Keto Pesto Chicken Casserole with feta cheese and olives

Mediterranean superstars — feta cheese, olives, and pesto — unite in this creamy, easy-to-make keto chicken dish. Whether using low-carb, store-bought, or your own homemade pesto, give it a go. Your taste buds — and your family — will thank you!

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Keto Pesto Chicken Casserole

• Servings: 4

• Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs boneless chicken thighs

• salt and pepper

• 2 tbsp butter or coconut oil

• 1⁄3 cup (2¾ oz.) red pesto or green pesto

• 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream

• 3 oz. (2⁄3 cup) pitted olives

• 5 oz. (1 cup) feta cheese, diced

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

To serve

• 5 oz. (2½ cups) leafy greens

GET YOUR CUSTOM KETO DIET: CLICK HERE

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add butter or oil to a large skillet and fry the chicken pieces in batches over medium-high heat until golden brown.
4. Combine pesto and heavy cream in a bowl.
5. Place the fried chicken pieces in a baking dish together with olives, feta cheese, and garlic. Add the pesto/cream mixture.
6. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until the dish, turns bubbly and light brown around the edges.

Tips

A number of low-carb, store-bought varieties of pesto are available in most grocery stores.

Red pesto is typically made with basil leaves, tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, pine nuts, and garlic. Green pesto is typically made with basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, pine nuts, and garlic. Look for ones with real olive oil, not soybean oil or canola oil, no sugar, and less than 5 net carbs per serving.

A simple side dish of field greens or crunchy romaine lettuce complements the rich flavors. Lightly sautéed asparagus or green beans work, too.

If you feel like making this dish even heartier you can pair it with cauliflower rice, roasted cauliflower or fried broccoli.

GET YOUR CUSTOM KETO DIET: CLICK HERE

Meal prep

This dish can be prepared by frying the chicken ahead of time. You can assemble the entire casserole and keep it in the fridge for a day before baking it. Just make sure you let it come to room temperature before placing it in the oven. It's also good to give it a stir since the pesto can sink to the bottom.

If you have chicken or turkey leftovers, they are perfect for this dish. Just skip the first 3 steps of the instructions and take it from there. If you're short on time you can also use a rotisserie chicken. Take the meat off the bones and divide it into bite-sized pieces. Follow the instructions from step 3.

GET YOUR CUSTOM KETO DIET: CLICK HERE

Storing and reheating

If you intend to eat the casserole within 2-3 days you can store it in the fridge. Otherwise, it's better to place the casserole in the freezer where it will last up to 3 months. Make sure your casserole dish is suitable for freezing.

If freezing, let thaw in the refrigerator the day before you plan on serving it. Don’t place a cold baking dish straight from the fridge into a hot oven as this can cause your dish to crack. Reheat the casserole in the oven at 300°F (150°C) until thoroughly warm.