This low-carb keto creamy garlic chicken recipe can be prepared in your Instant Pot or slow cooker and is a perfect freezer meal recipe for busy people! This dish is compliant with primal, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, egg-free, coconut-free, and sugar-free diets, and one serving contains just 3.4 grams of net carbs!
Not only is this dish delicious and full of flavor, it’s also incredibly simple to prepare and even easier to cook. Depending on which appliance you choose to cook it in, it can be on the table and ready to serve in as little as 35 minutes!
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The easiest creamy garlic chicken ever
I love prepping this keto chicken dish and using it as a ready-to-cook freezer meal! Freezer meals are absolute LIFE SAVERS, especially if you often find yourself immersed in chaotic weeknights where your time and energy levels to cook a full meal are minimal. That’s where freezer meals come in handy!
Luckily, preparing this chicken freezer meal is a breeze. It only requires 10 minutes to get everything ready! All you have to do is throw the ingredients into a freezer bag and freeze them. Then, when you’re ready to eat, pull out your Instant Pot or slow cooker and let the appliance do the rest!
Whether you decide to cook this meal in an Instant Pot or a slow cooker, it’s going to turn out perfect. All without the hassle of standing in your kitchen to cook after a busy workday.
If you’re going for the keto chicken Instant Pot method, you don’t even need to thaw the frozen ingredients. You can just put the frozen ingredients directly into the Instant Pot insert and then let it cook, from frozen, for 35 minutes.
If you prefer the keto chicken slow cooker route, then be sure to let the ingredients thaw, which may take upwards of 1 day, before you start cooking the meal in your slow cooker. After the ingredients have thawed and you’ve poured them into the slow cooker insert, in just 6 hours, you’ll have 8 servings ready to enjoy!
Net carbs in this recipe
This freezer meal is both low-carb and keto-compliant. Each serving (1 serving = ~1 cup) contains only 3.4 grams of net carbs!
In addition to being keto-friendly, this freezer meal is also great if you’re on a gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, egg-free, coconut-free, or sugar-free diet!
What makes this easy freezer meal flavorful
Included in this keto chicken freezer meal are so many delicious ingredients that blend together perfectly to give this dish so much incredible flavor. Some of these ingredients include cream cheese, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, and a variety of spices.
With great flavor also come additional health benefits:
- Apple Cider Vinegar: ACV is essentially fermented apple compounds, and it’s way more beneficial than most people realize. It’s full of plant-based antioxidants and manganese (one serving contains 30% of the recommended daily value), and it balances the body’s PH levels. It aids digestion and can help control blood sugar and blood pressure.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Derived from cayenne peppers, red pepper flakes boast quite a high content of Vitamins A, E, C, and B6! There is a property in cayenne peppers called capsaicin, and that is what gives this spice its medicinal benefits. Capsaicin can help reduce hunger, lower blood pressure, and even helps to relieve pain! In addition to being full of healthy benefits, crushed red pepper flakes give meals an extra little tasty kick.
- Garlic Powder: A great source of Manganese and Vitamins B6 and C, garlic powder is so under-appreciated! It’s full of awesome benefits, including its ability to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, fight sickness, and supply the body with antioxidants.
Creamy garlic chicken recipe substitution options
When you make this dish, there are a few substitution options that you may prefer. Scan this list to see if you’d enjoy any of these customizations!
- Chicken Breast: Instead of chicken breast, chicken thighs work great here. Substitute chicken thighs in for chicken breast at a 1:1 ratio.
- Cream Cheese: You can use mascarpone cheese in place of cream cheese at a 1:1 ratio.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: In place of apple cider vinegar, simply use two tablespoons of lemon juice or two tablespoons of lime juice instead.
Note that any ingredient substitutions made will alter the final nutritional content.
Garnish suggestions for this dish
After cooking this meal, I love to garnish each bowl of chicken with finely chopped green onions and crumbled BACON! (Bacon always makes everything tastier, right?!)
How to store this keto chicken freezer meal
Storing the leftovers of this dish is so simple! Keep any extras in an airtight container, refrigerate, and eat within 3 days.
Note that since this meal has ingredients that have already been frozen, it is best to refrain from freezing a second time.
Here’s how to make this chicken recipe
Add all ingredients directly to freezer bag, laying ingredients in even layer so chicken breasts lay flat. There is no mixing required of the ingredients.
Transfer freezer bag to freezer and freeze until you’re ready to cook.
Determine the appliance you will use to cook this recipe and, once decided, follow the below “Instant Pot Instructions” or “Slow Cooker Instructions:”
- Instant Pot Instructions: Add frozen ingredients to your Instant Pot insert, set Instant Pot to “Manual” and set the timer for 25 minutes. After cooking, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure. Once you can unscrew the lid of the Instant Pot, it’s fully depressurized.
- Slow Cooker Instructions: Thaw ingredients in the refrigerator (this may take upwards of 1 day). Add thawed ingredients to your slow cooker, set to cook for 3 hours on high.
Using tongs or forks, shred chicken. Fold in shredded cheddar and stir until well-combined and cheese has melted. In ¼ tsp increments, add xanthan gum and, using a spoon, fold into sauce until sauce thickens.
Serve chicken in bowls and garnish with crumbled bacon and chopped green onion.
Compliant with many diets and lifestyles
Not only is this keto chicken recipe great for the low-carb diet, but it’s also great for a wide variety of other diets!
- Low-Carb and Keto: With only 3.4g net carbs per serving, this chicken freezer meal is completely low carb and keto compliant.
- Primal: This recipe complies with primal diet guidelines.
- Gluten and Grain-Free: There are no gluten or grain products in this dish.
- Egg-Free: No eggs and egg-based products were used in this recipe.
- Nut-Free: This keto freezer meal is completely free of nuts and nut products.
- Coconut-Free: There are no coconut products included in this recipe.
- Sugar-Free: Does not contain refined sugars and sweeteners, making this a great sugar-free meal.
Want more easy keto freezer meal recipes?
If you are looking for more keto-friendly and nut-free meals that are freezer-friendly and made with busy-on-the-go people like you in mind, you will love these options:
Or click on the image below to get the FREE Keto Freezer Meal Recipes eBook!
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Creamy Garlic Chicken Freezer Meal
Ingredients
Freeze Together:
- 1 ¾ pound chicken breasts
- 16 ounces cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dried chives
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon dried dill
- ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Add Before Cooking (Do Not Include in Freezer Bag):
- ½ cup 120mL unsalted chicken broth
Add After Cooking (Do Not Include in Freezer Bag):
- ½ cup 56g shredded sharp cheddar
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum, optional, depending on your preference on creaminess and thickness of sauce
- 6 slices bacon, roughly chopped, cooked, crumbled, excess grease discarded
- ¼ cup finely chopped green onion
Equipment
Instructions
- Prepare Freezer Bag: Add ingredients directly to freezer bag, laying ingredients in even layer so chicken breasts lay flat, (no mixing required!) and freeze until you’re ready to cook.
- To Cook: Determine the appliance you will use to cook this recipe and, once decided, follow the “Instant Pot Instructions” or “Slow Cooker Instructions” as written below.
- Instant Pot Instructions: Add frozen ingredients and chicken broth to your Instant Pot insert, set Instant Pot to “Manual” and set the timer for 25 minutes. After cooking, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure. Once you can unscrew the lid of the Instant Pot, it’s fully depressurized. Move on to “Final Steps” as written below.
- Slow Cooker Instructions: Thaw ingredients in the refrigerator (this may take upwards of 1 day). Add thawed ingredients and chicken broth to your slow cooker, set to cook for 3 hours on high. Move on to “Final Steps” as written below.
- Final Steps: Using tongs or forks, shred chicken. Fold in shredded cheddar and stir until well-combined and cheese has melted. In ¼ tsp increments, add xanthan gum and, using a spoon, fold into sauce until sauce thickens. Serve chicken in bowls and garnish with crumbled bacon and chopped green onion.
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