Low Carb Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Published May 16, 2025 • Updated March 9, 2026
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I make this low carb tuscan chicken pasta at least twice a month because the lupini orzo holds cream sauce like real pasta, the chicken thighs stay juicy, and it all comes together in one skillet with under 10g net carbs.
I’ve been making Tuscan chicken in some form since 2018, but this pasta version is the one my family actually requests. It started when I discovered lupini orzo and realized I could build a real pasta dish (not a cauliflower rice approximation) that comes in under 10g net carbs per serving. I tested this recipe four times before I stopped second-guessing the lupini orzo, and by the third round I knew it was going into our regular rotation.
What makes this different from my other Italian recipes (like Italian keto chicken and rice or my keto skillet lasagna) is the lupini orzo. It holds cream sauce the way real orzo does, it doesn’t get gummy sitting in liquid, and here’s what I didn’t expect: the cream sauce doesn’t split when you reheat it the next day. That never happens with regular pasta. Most keto pasta substitutes fall apart in cream sauces, but lupini has enough protein and fiber to hold its shape through cooking, sitting in the fridge overnight, and reheating.
The chicken thighs are the other half of why this works. I sear them hard in the skillet first (pat them completely dry before they hit the pan, not just a quick swipe), then finish them in the oven at 400 degrees while I build the pasta base. The fond left in that skillet after searing goes straight into the sauce. That brown layer on the bottom of the pan is where half the flavor comes from. If you’re into one-pot dinners like my chicken noodle skillet or keto hamburger helper, this follows the same logic. Build layers in one pan, less cleanup, better depth.
The sauce comes together fast once the orzo is tender. Sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and onion go into the butter and fond, then the lupini orzo simmers in chicken broth until it absorbs most of the liquid. I finish with heavy cream, freshly grated parmesan (not the pre-shredded kind, or the sauce gets grainy), baby spinach, and fresh basil. The whole thing goes from skillet to table in one pan.
If you’re feeding people who aren’t watching carbs, this is the recipe where they won’t notice. A reader’s husband who hadn’t eaten pasta in years scraped his bowl clean and checked how much was left in the pan. It doesn’t taste like a substitution. For more low carb Italian dinners that hold up the same way, try my creamy pesto chicken or keto baked ziti.
Getting the chicken sear and cream sauce right
I’ve made this enough times to know where things go sideways. The two biggest factors are the chicken sear and when you add the cream.
For the chicken: pat the thighs completely dry with paper towels before they hit the skillet. I mean completely dry, not a quick swipe. The surface moisture is what prevents browning, and that golden crust is where the flavor concentrates. I heat the oil until it shimmers, then leave the chicken untouched for a full 3-4 minutes per side.
For the sauce: the cream goes in after the lupini orzo has absorbed most of the broth. Adding cream too early lets it simmer too long, which makes it curdle. I stir it in at the very end along with the parmesan, and I always use freshly grated parm, not the pre-shredded kind (the pre-shredded bags have anti-caking agents that make the sauce grainy instead of smooth). The whole thing comes together in the last 2 minutes of cooking.
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Marinated Chicken Ingredients
3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs -
¼ cup avocado oil, divided
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2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
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1 teaspoon garlic powder
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1 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
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1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Tuscan Pasta Ingredients
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2 tablespoons butter
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1 small onion, finely diced
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4 cloves garlic, minced
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7 oz jar sun dried tomatoes in oil, oil drained
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1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
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1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
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8 oz package lupini rice
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3 cups chicken broth
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1/2 cup heavy cream
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1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
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3 cups baby spinach leaves
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1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
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1 tablespoon lemon juice
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Chicken marinade
Preheat oven to 400°F. To a large bowl, add chicken, 2 tablespoons avocado oil and remaining chicken ingredients. Mix until chicken is evenly coated with seasoning. Set aside to marinade for 10 minutes.
- 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cook the chicken
Heat a large, oven-safe skillet to medium high heat. Pour in remaining oil and swirl around to coat pan. Working in batches, add chicken thighs to the skillet, spacing about ½ inch apart to allow for proper searing. Sear on each side for 3-4 minutes or until a golden crust forms. Remove and repeat with remaining chicken. Return all chicken to the skillet and place skillet in the oven to finish cooking the chicken for about 10 minutes. Remove from the skillet, covered with aluminum foil to retain heat and set aside while you work on the pasta.
Add Italian flavor
To the skillet, add butter and melt over medium heat. Add diced onion, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, garlic powder and italian seasoning. Stirring occasionally, cook until onions are translucent.
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 7 oz jar sun dried tomatoes in oil, oil drained
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Add the pasta
Stir in lupini rice to evenly coat the rice with the sauce. Pour in chicken broth. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid or it has cooked off about 20-25 minutes.
- 8 oz lupini rice
- 3 cups chicken broth
Finish the Italian flavors
Stir in heavy cream and cheese. Then stir in spinach leaves, cover, and let cook for 1-2 minutes or until wilted. Remove from heat. Stir in basil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, then add in sliced chicken
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cups baby spinach leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
What is lupini pasta and why use it instead of other keto pasta options?
I switched to lupini orzo after years of using cauliflower rice and zucchini noodles in cream sauces. The difference is texture. Zucchini releases water as it cooks, which thins out any cream sauce. Cauliflower rice works but doesn't feel like pasta. Lupini orzo is made from lupini beans, so it's naturally high in protein and fiber with very few net carbs. It holds its shape in liquid, absorbs sauce properly, and doesn't turn to mush on day two. I order mine from Amazon or Thrive Market (I use the Kaizen brand).
Does the lupini orzo get gummy or fall apart in the cream sauce?
No, and that's the main reason I use it. I've cooked it in the cream sauce for over 25 minutes and it still held its shape. The key is letting it simmer in the broth first until the liquid is mostly absorbed, then adding the cream at the end. If you dump everything in at once, any pasta will get waterlogged. I've reheated leftovers on day three and the orzo was still intact.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
I use thighs because they have more flavor and they're harder to overcook. Breasts work, but I'd cut them thinner (about 3/4 inch thick) and pull them from the oven a couple minutes earlier. The sear-then-oven method in this recipe keeps breasts from drying out, but they're less forgiving than thighs if you overshoot the time.
How do I keep the cream sauce from curdling or getting greasy?
Two things I've learned from making this over and over. First, add the cream after the lupini orzo has absorbed most of the broth, not before. Cream that simmers too long at high heat will break. Second, use freshly grated parmesan, not the pre-shredded kind. Pre-shredded parm has anti-caking agents (cellulose powder) that prevent it from melting smoothly. I grate mine on a microplane right into the skillet.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
Yes. I use lupini orzo, which is made from lupini beans with no wheat. Everything else in the recipe is naturally gluten-free. If you're celiac, I'd double-check your chicken broth label since some brands use wheat-based thickeners, but the recipe itself has no gluten.
Can I make this dairy-free?
I've tested this with full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream, and it works. The sauce is a touch thinner but still coats the orzo. Skip the parmesan and add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast for that savory depth. It's not identical, but my friend who's dairy-free said she'd make it again, which is the real test.
Can I make this in the Instant Pot or slow cooker?
I've made a modified Instant Pot version. I sear the chicken using the saute function, remove it, build the sauce base, then pressure cook the lupini orzo in broth for 3 minutes with a quick release. The cream, parmesan, and spinach go in after. It cuts the active time down, but I still prefer the skillet version because the oven-finished chicken has a better crust. I haven't perfected a slow cooker version yet.
What should I serve with this?
This is a full meal on its own, but I like to pair it with something crunchy. A simple side salad with lemon vinaigrette cuts through the richness. If I'm feeding a bigger group, I'll make my keto minestrone soup as a starter or set out a plate of roasted broccoli with parmesan. For more low carb Italian ideas, my keto spaghetti is another one my family requests.
My grandmother made a version of this every Sunday with regular pasta. First dish I crossed off the list when I went keto two years ago. Made it last week, and that sun-dried tomato cream sauce got me closer to that memory than I expected. The orzo is a bit softer than real pasta. That's the only reason I'm at four stars. But the chicken thighs in that sauce, one skillet, is exactly what Sunday cooking used to feel like.
I only have chicken breasts on hand right now, will those still stay juicy through the cream sauce or do the thighs really make a difference here?
Used my cast iron instead of a regular skillet and the chicken got this deep golden crust that my nonstick never pulls off (the sear before the oven is where the flavor actually happens, I'm convinced of it now). Threw in sun-dried tomatoes with the spinach too, and the cream sauce picked up this intense, slightly sweet tang. Suddenly the whole thing tasted more Tuscan than Tuscan. Four stars because I slightly oversalted mine, but next week I'm fixing that.
Sun-dried tomatoes are sneaky salty, especially oil-packed ones. Try rinsing them before they go in and that fixes it. Cast iron for the sear, I'd never go back.
Third time making this in six weeks and I finally figured out why the sauce keeps getting better: letting the cream reduce a full extra minute before adding the spinach makes it noticeably thicker. The lupini orzo holds onto all of it, which honestly surprised me the first time. Going to try it with the sun-dried tomatoes doubled next time.
Yeah, spinach releases water the second it hits the pan. Reducing first buys back that thickness. Double sun-drieds is going to be a lot of flavor in there.
First time working with lupini orzo and I held my breath when I added the cream (pasta substitutes have let me down before), but it absorbed everything without getting weird. Does it reheat well the next day or is it better same-day?
Been rebuilding my pasta rotation since going keto three months ago, and this was my first time with lupini orzo. My main concern was whether it would sit in the cream sauce or actually absorb. Seared the thighs in my stainless for fond, then followed the recipe pretty close. The orzo absorbed the sauce in a way I wasn't expecting, closer to real pasta than anything I've tried. Added a squeeze of lemon at the end (force of habit with cream and spinach) and it sharpened everything right up. Doubling the batch next weekend.
Lemon with cream and spinach just clicks. I forget it half the time and always notice when I don't. Have fun with the double batch.
I've been making this almost every week since I stumbled on it (the way the cream sauce clings to the lupini orzo is genuinely wild for something so low carb), and I want to bring it to my sister's place for Easter next Sunday. Plan is to cook everything Saturday and reheat at her place, but I'm not sure if the cream sauce holds up overnight or if it'll be grainy and sad by Sunday. Better to store it all together in the fridge or keep the sauce separate from the pasta and chicken? Also, when reheating, do you add more cream or broth to loosen it back up, or does it come back on its own? The chicken thighs seem like they'd stay juicy either way but the sauce is what I'm most worried about. My sister just started cutting carbs so I really want this to land.
Added a handful of quartered artichoke hearts with the spinach and the sauce took on this extra briny depth I wasn't expecting. If you go that route, pat them dry first or the sauce gets a little watery.
Pat them dry first is real. Artichokes carry so much liquid. That brine in the sauce sounds worth it though, I want to try this.
My husband doesn't do pasta (hasn't touched it in years), so when he scraped his bowl clean and immediately checked how much was left in the pan, that said everything. The sun-dried tomatoes and cream together, it doesn't taste like a substitution. He would've told me if it did.
The pan check and 'he would've told me' - that's the whole review. Sun-dried tomatoes in cream just don't taste like they're filling in for something.
I gave up on pasta when I started keto two years ago and this just undid that. The lupini orzo in that cream sauce had the right pull to it, and the chicken thighs falling apart through it made the whole thing feel like something I used to order at my old Italian spot. Four stars for now, but I suspect that's going up.
Two years is a long time to skip pasta. The thighs falling apart through the sauce is my favorite part of this one. Make it again and let me know if that fourth star moves.
Thought creamy pasta was just off the table for me on keto. Made this on a Tuesday and honestly what was I even worried about.
Right there with you. I tested this four times before I stopped second-guessing the lupini orzo.
Pat the chicken thighs completely dry before searing, not just a quick swipe. The crust you get in the skillet before it goes into the oven is what carries the whole dish. Soggy sear = flat sauce.
Yeah, quick swipe doesn't cut it. I go through half a roll of paper towels with 3 lbs of thighs but that crust is what gives the cream sauce something to grab onto.
Skeptical about lupini orzo in cream sauces (I've had too many turn gummy by the time they hit the table). Made it anyway on a cold Tuesday and it held up exactly the way you'd want. The sauce coats the orzo properly, the chicken thighs stayed tender through the oven finish, and the whole thing came together faster than I expected for a one-skillet meal. Adding this to the rotation.
Gummy was my first worry too. Simmering it in broth first is what locks the texture. By the time cream goes in, it's already set.
Made this last night with the lupini orzo. Stays creamy even as leftovers which is rare for pasta dishes.
Yeah the lupini orzo holds up way better than regular pasta. Most cream sauces split when you reheat but this one doesn't.
Fantastic dish! Flavors and texture are perfect. This is my first time using lupini rice. Am so impressed!
First time with lupini is always a win. The orzo version holds sauce way better than cauliflower rice. My kids request this one specifically.