Keto Southwestern Chicken

Chicken breast has the tendency to get boring after eating it the same way, over and over. Keto Southwestern Chicken is an exciting way to change up your boring chicken! The breast is prepared hasselback style, meaning small slits are cut halfway into the meat. Each chicken breast is then stuffed with peppers and onions, spices, and topped with cheese. I bake the whole breasts until tender, and you can top with optional cilantro and sour cream. The best part about this dish is that it is completely Keto-friendly! Keto Southwestern Chicken is an awesome, exciting way to eat your dinner.

Recipes Similar to Keto Southwestern Chicken:

Chicken with Feta Cheese and Spinach

Panko Lemon Pepper Chicken

Barbecue Chicken and Black Bean Flatbread

Keto Sesame Crusted Chicken

What Does it Mean to be Keto?

The ketogenic diet is a high fat, moderate protein, low carb diet. It’s goal is to ween the body off of as much carbs and sugar as possible, allowing your body to run on ketones instead of glucose, which is derived from sugar. When on the keto diet, the body is forced to burn fat as opposed to carbs, because carbs are not being ingested. This dish is a high protein dish with very few carbs per serving.

If you are thinking about trying out the keto diet, there is a ton of information just a google search away. If you are on a keto diet, try my Keto Cauliflower Breadsticks and Marinara Sauce recipe!

Ingredients in Keto Southwestern Chicken

• extra virgin olive oil
• minced garlic
• red bell pepper
• yellow bell pepper
• yellow onion
• diced green chilis
• chicken breasts
• salt
• black pepper
• ground cumin
• chili powder
• reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese

How to Make Keto Southwestern Chicken

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil, garlic, bell peppers, and onions, cooking until they are very soft, 8-10 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low, add the green chilis with their juice, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Then remove the skillet from the heat.

While the skillet is cooling, prepare the chicken to be stuffed. Make 4-6 diagonal slits in each chicken breast, being careful to not slice all the way through.

Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken and fill each slit evenly with the vegetable mixture.

Season the tops of the stuffed chicken with cumin and chili powder, and top each chicken breast with 2 tablespoons of cheese.

Bake until done, 20-22 minutes.

Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then garnish each chicken breast with optional sour cream and cilantro as desired, and serve with a lime wedge to squeeze over the chicken.