Easy! This delicious 30-minute low-carb chicken is your new favorite go-to dish for a busy weeknight. So effortless, all the cooking is done in one pan!

This creamy low-carb chicken is juicy, flavorful and tender in each bite. On weekdays we try to stick to low-carb meals, but that doesn’t mean we sacrifice flavor or make a dish the whole family won’t love. In fact, carb-free and keto-friendly meals can feel like a cheat meal without any of the guilt. Low-carb lasagna stuffed peppers are a great example!
Looking for more gluten-free, low-carb, & keto recipes? Peruse our roundup of 10 Crazy Easy Low-Carb Recipes.
How to Make Low-Carb Chicken in 30 Minutes
Preparing this easy low-carb chicken only requires 6 ingredients and an oven-safe skillet.
- Brown the Chicken: Season the chicken breasts with garlic parsley salt and brown them on both sides in a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Remove them from skillet and set them aside.
- Prepare the Creamy Sauce: Into the same skillet, add the heavy whipping cream, parmesan and pressed garlic. Bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Add the Chicken Back In: Next, add the chicken back into the sauce and top it with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake the Chicken: Pop the chicken into the oven and bake it at 360℉ for 15 minutes.
Cooking Tip: If you don’t want to use an oven for the last 15 minutes of cooking, you can cover the chicken with a lid and cook it on the stove top.


Pro Tips for the Tastiest Low-Carb Chicken
A couple of foolproof tips will help you make the creamiest, full-flavored low-carb chicken possible.
- Brown the chicken over medium heat. To ensure you don’t burn or overcook the chicken before baking it, brown it quickly over medium heat just until both sides turn a golden brown color. All you’re looking to do in this step is add a bit of texture and bring out the taste.
- Cook everything in the same pan. Whatever you do, don’t toss out the chicken drippings that develop from the browning process! These bits add so much flavor the creamy sauce.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to gauge doneness. If you’re unsure if your chicken is fully-cooked, use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the chicken has reached to 165℉ degrees. Make sure to stick the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast for the most accurate reading!
Like it extra creamy? Add a 1/4 cup of cream cheese softened at room temperature.
Different Variations
Looking to make this low-carb chicken your own? Find a couple of ideas to inspire you here.
- Vegetables and Chicken – Adding broccoli like in our creamy chicken and broccoli recipe, or even spinach, tomatoes, asparagus etc will make the dish full of color and extra fiber
- Make Cheesy Crust – Sprinkle some shredded parmesan cheese on top before placing the chicken in the oven
- Mix in Bacon Crisps – When is adding bacon ever a bad choice? Pop some pan-fried bacon bits right into the mix for an extra pop of flavor
- Cream of Mushroom – Add mushrooms to create that cream of mushroom type of flavor you know and love from Thanksgiving-style green bean casseroles
Serving Low-Carb Chicken
Low-carb chicken is wonderful served atop veggies like riced cauliflower or broccoli. You can also drizzle that creamy gravy over roasted asparagus and serve the chicken on the side. If you are going to indulge in some carbs, serve it over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or a steaming pile of white rice.
Storing Low-Carb Chicken
If you have some leftovers to stow away, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Avoid freezing this dish, as cream-based sauces tend to curdle and separate upon thawing. Stick to only making what you can eat within a week!
Reheating Tip: Reheat this dish by popping it back in a skillet over medium heat on the stovetop or covering it with foil in the oven. You can also zap it in the microwave for a couple of minutes.
FAQ
Is a low-carb chicken dish also good for a keto diet?
Most of the time a low-carb chicken is perfectly suitable for a keto diet. Just make sure that you read the recipe closely and that it matches up with your dietary restrictions.
Are chicken breasts low in carbs?
Yes, chicken breasts are naturally low in carbs. In fact, with the skin off they contain zero grams of carbs and are super high in protein.
Is heavy cream low in carbs?
Heavy whipping cream is high in fat and low in carbs, making it perfect for low-carb and keto diets. From sauces to soups, it’s a go-to ingredient for those looking to cut out processed grains.
Other Low-Carb Chicken Recipes
- Chicken and Mushrooms with Asparagus – Delicious and simple stir fry
- Instant Pot Chicken Thighs – Your go-to meal prep chicken
- Easy Chicken Fajitas Recipe – Zesty chicken & peppers
- Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs – 30-minute crispy, skin-on chicken thighs
Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 3 garlic cloves pressed
- garlic parsley salt to taste
- oil for cooking
Instructions
- Prepare all the ingredients and preheat oven to 360℉.
- Season the chicken breasts with garlic parsley salt on both sides. Preheat a well oiled, oven-safe skillet over medium heat and brown the chicken on both sides. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
- In the same skillet, whisk the heavy whipping cream, shredded parmesan cheese, and pressed garlic together. Bring the mixture to a simmer, add the chicken back into the pan, and top it with shredded mozzarella.
- Place the skillet in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165℉. Serve immediately and enjoy!
I tried this and loved it but was wondering what is the serving size?
Hey Kortney, it's hard to give an exact serving size for the sauce, but for the chicken it would be about half a chicken breast. I hope this helps!
This low-carb chicken recipe looks amazing! I love that it's a one-pan meal and can be served with veggies or carbs. However, I'm curious how it can still be considered low-carb with 2 cups of heavy whipping cream? Can you explain the nutritional information and carb count per serving? Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!
Heavy cream does not have any carbs.
Hi Garry, thank you for stopping by. According to nutrition calculator, this recipe only has 3 grams of carbs per serving. Hope this helps.
We love this chicken at our house. I pair it with broccoli for us keto parents and tortellini for my son who isn't keto but still loves it.
Hi Alice, I am thrilled to hear that you love this recipe as much as we do! Thank you so much for your feedback. Enjoy!
Did you add the asparagus or broccoli or mushrooms in before the oven or add it in right before serving
Hi Lori- I'd just roast some asparagus or broccoli in the oven in a different baking sheet (while the chicken bakes in step 4) and then serve it alongside the chicken. Enjoy! 🙂
Wow, is this delicious or what?? My only change was I added some leftover cauliflower and some mushrooms to my pan before putting it in the oven. Good lord, I could eat this every day! Thanks so much for a great, super easy recipe💕
Yay, that's awesome Sharie and you're very welcome! We love this dish and have it often. Great idea adding more veggies to the pan.
For those who want low carb but not high fatty, substitute the heavy cream with evaporated milk….
Love the recipe!
Oh! That sounds interesting, Kathryn. Thanks for sharing with everyone. I'm happy you enjoyed the recipe and tweaked it to make it your own.
What do you finish the recipe off with is it basil?
Hi Alex, we add greens for garnish so the photos look a bit better 🙂 But its totally optional, basil is great in this recipe.
I loved this dish! I never follow any recipe so I did add Sautéed chopped onions to the skillet after removing the browned chicken. Next time I'll use 1/2 the cream, but it was delicious! I have left overs for tomorrow. Gonna serve it over fresh stir fried green beans with a little bacon! H
Hello Cathy, thank you for your feedback. Haha, I do not mind that you don't follow the recipes exactly, they are here as a guide, I love hearing everyone's variations. Thank you for taking the time to comment your feedback!
An amazing recipe that helps me stay strong in my diet plan and the recipe is delicious. Thank you so much for sharing your experience.
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback!
I am confused about the calorie count. 2 cups of whipping cream equates to 1600 calories, just from the cream. What are you using to get this calorie count?
Hi Sarah, we use a calculator that works with blogs, and that calorie count is per serving.
Hi Natalya, my wife and I loved the recipe! Following up on Sarah's comment, given your serving size of 1/6 translates to 267 cal per serving just for 2 cups of heavy whipping cream (=1600/6). I looked up the calorie count for all the ingredients, and again given the 1/6 serving size resulted in 534 calories and 2 g of carbs per serving. You may want to reconsider the 192 cal per serving you currently show... regardless, an awesome dish!
Chuck, thank you for pointing that out. We have recalculated the calories, they have been updated. Appreciate your help!
Can I use minced garlic instead of garlic gloves?
Hey Alyssa, yes for sure!
What other type of cheese can I use to substitute for parmesan cheese? I really would like to try out this recipe but I don't think I can get parmesan cheese anywhere around me
Hey Amina, any hard cheese that has a deep flavor. Parmesan makes the sauce creamy as well.
How many carbs ?
Hi Erin, we dont have the ability to add carb calculations to the recipes. I would suggest using an app that calculates the ingredients and gives you the amount.
This is one of the creamy chicken recipes and I want to make sure that include it in my diet plan.
I hope you love the recipe!
Sounds delish! But just wondering how 2 cups of whipping cream can be described as low carb? I must be missing something - but heavy cream isn't low carb.
Heavy cream is low carb.
The nutritional facts on my heavy whipping cream say 0(zero)
Hey Christina, heavy cream mostly fat is also perfect on a low-carb diet. This is an ideal recipe for those that are doing a keto diet.
Hi Natalya. This chicken recipe was really delicious. I will definitely do it again. Thanks for sharing dear.
Rita, I am so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Hi, Natalya, where do you check your recipe Nutritional Info? I input the ingredients in MyFitnessPal and it came out to be over 300 calories/serving.... What heavy cream do you use?
Hey Marina, we use a calculator that works with blogs. Not sure how MyFitnessPal calculates their calories.
I don't have an oven safe skillet so I transferred the sauce and chicken to a pyrex baking dish to finish the cooking. Turned out delicious! One question, what is the carb count per serving?
This was very delicious and super easy. Thank you. Will be making it again
Nataliia, thank you for sharing. I am so happy to hear this feedback. Enjoy your dinner!
This was very tasty and so easy. Thank you 😊
Yeyyy! Thank you!
This recipe says low carb but does not include the carbohydrate count in the nutritional facts. Could you provide that information?
What do you season the chicken with?
Use garlic parsley salt for seasoning.
What skillet would you recommend to use for this recipe? Thanks!
I like a cast-iron skillet. It holds heat evenly. I use Staub and really like it.
Sounds easy and yummy. Will definitely try it. I love recipes like this, I can make it on weeknights when we usually don’t have time to cook.
Thank you! I totally understand you about weeknights, they can get so hectic.