Brighten up your dinner table with this Preserved Lemon & Herb Chicken Breast! Tender chicken breasts are lightly marinated in an egg white and tamari mixture for maximum juiciness, pan-seared until golden, and simmered in a rich, tangy lemon sauce infused with house-made preserved lemon paste, garlic, and toasted cumin seeds.
Finished with fresh spring onions, cilantro, and an extra splash of lemon juice, this vibrant dish offers a bold, zesty flavor profile while remaining exceptionally friendly to your blood sugar. It’s a quick, high-protein meal that delivers restaurant-quality taste without any glucose spikes!
Glycemic Index Profile
| Ingredient | Glycemic Index (GI) | Glycemic Impact / Role |
| Chicken Breasts | 0 (Zero Carbs) | Lean protein base that slows gastric emptying and stabilizes glucose release. |
| Erythritol | 0 | Zero-calorie sugar alternative that adds sweetness without raising blood sugar or insulin. |
| Lemon Juice & Preserved Lemon | Very Low (< 15) | Citrus acid improves insulin sensitivity and slows starch digestion. |
| Cornstarch (Minimal) | High (Used in small amounts) | Light coating diluted across 4 servings keeps net carbohydrates minimal. |
Synergistic Effect
The high-protein chicken paired with citrus acid from fresh lemon juice slows gastric emptying and carbohydrate digestion. Swapping traditional sugar for erythritol keeps the net glycemic load very low, ensuring a sustained, level energy response.
High-Protein Preserved Lemon & Herb Chicken Breast
Description
This chicken dish takes an extra level of care to create, but the result is absolutely epic flavor. Elevate your weeknight dinner with this Preserved Lemon & Herb Chicken Breast! Made with pan-seared chicken, house-made preserved lemon paste, garlic, toasted cumin, and fresh herbs. Designed for PCOS, insulin resistance, and stable morning energy.
FOR THE CHICKEN
FOR THE PRESERVED LEMON PASTE
FOR THE LEMON SAUCE
Instructions
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Prepare the chicken: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, Tamari, cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper just until there aren’t any lumps, about 30 seconds. Working one breast at a time, place the chicken between 2 pieces of parchment paper and use a meat mallet (or the bottom of a pan) to pound the chicken evenly so it’s about a ½-inch / 1-centimeter thickness. Transfer to the egg white bowl and continue with the remaining. Stir everything together gently to coat, and refrigerate to marinate for at least an hour (or overnight if you’re getting ahead).
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Meanwhile make the preserved lemon paste: Add all the ingredients to a small, lidded saucepan set over medium-high heat.
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Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low ,cover and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the rinds start to look translucent and the juice has reduced by about half. (If you’re cooking with gas, keep a close watch that all the liquid doesn’t evaporate. Add more lemon juice if needed.)
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Set aside to cool slightly, then transfer everything to a small food processor and blitz until you have a smooth, spreadable paste. (A small food processor works best. You should have about ¼ cup paste.) Set aside 3 tablespoons for the sauce, then store the rest in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
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Make the sauce: Add the 3 tablespoons preserved lemon paste, the stock, butter, garlic, erythritol, turmeric and half the cumin to a medium saucepan, then place it over medium-high heat.
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Bring to a boil, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, until reduced by about a third. Measure out roughly 3 tablespoons of the sauce into a small bowl, then add the cornstarch and whisk until there are no lumps.
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Whisk this back into the sauce pot and cook for 1 minute, whisking continuously, until smooth and thickened slightly. Remove from the heat.
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Heat the oil in a large high-sided frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, fry two of the chicken breasts (or more if they fit) for 3 minutes per side, or until nicely browned and just cooked through. It should release easily from the skillet with a little help from a metal spatula.
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Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and continue with the remaining 2 breasts. It might spit, so turn down the heat if needed. Wipe out the frying pan, add the sauce and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add back all the chicken breasts and cook for just 3 minutes, gently turning them halfway.
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Remove from the heat and stir in the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
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Transfer the chicken breasts (cut them into strips, if you like)to a large serving platter with a lip and pour the sauce all over. Sprinkle with the remaining cumin. In a small bowl, toss together the spring onion, cilantro and remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and spoon this all over.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 323kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 17g27%
- Saturated Fat 3g15%
- Cholesterol 94mg32%
- Sodium 2130mg89%
- Potassium 550mg16%
- Total Carbohydrate 14g5%
- Dietary Fiber 1g4%
- Sugars 2g
- Protein 30g60%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- The lemon curd may need extra water to blend if the juice evaporates too much.
- Add a starch when serving to soak up the delicious sauce. We used quinoa.
- The calories and fat are actually lower than noted on this recipe because you discard most of the cooking oil.
