Possible Allergy warning – please read all recipes carefully
and be aware of any allergies or sensitivities that may affect your health and well-being

******************************

Please Fave the original Here

Our Patron Saint of BACON™ has some new recipes for our group!

******************************

Vrghr Cooks Keto!

Wuff hosted a birthday party at the shop today. The person celebrating was on a very strict Keto diet, so wuff took it as a challenge to create dishes that not only they could enjoy, but that everyone else in the shop would like as well.

The result: Chicken 2 Ways!
- A lemony Chicken Piccata with fresh lemon, capers, and artichoke hearts.
- A savory Buttery Garlic and Mushroom Chicken with bacon

Both used a seasoned almond flour dredge to coat flattened chicken breast tenders, which were quick fried in butter and olive oil before adding them to their respective sauces to finish cooking and pick up their respective flavors. Wuff offered side dishes of Buttered Cauliflower Rice with Italian Seasoning, and steamed buttery Squash Noodles of zucchini and calabacita squash that Vrghr ran through his little "zoodler machine".

Wuff made those squash noodles a bit more picturesque by peeling alternating strips of the squash skin, so the noodles had an alternating dark and light pattern when they went through the "zoodler".

Dessert was a real challenge! How does one offer a suitable birthday goodie with no carbs and no sugar? Vrghr will send what he came up with in the next post. But suffice to say, it turned out GREAT!

As did these two dishes. Folks raved at the flavors and textures, and the birthday boy was ecstatic over them!

If Vrghr's calculations are correct, the whole meal should clock in under 10gr of carbs, and under net 5gr of sugar (including the dessert). Note - this is NOT low-fat. It does use butter, olive oil, and bacon. But with the use of the cauliflower and squash, it shouldn't be TOO high in calories.

It definitely packed in the flavors though! And it left folks happy and satisfied after the meal. And wuffy can't ask more than that!

NOTE: The two recipes share a LOT of the ingredients and preparation techniques. So wuff will present both versions below. The ingredients listed for the shared dredge will make either or the other, but you'll have to increase the amounts if you're making both at once.

NOTE 2: Wuff will provide the recipes for the Cauliflower Rice and Squash Noodles here too. They are both Ultra Simple microwave dishes, quick and easy to prepare.

INGREDIENTS:
For the Dredge:

~2/3-1 C Almond flour
2 tsp Italian Herbs seasoning
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

For the Garlic Chicken:

1 TBS baking soda + 1 C cold water
1.5 lb chicken tenders, pounded flat
4-5 strips thick BACON, chopped
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (reserve 2-3 TBS and chill them)
~5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8-10 oz Crimini Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 C Chicken Stock
1 med Onion, diced
3 TBS minced garlic
1/3 C fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped, divided

For the Piccata Chicken:

1TBS Baking Soda + 1 C cold water
1.5 lb chicken tenders, pounded flat
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (reserve 2-3 TBS and chill them)
~5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 large Lemons
Zest of 1 lemon
1 C Chicken Stock
1 3.5oz jar of Brined Capers (undrained)
3 Shallots, finely diced
3 TBS minced Garlic
1/3 C fresh Italian flat-leaf Parsley, chopped, divided
1 8oz Jar Artichoke Hearts (undrained)
1-1.5 TBS Monk Fruit Sweetener (as needed)

2 Lemons, Sliced for pan and Garnish

For the Cauliflower Rice:

2 12oz bags of "Steam in the bag" Cauliflower Rice
2 oz butter
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp Salt & Pepper (to taste)

For the Squash Noodles (Zoodles):

3 small Zucchini Squash
3 calabacita Squash (Can use all zucchini or sub yellow Summer squash)
1/4 C Water
2 oz butter
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Squash "zoodler" spiral slicer device



DIRECTIONS:

Sprinkle the tenders with kosher salt. Put the tenders between sheets of plastic wrap and pound them flat with mallet, pan, rolling pin, etc., until they are about 1/4-inch thick.

Add the baking soda + water to a zip bag and add the pounded chicken to the bag. Refrigerate for 15=30 minutes or while the bacon is chopped and frying (Soaking the chicken in the soda improves juiciness, texture, and browning)

Put the flour dredge ingredients into a large, shallow bowl or into a gallon zip top bag. Whisk or shake to combine

For the Garlic Chicken:

Chop the BACON into 1/4 inch segments

In a large skillet (or electric fry pan) over medium high heat, fry the bacon until mostly crisp. Remove to plate but retain the bacon fat in the skillet. Add the butter and olive oil and stir to combine (May want to pour off some to “refresh” the oil later)

Remove the chicken from the zip bag and pat dry. Add the flattened chicken tenders to the flour and shake/dredge until coated

Add the coated chicken to the pan with the oil/bacon fat. Fry until golden brown on both sides, about 3-5 minutes on each side depending on thickness – do this in batches if the pieces don't fit comfortably in the pan, refreshing the oil as needed. Be careful not to overcook, as they will cook a little more while warming in the sauce later

Remove the chicken to a large platter covered in paper towels to remove extra grease. Repeat for additional batches of chicken as needed

Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining oil/butter mix, add the diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent the garlic is fragrant

Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté until darkened, tender, and the moisture has left them

Add half the parsley and the chicken stock. Bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor

Check for seasoning, and adjust with salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning as desired

Stir in 2 TBS cold cubed butter and whisk to emulsify

Return all the chicken and most of the bacon to the pan and simmer for 3-4 minutes for the flavors to combine

To plate, pour sauce over chicken, making sure to get some mushrooms and garlic on each cutlet

Garnish with parsley and the rest of the bacon bits

Serve over Cauliflower Rice or Zoodles

For the Picatta Chicken:

In a large skillet or electric fry pan, add the butter and olive oil. Heat until shimmering

Remove the chicken from the zip bag and pat dry. Add the flattened chicken tenders to the flour and shake/dredge until coated

Add the coated chicken to the pan with the oil/butter. Fry until golden brown on both sides, about 3-5 minutes on each side depending on thickness – do this in batches if the pieces don't fit comfortably in the pan, refreshing the oil as needed. Be careful not to overcook, as they will cook a little more while warming in the sauce later

Remove the chicken to a large platter covered in paper towels to remove extra grease. Repeat for additional batches of chicken as needed

Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining oil/butter mix, add the fine diced shallots and minced garlic. Sauté until the shallots are translucent the garlic is fragrant

Add the lemon juice and lemon zest into the pan, half the lemon slices, half the parsley, chicken stock, and capers with their brine. Bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Add the undrained Artichoke hearts and break them up a bit with the spoon

Check for seasoning, and adjust with salt and lemon pepper as desired. If the lemon flavor is too acid/bitter, add a bit of Monk Fruit sweetener as needed to balance (Vrghr added 1 TBS). Stir to combine

Stir in 2 TBS cold cubed butter and whisk to emulsify

Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 3-4 minutes for the flavors to combine

To plate, pour sauce over chicken, making sure to get some capers and artichoke heart on each cutlet

Serve over Cauliflower Rice or Zoodles

For the Cauliflower Rice:

Prepare the Cauliflower Rice according to the package directions (wuff microwaved his for 5 minutes each package)

Add to a large bowl with butter, salt, pepper, and seasoning. Toss to combine

For the Squash Noodles:

Optional: Peel strips off the squash leaving strips of skin in between in alternating stripes (this creates a nice alternating light/dark pattern on the zoodles)

Nip the stem and bud end off with a knife, and run each squash through the "Zoodler" machine to cut into spiral squash noodles

Place in a large microwave safe bowl. Add the water. Cover top well with plastic wrap and punch a few holes here and there to let out the steam

Microwave on high for 3 minutes and toss to move the inside squash to the edges and vice versa

Return to microwave and microwave on high for an additional 5 minutes

(NOTE: Vrghr used a 1000W microwave. Microwave powers vary. You want these to be steamed and tender, but not mush. They should still have decent structure left. Adjust your times as needed.)

Remove plastic wrap. Pour off any remaining water. Add the butter, salt, and pepper, and seasoning. Toss to combine and coat

Serve your choice of Chicken over the Zoodles or Cauliflower Rice (or both)

!DEVOUR!