Keto Harissa Lime Chicken is slightly spicy from Harissa and garlic, sweet like honey from Yacon and tangy from the lime zest and juice. It hits three of the five basic tastes leaving your tongue and stomach in a flavor happiness overload. You will wonder where this dish has been all your life.
Why is it that there is a misconception in our culture that if something is healthy and nutritious it can’t be super tasty? All homemade food should be healthy, nutritious and tasty. Indeed, I believe that you should crave the recipes that you make. Unbelievably, this chicken is low in calories and low in carbohydrates making it a Keto dish.
Surprise, Keto Harissa Lime Chicken is another Spatchcock chicken recipe. Being a busy mom or dad means trying to get dinner on the table in a short amount of time without a lot of time and energy but providing your family with a tasty, healthy and nutritious dinner.
What is spatchcock chicken?
It is when you cut the backbone out of the chicken. Once the backbone is removed you flip the chicken over and press down on the chicken breast to make a more flat bird. Anyway, most recipes that spatchcock chicken place it on the BBQ, however, this recipe roasts the bird in the oven while lying almost flat in an ovenproof frying pan.
Why Spatchcock the chicken?
Chicken, therefore, bakes a lot faster when it is laid almost flat after removing the backbone. Unbelievably, roasted flavor is still there but cooks in less time. Chicken with the backbone taken out will cook in about 40 to 45 minutes.
Keto Harissa Lime Chicken Recipe
Nevertheless, Yacon has become one of my favorite refined sugar-free sweeteners as it contains probiotics, lows blood pressure, and is supposedly improves digestive health. Yacon Syrup is from Peru. Yacon is high in (FOS) fructooligosaccharides which is a soluble fiber probiotic and aid in lowering cholesterol. As a matter of fact, 30% of Yacon syrup is made up of FOS as well as being high in magnesium and calcium. By the way, this is just a little about the syrup. I have found Yacon Syrup at my local natural grocery type of stores.
Ingredient Notes:
At any rate Harissa mild or hot and Yacon Syrup can both be found at Amazon. Please do your own research on whether or not you want to incorporate this sweetener or any other product into your diet.
In conclusion, read my blog post on Yacon Syrup Information to learn more about this ingredient. Yacon is used in this recipe as it has a low glycemic index (lg). However, you could substitute maple syrup. Keep in mind it would change the Nutritional Facts.
Harrisa is popular in Africa and the Middle East it is smoked aromatic chili pepper. I found Harissa at my local grocery store. It comes in a variety of heats from hot – mild. I personally am a wimp when it comes to spice. Therefore I purchase mild, however, if you enjoy spice and would like a spicier chicken just get hot harissa.
Keto Harissa Lime Chicken
Marinade Ingredients:
- One Whole Chicken
- 1 tbsp fresh lime zest
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp Yacon Syrup or Maple Syrup
- 2 tbsp Harissa (mild)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp organic pink salt
Spatchcock the Chicken Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F. This means to cut out the backbone. First, use a sharp pair of scissors to cut down one side of the backbone. Push down on the breastbone until it lays flatter. Second, gently remove the skin from the remaining side of the backbone. Using the scissors again cut down the other side of the backbone. Throw the backbone away or place inside a freezer bag and place in your freezer to use for homemade chicken broth.
Cooking the Chicken:
Thirdly, in a bowl combine lime zest, lime juice, chicken broth, Yacon syrup, Harissa, minced garlic, and salt and stir together. Fourthly, pour a small amount of the marinade into the bottom of the pan.
Then, use your finger and carefully pull the skin away from the chicken breast and leg without tearing so that you can place in some of the marinade. Add the chicken to the pan and lift up the chicken and pour a small amount of the marinade under the skin. Finally, pour the remaining marinade on top of the chicken and place it into the oven.
Add vegetables of your choice to the pan. 
Place a sheet of tinfoil lightly laid over the top of the chicken. After 25 minutes remove the tinfoil and continue to bake for 20 to 35 minutes. Lastly, remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes then cut up and serve. Remove chicken to a plate and make a sauce for the chicken.
Harissa Lime Chicken Sauce Ingredients:
- 2 tsp tapioca flour
- 1/8 cup water
- and juices in the frying pan
Combine the tapioca flour and water making a slurry. Place the pan from the oven on the stovetop with the chicken juices inside and heat up on the stove until it simmers. Finally, add the slurry and stir until thickened. Serve some sauce over your serving of chicken.
*Cooks Note:
Consequently, if you make homemade chicken broth then place the backbone inside a plastic bag and store in the freezer until you have a couple of pounds of chicken bones to make chicken stock with.
Keto Harissa Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 tbsp fresh lime zest
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp Yacon Syrup
- 2 tbsp Harissa (mild)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp organic pink salt
CHICKEN SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tsp tapioca flour
- 1/8 cup water
- Juices in the frying pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
Spatchcock the chicken. This means to cut out the backbone.
- First, using a sharp pair of scissors cut down one side of the backbone.
- Push down on the breastbone until it lays flatter.
- Second, gently remove the skin from the remaining side of the backbone.
- Using the scissors again cut down the other side of the backbone.
- Throw the backbone away or place inside a freezer bag and place in your freezer to use for homemade chicken broth.
Cooking the Chicken
- Thirdly, in a bowl combine lime zest, lime juice, chicken broth, Yacon syrup, Harissa, minced garlic, and salt and stir together.
- Fourthly, pour a small amount of the marinade into the bottom of the pan.
- Then, use your finger and carefully pull the skin away from the chicken breast and leg without tearing so that you can pour in some of the marinade on the chicken.
- Add the chicken to the pan and lift up the chicken and pour a small amount of the marinade under the skin.
- Finally, pour the remaining marinade on top of the chicken and place into the oven.
- Place a sheet of tinfoil lightly laid over the top of the chicken.
- After 25 minutes remove tinfoil and continue to bake for 20 to 35 minutes.
- Lastly, remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes then cut up and serve.
- Remove chicken to a plate and make a sauce for the chicken.
Harissa Lime Chicken Sauce:
- Combine the tapioca flour and water making a slurry.
- Place the pan from the oven on the stove top with the chicken juices inside and heat up on the stove until it simmers.
- Finally, combine tapioca and flour until a slurry is made.
- Next, add the slurry and stir until thickened.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and use to serve.
- Serve some sauce over your serving of chicken.
Notes
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 4.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| Calories 391 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 5 g | 7 % |
| Saturated Fat 0 g | 0 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 61 mg | 20 % |
| Sodium 236 mg | 10 % |
| Potassium 35 mg | 1 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 6 g | 2 % |
| Dietary Fiber 0 g | 2 % |
| Sugars 3 g | |
| Protein 79 g | 158 % |
| Vitamin A | 4 % |
| Vitamin C | 35 % |
| Calcium | 1 % |
| Iron | 6 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
That looks wonderful!
Thank you so much for the kind words. It is quick and easy. Chicken cooks in about 45 minutes and let’s not forget tasty. Have a wonderful and blessed day!
You, too!