Occasionally, you just get a craving for Chinese food. Movie night with the bestie, a night in with a good book, or after a long week at work. You just need some Chinese food. While it’s often easy to order keto-friendly versions of many of your favorite foods at some restaurants, finding keto-friendly Chinese food is an entirely different challenge.
While Chinese foods can have a lot of vegetables, which sounds healthy in theory, there isn’t a lot of keto-friendly Chinese food. A single chicken egg roll has 23 carbs. An order of Kung Pao chicken has 43 carbs. And fried rice? 43 grams of carbohydrates. These estimates, provided by the USDA, might give you the idea that finding keto-friendly recipes for Chinese food is difficult.
However, being on the ketogenic diet does not mean that you have to give up your Chinese food. Oh sure, fried rice is off the menu (but try some riced cauliflower cooked in chicken bone broth and then stir-fried with an egg), I have found some incredible keto-friendly recipes for your Chinese food craving!
Authentic Keto Kung Pao Chicken – Asian Keto Kitchen specializes in Asian favorites including Thai food. This recipe has some great flavors and suggests using baking soda to the chicken in order to help tenderize it. This may make the consistency closer to traditional Kung Pao chicken, too!
Easy Paleo Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry – While this recipe was developed for those following the Paleo diet, the ingredients make it a keto-friendly recipe, too! Wholesome Yum is one of my favorite sites for finding new keto recipes. Wholesome Yum’s creator, Maya, prefers simple recipes with 10 ingredients or less, making it ideal for busy people who still want to cook wholesome meals!
Chinese Cashew Chicken – Rebecca over at Strength and Sunshine developed this yummy keto-friendly recipe! The sauce is delicious and the green peppers give this dish a healthy kick!
Gluten-Free General Tso’s Chicken – While gluten-free rarely also means ketogenic diet friendly, in this case, it actually does. This recipe, also from Strength and Sunshine, is a little more complicated, but it has a lot of incredible flavors and is really an amazing substitute for what you can get from carryout. It’s tasty and full of good stuff like coconut aminos and spicy chili paste. As the recipe stands, it has one tablespoon of honey; if you’re worried about triggering an insulin reaction, substitute that honey with the keto-friendly sweetener of your choice.
15-Minute Hunan Beef Recipe – Seriously, what could be easier than a recipe that’s ready in 15 minutes? Sign me up! Another recipe from Wholesome Yum, this Hunan Beef is perfect for that Friday night that comes after a long week at work. Serve with cauliflower rice or just enjoy the beefy goodness as is, with a nice keto-friendly beverage of your choice!
Keto Crack Slaw: Easy Egg Roll in a Bowl Recipe – Egg roll in a bowl is probably everybody’s first keto-friendly Chinese recipe. It’s simple, quick, and can be whipped up on the fly. You can pick up packs of shredded veggies in the produce aisle at your local grocery store, so there’s zero prep time. It’s often my go-to “Oh no, I forgot to take something out for dinner” meal.
Keto Pork Stir Fry Recipe – I love this recipe for a few reasons. First, it gives me that stir fry flavor that I love. Second, it’s made with pork, so it gives a nice break when you’ve been eating chicken breasts all week! I mean, I get it. Chicken breasts are simple and easy for keto meals, but sometimes, you just need something else!
I love these keto-friendly Chinese food recipes because they are quick and easy and help me round out our menu choices. I tend to get in a rut with favorite foods, and this gives me a great variety. And because these foods are high in added fats (I can always create a sauce with my MCT oil (US | Canada) or take some MCT oil capsules), I can serve them as is to my husband without worrying about his non-keto waistline! Some of the items mentioned in these recipes, like coconut aminos or sesame oil, may be hard to find in your local market. Fortunately, you can order them online!
You got this!
Leta
~ Intentionally Bare
❗️ DISCLAIMER: Health information given here is based on public research and is not meant to take the place of your doctor's advice. Always do your own research and discuss it with your health practitioner before trying a new diet, supplement or exercise plan.
❗️ DISCLOSURE: I manufacture a line of 100% natural keto products under the brand name, Intentionally Bare. These products will be mentioned from time to time because they are amazingly healthy and fantastic for those on a ketogenic diet or anyone looking to improve their health. I am also a participant in the Amazon services LLC Associates Program, designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.** I ONLY ever post a link to products I personally USE and LOVE!
