This is one of my favorite weeknight dinners – it’s on the table so fast, and everyone loves it!
We made this last week and it was delish! Super quick for a weeknight meal.
I was all ready to make shrimp scampi and realized I defrosted the wrong thing. So viola – found your recipe for chicken scampi and so happy I tried this instead. My kids do not eat keto but sure wanted more bites of my meal – it was that good.
Oh is this a perfect meal for a weeknight. Simple to make and delicious!
The bright lemon flavor paired with green beans is a delicious accompaniment to the pan-fried chicken.
Oh, I just love easy and quick recipes with simple ingredients, and plus it is so delicious, too! Thank you for this lovely recipe!