Cauliflower risotto with chicken and asparagus is low carb Mediterranean meal for the whole family. Creamy cauli risotto is full of taste!
I am cooking for my family for many years and I was never happier than now when eating keto/ low carb. I am very often surprised when I get so great taste with average and available ingredients. This time that's definitely the case!
Fresh ingredients for a big taste
I've created unbelievable delicious taste with this cauliflower risotto recipe. Asparagus are now in season here in Croatia and I am buying from a small domestic farmers. Very often I buy fresh ingredients because they are available and fresh and just after I supply our pantry and fridge I am thinking what to make from it. This time I had some chicken breasts and fresh asparagus. I always have in my fridge fresh cauliflower. Fresh cauliflower is a staple of my low carb fridge. 😊
Ingredients for cauli risotto
Butter or olive oil 1 TBS for cooking + 2 TBS of butter to add in risotto at the end
Bacon or pancetta 100 g/3.52 oz
Chicken breasts 400 g/14.11
Asparagus 400 g/14.11 oz
Cauliflower rice 600 g/21.16
Sea Salt 1 tsp
Heavy whipping cream 1 cup (250 ml)
Cream cheese 4 TBS (100 g/3.52)
Parmigiano or Grana Padano finely grated 100 g/3.52 oz + some to sprinkle every plate before serving.
Pepper freshly ground to taste
How to make Mediterranean low carb risotto?
Melt 2 TBS of butter or olive oil in a large pot, add finely chopped bacon or pancetta and stir until it's golden brown.
When bacon is golden brown add chicken breasts cut into small cubes and stir until chicken cubes start getting golden brown color on the edges.
Now it's the time to add cut asparagus and continue to stir for few minutes. Make sure to remove hard parts of asparagus before cooking. You can peel the hard parts with potato peeler.
Add riced cauliflower and continue to stir for 5 minutes, season it with 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Be careful and don't put too much of salt because bacon or pancetta could be salty, as well as cream cheese and Parmigiano or Grana Padano cheese.
After few minutes of stirring, add cream cheese, heavy whipping cream and parmigiano or Grana Padano cheese, finely grated and stir well until everything is nicely combined and creamy. Don't leave it to cook, just stir until cheeses are melted and combined. Asparagus and cauliflower rice should be al dente, not overcooked.
Don't be afraid of butter and olive oil
When your low carb cauliflower risotto with asparagus and chicken is done, nice and creamy, it's not done yet! Now add 2 TBS of butter and stir more until your cauliflower risotto is nice and smooth. Believe me, you have to add this butter at the end! It will be so tasty, creamy and glossy! Yes, you want your keto risotto to be glossy. At least, we are keto people, we are not afraid of additional butter in our food, and we eat good and tasty food!
When it's done, serve it warm with freshly grated Parmigiano or Grana Padano and freshly ground pepper.
I like to add a little bit of extra virgin olive oil on top. This is my Croatian, Mediterranean heritage. We like to add some olive oil into almost every food but here it really works deliciously! 😊 Olive oil I put only on top directly in the plate after serving. I want it to stay "raw" with all the smells and nutritional properties of extra virgin olive oil, non impacted by the heat of risotto.
Here you see the recipe for a real, authentic Mediterranean risotto low carb version. This low carb cauli risotto is full fat! It's full of good fats like good quality grass fed butter and extra virgin olive oil.
It's very important to have a great quality olive oil to pour it over the cauli risotto before serving. It makes a huge difference! I am lucky to live in Croatia where we have really delicious olive oils. 💕
One more thing, my children like this risotto so much! My daughter (2 years old) was eating with here hands and asking for more. So, this is definitely kids approved meal!
If you like my keto Mediterranean recipes, I recommend you to check this recipes from my blog:
Bračka torta - traditional Croatianracake in keto or paleo version, originally without any flour!
Keto Mediterranean orange ricotta cake - fantastic cake with olive oil, perfect for afternoon tea or breakfast!
Keto focaccia - low carb focaccia with authentic taste
Cauliflower risotto with chicken and asparagus – keto recipe
Cauliflower risotto with chicken and asparagus is low carb Mediterranean meal for the whole family. Creamy cauli risotto is full of taste!
Ingredients
- Butter or olive oil 1 TBS for cooking + 2 TBS of butter to add in risotto at the end
- Bacon or pancetta 100 g/3.52 oz
- Chicken breasts 400 g/14.11
- Asparagus 400 g/14.11 oz
- Cauliflower rice 600 g/21.16
- Sea Salt 1 tsp
- Heavy whipping cream 1 cup (250 ml)
- Cream cheese 4 TBS (100 g/3.52)
- Parmigiano or Grana Padano finely grated 100 g/3.52 oz + some to sprinkle every plate before serving.
- Pepper freshly ground to taste
Instructions
- Melt 2 TBS of butter or olive oil in a large pot, add finely chopped bacon or pancetta and stir until it's golden brown.
- When bacon is golden brown add chicken breasts cut into small cubes and stir until chicken cubes start getting golden brown color on the edges.
- Now it's the time to add cut asparagus and continue to stir for few minutes. Make sure to remove hard parts of asparagus before cooking. You can peel the hard parts with potato peeler.
- Add riced cauliflower and continue to stir for 5 minutes, season it with 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Be careful and don't put too much of salt because bacon or pancetta could be salty, as well as cream cheese and Parmigiano or Grana Padano cheese.
- After few minutes of stirring, add cream cheese, heavy whipping cream and parmigiano or Grana Padano cheese, finely grated and stir well until everything is nicely combined and creamy. Don't leave it to cook, just stir until cheeses are melted and combined. Asparagus and cauliflower rice should be al dente, not overcooked.
- Now add 2 TBS of butter and stir more until your cauliflower risotto is nice, smooth and glossy.When it's done, serve it warm with freshly grated Parmigiano or Grana Padano and freshly ground pepper.
- I like to add a little bit of extra virgin olive oil on top, you can add it too if you like.
- Enjoy your risotto!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: ⅙thAmount Per Serving: Calories: 516Total Fat: 41.16gCarbohydrates: 6.28gNet Carbohydrates: 4.28gFiber: 2gProtein: 32.32g
This is for your information only, please, calculate your own macros with ingredients you use.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!