Easy LowCarb Meal
Chicken thighs have been a staple of my low-carb lifestyle for years. This recipe is one that I found in Diane Sanfilippo’s 21-Day Sugar Detox book. I love this recipe, it’s so easy and super delicious. Over the years I have adjusted the recipe a little but it’s still pretty much the original recipe. Her recipe calls for 12 thighs. I’m the only one in my house who will eat bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs so 12 isn’t realistic. I typically make 4-8 at any one time. What I don’t do is reduce the sauce ; )
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Ingredients
The other ingredients that make the thighs so tasty are coconut oil or butter, mustard (gluten-free), dried sage, sea salt and black pepper. I switch between coconut oil and butter.
Low-Carb/Ketogenic Lifestyle
The key to a low-carb or ketogenic lifestyle is not about what you are adding to your diet, it’s all about what you are removing. KEEP YOUR CARBS LOW. If you need or want to keep it simple, remember that one thing, carbs need to be low.
1 large chicken thigh with this mustardy-spice sauce will have about 20 grams of protein and 20 grams of fat and ZERO carbs. Your carbs will come from your added sides. So, like I said, if you’re still hungry have another chicken thigh.
Make a Meal
Let’s look at some approximate carb counts for veggie sides. I say approximate because I’m grabbing these numbers from my CarbManager database. I haven’t specifically weighed this stuff out.
1/2 cup Cooked Spinach = 1 g of NET CARBS: 3 total carbs – 2 g fiber
1 cup Mashed Cauliflower (Trader Joe’s) = 5 g of NET CARBS: 7 total carbs – 2 g fiber
1 cup Broccoli Florets (Trader Joe’s) = 2 g NET CARBS: 4 total carbs – 2 g fiber
1/2 an Avocado = 1 NET CARB: 6 total carbs – 5 g fiber
So, if you have a large chicken thigh, 1/2 cup of cooked spinach (measure after it’s cooked) and 1 cup of mashed cauliflower you will have a meal of 6 net carbs. Add 1/2 an avocado and you’re at 7 net carbs.
A Low Carb Day of Food
What might a day of food look like?
- First Meal: 3 eggs, 3 pieces of bacon, 1/2 an avocado = 1 net carbs
- Second Meal/Snack: BLT lettuce Wrap = 7 net carbs
- Third Meal: Chicken Thigh(s), Mashed Cauli, Spinach & 1/2 an avocado = 7 net carbs
Total of 15 net carbs for the day. My goal is 30 net carbs or less. This is a good day of food and very low-carb. I’m sure you’re wondering what the calories are and probably the fats and proteins. Here ya go. The totals include the above food plus 2 tablespoons of butter. I cook eggs in butter and I would have added a bit of butter to both the spinach and the cauliflower:
- Total calories = 1430
- Total Fat = 107 g
- Total Protein = 94 g
The Recipe
LowCarb Chicken Thighs
Notes
If the chicken thighs are large I count 1 thigh as a serving, if they are small I usually count 2 thighs as a serving.
Make extra, they are excellent as leftovers.
Carbs = 0, Calories = 268, Fat = 20 g, Protein = 21 g
Ingredients
- 6 Chicken Thighs, Skin & Bones
- 1/4 cup of Melted Butter or Coconut Oil
- 2 Tbsp. Gluten-free Mustard
- 3/4 tsp. Dried Sage
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pre-heat Oven to 425 degrees
- Rinse and dry each chicken thigh. Place thighs in a rimmed baking dish.
- Salt and pepper the thighs to your taste
- Melt the coconut or butter
- In a small bowl, combine the melted fat, mustard, sage and salt - whisk until well combined
- Using a pastry brush (or whatever you like) evenly spread the fatty-mustard sauce onto the chicken thighs
- Bake for 45 minutes. If using a thermometer, the chicken is done at 165 degrees when inserted into the center of the thickest thigh.
- Remove from oven and serve with your favorite low-carb sides
Nutrition Facts
LowCarb Chicken Thighs
Serves:
|
Amount Per Serving: 1 Large Thigh
|
||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 268 | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 20 | 30.8% | |
| Saturated Fat | 0 | |
| Trans Fat | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 | |
| Sodium | 0 | |
| Total Carbohydrate 0 | 0 | |
| Dietary Fiber 0 | 0 | |
| Sugars 0 | ||
| Protein 21 | ||
| Vitamin A | Vitamin C | |
| Calcium | Iron | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
The Simplicity of Wellness
Want More Yummy Food?
If you’d like to give this idea of eating low-sugar, protein rich real food a TEST RUN I’ve made it super simple. No kitchen math, no wondering what to eat. I even give you some ideas for quick, prepared food substitutions that make eating right easy even when you’re tired or short on time.-
a visual meal outline for each day with daily nutritional information
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25 full recipes (enjoy the leftovers) with nutritional information for each recipe
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a full grocery list for all ingredients
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snack options
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no-cook substitutions
Be well,
I’m Amy a board certified holistic nutritionist, certified functional nutritionist and lifestyle practitioner and certified Life Coach. I help women in midlife understand the changing needs of their body so that they can stop dieting and lose weight permanently. At 56 I live what I teach. Don’t believe the story that your best years are behind you. They are not. Your best years are just starting!