This Keto Skillet Chicken with Lemon, Artichokes, and Feta is what I make on a night I want something that tastes like a restaurant dish but only dirties one pan. Bright lemon, briny artichokes, and salty feta turn simple seared chicken into something worth the extra ten minutes.
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I reach for this one on busy weeknights as easily as I do for something a little more special. Deglazing the pan with wine builds real depth into the sauce, and it comes together fast enough that it doesn’t feel like a project even on a tired evening.
Skip the shallots and go lighter on the garlic if you’re eating strict keto and watching every gram closely.
Chef Jenn’s Take on Keto Skillet Chicken with Lemon, Artichokes & Feta
A lot of skillet chicken recipes skip the deglazing step entirely, and the sauce ends up thin and flat as a result. All those browned bits stuck to the pan after searing the chicken are where most of the real flavor lives, and a splash of wine is what pulls them back into the dish.
Xanthan gum is what keeps the sauce keto-friendly while it still thickens up properly. A little goes a long way, so start with a small amount and whisk it in while the sauce is simmering, not while it’s cold, or it can clump instead of dissolving smoothly.
What You’ll Love About Keto Skillet Chicken with Lemon, Artichokes & Feta
- It tastes like something you’d order at a nice restaurant, but it’s built from a handful of pantry staples and one skillet.
- It comes together fast enough for a weeknight, but it’s special enough to serve when you actually want to impress someone at the table.
- The bright, briny sauce alone is worth making this for, and it makes plain seared chicken feel like a completely different dish.
Ingredients
- Olive oil – Any everyday olive oil works, nothing fancy needed here.
- Chicken breasts – Boneless and skinless, cut into large pieces so they cook evenly.
- Salt and pepper – Season to taste.
- Shallots – A small amount adds real flavor without much carb impact. Skip entirely for a stricter keto approach.
- Garlic – Fresh, minced. Worth the small carb trade-off for the flavor it brings.
- Dry white wine – A dry variety like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio keeps the carbs lower than a sweeter wine.
- Xanthan gum – A little goes a long way. Whisk it into a warm, simmering liquid rather than a cold one to avoid clumping. Chicken broth – Low or no sodium, so you can control the salt level.
- Artichoke hearts – Canned, drained.
- Dried oregano
- Lemon juice and lemon zest
- Capers – Drained. A strong, briny flavor, skip them if that’s not your thing.
- Feta cheese – Any variety you prefer.
- Fresh parsley – For garnish.
How To Make Keto Skillet Chicken with Lemon, Artichokes & Feta
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown. It doesn’t need to cook through yet, it finishes in the sauce later. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet and sauté the shallots and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened. Pour in the white wine, scraping up the browned bits stuck to the pan, and let it reduce until almost evaporated.
Return the chicken to the skillet along with the artichokes, oregano, lemon juice, lemon zest, and chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 10 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F internally.
Remove the chicken and let it rest. Whisk the xanthan gum into the simmering sauce and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken, then stir in the capers and adjust seasoning if needed.
Return the chicken to the skillet or plate it separately, spoon the sauce over the top, and finish with feta and fresh parsley.
Make It A Meal
I serve this over cauliflower rice most nights, or alongside Green Beans Almondine with Bacon if I want a heartier plate. For a full Mediterranean-style spread, round it out with Classic Caprese Salad. If you want another chicken dish in your weeknight rotation, Monterey Chicken for One is an easy one to scale up for the same crowd.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if the sauce has thickened too much. This freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Frequently asked questions
The broth is added along with the artichokes, oregano, lemon juice, and zest, after the wine has reduced and just before the chicken goes back into the skillet to finish cooking.
Yes, swap the white wine for a splash of extra chicken broth with a little vinegar or lemon juice added for acidity.
Xanthan gum is the keto-friendly option this recipe is built around. If you can’t find it, you can leave the sauce a bit thinner rather than substituting a non-keto thickener like cornstarch or flour.
Yes, though the shallots and garlic do add a small amount of carbs. Skip the shallots and go lighter on the garlic if you’re tracking very closely.
Add Preferred SourceSkillet Chicken with Artichokes, Lemon, and Feta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound chicken breast boneless or skinless, cut into thirds
- salt and pepper
- 2 shallots thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 2 cups chicken broth use low or no-sodium
- 14 ounces artichoke hearts drained
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice and lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon capers drained
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
- fresh parsley chopped, optional garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
- Sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown, then transfer to a plate. You don't need to cook the chicken through; it'll finish cooking in the skillet.
- Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet. Sauté the shallots and garlic for 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Pour in the white wine (if using, if not add a splash of chicken broth), scraping up any browned bits, and let it reduce until almost evaporated.
- Return the chicken to the skillet along with the artichokes, oregano, lemon juice, chicken broth and zest. Cover and cook on low for 10 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Remove the chicken and let it rest. Whisk in the xanthan gum (if using) and simmer the sauce for 2-3 minutes to thicken, then stir in the capers and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Return the chicken to the skillet or plate it separately. Spoon the sauce over the top and sprinkle with feta and parsley. Serve warm.
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Whisk the xanthan gum into the sauce while it’s simmering, not cold. Adding it too early or off heat can cause clumping instead of a smooth thickening.
- Don’t skip deglazing the pan with wine. The browned bits left from searing the chicken carry most of the sauce’s flavor.
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.
It’s a delicious recipe, but it calls for chicken broth and never says when to add that. In timing all of the things I was preparing, this really threw off my timing. I chose to add the broth in step 5 with the lemon juice, and since I don’t use Xanthan gum (never even seen it in stores?) I used a slurry of corn starch for thickening, but this took a LOT more time.
Hi there,
Xanthan gum is a specialty thickener that has super thickening properties and basically no carbs. People cutting carbs will use xanthan gum as a thickener so that they don’t add extra carbs to your meal. You may have to get this off of Amazon – here’s an example: xanthan gum. You totally can thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry, and once it comes to a boil the dish is done!