In many parts of the world, eggplant (or aubergine as they’re also known) is celebrated as a delicious meat alternative for vegetarians or stuck on kabobs, put into soups, and turned into creamy and flavorful sauces. Elsewhere, we forget the humble eggplant even exists—a true shame given the extreme versatility of the tender, sweet vegetable that can take on everything from the grill to the blender with ease.
It’s time to get (re?)acquainted with the eggplant in this incredibly easy recipe for keto friendly chicken baba ganoush!
Keto Friendly Roasted Chicken Breast with Baba Ganoush
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 2
Nutrition Facts Per Serving
Calories: 504 / Fat: 30g / Protein: 43g / Carbs: 18.5g
Chicken Breast with Baba Ganoush Ingredients
- 12 oz Skinless Chicken Breast, Thigh, or Leg
- 1 Eggplant
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 2 T Parsley
- 2 T Paprika
- 2 T Sesame Seeds
- 3 T Olive Oil
Chicken Breast with Baba Ganoush Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
- Place the whole eggplant in a baking dish and cover with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Bake until fork tender, about 25-30 minutes.
- While the eggplant is baking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chicken and cook until golden, about 5 minutes per side or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165° Fahrenheit.
- Once the eggplant is done, let it cool and then remove the skin by peeling it off with your fingers, starting near the stem.
- In a food processor, combine the eggplant, salt, garlic, sesame seeds, paprika, parsley, and lemon juice, and blend together until smooth.
- Serve immediately with the chicken and enjoy your chicken baba ganoush!
Why Is It Called Baba Ganoush?
A little background on baba ganoush for those new to this lovely Mediterranean dish—baba ganoush is a rich, creamy sauce or side dish often served with roasted chicken or lamb. But baba ganoush is also a flavorful and healthy way to add some veggies to many other snacks and meals. Think of it as a mayo replacement in a sandwich, wrap, or pita, as a dip for other snackable veggies like carrot and celery sticks as well as pita chips or crackers, or as a sauce over rice or orzo.
So why is this blended eggplant salad called baba ganoush? Hailing from the Middle East, this creamy sauce is actually called “baba ghanouj” and translates to “daddy is spoiled.” Some think that the dish was made to pamper the sultan. And trust us, you’ll feel pampered eating it, too.
Is Baba Ganoush Healthy for You?
This baba ganoush with chicken is healthy for you! But with the main ingredient being eggplant, the question that we should really be asking is whether or not eggplant is healthy for you. And we’ll answer that with a resounding YES.
Eating eggplant can have several positive effects on your health. For starters, it is full of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, thiamin, niacin, and magnesium, among others. Eggplant also contains a lot of fiber, aiding in digestion and heart health. Add on top of that evidence that eggplants can help prevent cancer, improve bone health, prevent anemia, and increase brain function, and yeah, we’re on the baba ganoush health train!
Other ingredients in baba ganoush, like olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs and spices, can definitely help keep you on the path to a healthy diet.
Is Baba Ganoush Keto?
Keto dieters know that keeping carb intake super low is key to maintaining ketosis. And something that tends to set keto apart from the low carb diet is the number of healthy veggies that you can consume. That said, eggplant is definitely something that should go on your keto grocery list. With about 3-4 grams of carbs per 100 grams, you’re safe to eat plenty of this chicken baba ganoush while on a keto diet.
Does Baba Ganoush Have Chickpeas?
You’ll see in our recipe for chicken baba ganoush, that the eggplant “sauce” does not contain any chickpeas. Adding chickpeas to this recipe would actually create a hybrid dip—somewhere between hummus and baba ganoush! Which we’re definitely here for...just not in this particular chicken baba ganoush recipe.
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What’s the Difference Between Baba Ganoush and Moutabal?
The difference between baba ganoush and moutabal is slight, and even varies depending on the source. But, most often, the conclusion is that moutabal is a smokier version of the dish, often with the addition of tahini or greek yogurt to the eggplant base.
But regardless of what you call it—baba ganoush or moutabal—there are several variations that would all be worth a try. Like adding chopped tomatoes or a bit of pomegranate juice to mix things up with a new acid. Or try mixing in pepper flakes and some cumin to amp up the heat!
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