This Keto Chicken Marinara is a must-try recipe for all keto enthusiasts. It brings together the vibrant flavors of marinara sauce, juicy chicken, and burrata to take your tastebuds on a new adventure. It's super tasty and easy to make - perfect for busy weeknight dinners. And the cherry on top? It fits right in with your low-carb eating plan!

Jump to:
- Preparation and cooking overview
- Chef's note
- 🍽️ Ingredients for this keto chicken marinara recipe
- Ingredient substitutions
- Additional ingredients
- Cooking tools required
- Tools substitute options
- How to make Keto Chicken Marinara: step-by-step guide
- Cooking methods
- Preparation steps
- Cooking instructions
- What to serve with keto chicken marinara?
- Nutritional facts
- How to make it healthier
- Time-saving tips
- What can I prepare ahead of time?
- Storage and reheating instructions
- Recipe wrap-up and conclusion
- Frequently asked questions
- 📖 Recipe
Preparation and cooking overview
Preparing this chicken marinara recipe is simple and quick. You need 20 minutes to pan-sear the chicken, wilt the spinach, and top them with marinara and Burrata. And that's it! The classic Italian dish with a healthy keto twist is ready to serve!
Chef's note
A quick heads up! While marinara sauce isn't typically spicy, some store-bought versions can have a bit of a kick due to added spices or red pepper flakes. So, if your keto chicken marinara dish ends up being a bit too spicy for your liking, feel free to adjust it to your taste. Maybe create your own homemade tomato sauce, or even toss in some cream cheese to the marinara sauce. Make the recipe your own, and enjoy it!
🍽️ Ingredients for this keto chicken marinara recipe
Here's a list of ingredients you need for this chicken marinara recipe:
Ingredient substitutions
Do you see something on the ingredients list that you'd rather skip? No worries! Here are a few keto-friendly substitutions:
Additional ingredients
Cooking tools required
To make this keto chicken marinara, you'll need the following tools:
Tools substitute options

How to make Keto Chicken Marinara: step-by-step guide
Cooking methods
Preparation steps
- Measure all ingredients using cups and spoons to ensure everything is ready before you start cooking.
- Skin your garlic cloves and mince them using a garlic press or a microplane grater.
- Rinse your fresh baby spinach and pat it dry.
- Slice the Burrata into equal portions and tear your fresh basil.
- If you're using store-bought marinara sauce, warm it up in a small saucepan on low heat.
Cooking instructions
- Season the chicken cutlets on both sides with salt and black pepper.
- In a 10" or larger cast iron skillet, heat the ¼ cup of olive oil on medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for roughly 30 seconds.
- Place the cutlets next to each other on the skillet and fry each side for 3-4 minutes until it turns golden brown. The internal temperature of the meat should be about 165°F at this point.
- Take the chicken out of the skillet and place it on a plate.
- Use a spoon to gently spread some leftover olive oil and garlic on the chicken.
- The remaining olive oil and garlic should stay in the skillet.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and butter into the skillet.
- Put the spinach in batches allowing it to wilt before adding more.
- Transfer the wilted baby spinach to a serving tray and place the chicken on top.
- Top with warmed marinara sauce and the Burrata. Use basil and flaky sea salt for garnishing.
- Your keto chicken marinara is ready to be served!
Note: We have used Rao's sugar-free marinara sauce for this recipe. But you always have the option to make your marinara sauce at home using simple ingredients like fresh garlic cloves, tomatoes, olive oil, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Chef's pro tip
Just a quick tip to keep your chicken nice and juicy - use your meat thermometer! You'll want to make sure the chicken hits an internal temp of 165°F. As soon as you see that magic number, take the chicken out of the skillet. Do this, and you'll have tender, perfectly cooked chicken every single time.
What to serve with keto chicken marinara?
You can serve this low-carb chicken marinara with multiple dishes. Here are some keto-friendly options you can pair it with:
Nutritional facts
Amount per serving
- Calories: 549
- Calories from Fat: 351
- Fat: 39g (60% Daily Value)
- Saturated Fat: 10g (63% Daily Value)
- Cholesterol: 137mg (46% Daily Value)
- Sodium: 861mg (37% Daily Value)
- Potassium: 1043mg (30% Daily Value)
- Carbohydrates: 7g (2% Daily Value)
- Fiber: 2g (8% Daily Value)
- Sugar: 2g (2% Daily Value)
- Protein: 44g (88% Daily Value)
- Vitamin A: 7062IU (141% Daily Value)
Please note that nutritional values are estimates only and do not include carbs from sugar alcohols.
How to make it healthier
You can make this low-carb chicken marinara even healthier by following these tips:
Time-saving tips
What can I prepare ahead of time?
Storage and reheating instructions
Storage tips
To keep your chicken marinara leftovers fresh and tasty, follow these storage tips:
Reheating tips
When reheating your leftovers, follow these instructions for the best results:
After heating the crispy chicken and the wilted spinach, top them with marinara sauce and Burrata for a fresh flavor.
Recipe wrap-up and conclusion
This Keto Chicken Marinara is a great choice for a low-carb, protein-rich Italian dinner. It's not too tricky to prepare, and it brings together the hearty flavors of chicken and marinara sauce. Whether you need a quick weeknight dinner or you're planning to entertain guests, this dish serves up those classic Italian tastes right in your kitchen.
Why not give it a try? It's packed with wonderful flavors, fits well within your keto diet, and on top of it all, it's pretty straightforward to make. So sit back, and savor every delicious bite.
Frequently asked questions
📖 Recipe

Keto Chicken Marinara
Ingredients
- 4 chicken cutlets about 1.5 lbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 10 oz baby spinach
- 1 cup marinara sauce warmed
- 4 ounces burrata sliced
- ¼ cup fresh basil torn
Instructions
- Season the chicken cutlets on both sides with salt and black pepper.
- In a 10" or larger cast iron skillet, heat the ¼ cup of olive oil on medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for roughly 30 seconds.
- Place the cutlets next to each other on the skillet and fry each side for 3-4 minutes until it turns golden brown. The internal temperature of the meat should be about 165°F at this point.
- Take the chicken out of the skillet and place it on a plate.
- Use a spoon to gently spread some leftover olive oil and garlic on the chicken.
- The remaining olive oil and garlic should remain in the skillet.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and butter into the skillet.
- Put the spinach in batches allowing it to wilt before adding more.
- Transfer the wilted baby spinach to a serving tray and place the chicken on top.
- Top with warmed marinara sauce and the burrata. And use basil and flaky sea salt for garnishing. Your keto chicken marinara is ready to be served!
Sylvia says
What about a Homemade keto marinara recipe? Thanks
Cast Iron Keto says
You can totally do that!