Keto Guinea Fowl Breast in Tarragon Cream
Guinea fowl has a subtly gamey flavor, milder than pheasant and close to a more aromatic chicken. The classic French preparation with tarragon and cream is easy to make keto-friendly, we skip the flour and reduce the cream firmly so it thickens on its own. Per serving: 4 g net carbs, 38 g protein, 34 g fat.
Key facts at a glance
- Total time: approx. 30 minutes.
- About 4 g net carbs and 34 g fat per serving.
- Ingredients: guinea fowl breast, cream, tarragon, shallot, dry white wine, butter.
- A creamy, elegant main course with no flour at all.
Ingredients
One serving is designed as a main course.
| Amount | Ingredient | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guinea fowl breast | skin-on | |||
| skin-on | ||||
| Heavy cream | 30 % fat | |||
| 30 % fat | ||||
| Shallot | finely diced | |||
| finely diced | ||||
| Dry white wine | - | |||
| Fresh tarragon | 2 sprigs | |||
| 2 sprigs | ||||
| Butter | - | |||
| Salt | to taste | |||
| to taste | ||||
| Pepper | to taste | |||
| to taste | ||||
Preparation
-
Sear the breast
approx. 12 minutes180 g Guinea fowl breast skin-on 15 g Butter Sear the guinea fowl breast (180 g) in 15 g butter for 3 min. on the skin side and 1 min. on the flesh side. Finish at 160 °C for 8 min.
-
Sauce base
approx. 5 minutes20 g Shallot finely diced 30 ml Dry white wine Sweat the shallot (20 g) in the pan drippings until translucent, deglaze with 30 ml white wine and reduce by half.
-
Cream and tarragon
approx. 7 minutes50 ml Heavy cream 30 % fat 10 g Fresh tarragon 2 sprigs Add 50 ml cream, simmer for 5 min., then fold in chopped tarragon just before serving.
You did it! Enjoy every delicious bite.
Tips for the tarragon cream sauce
- Use cream with at least 30 % fat, only that reliably thickens without flour.
- Reduce the cream slowly, do not let it boil hard or it can split.
- Always add tarragon fresh, dried tarragon tastes noticeably flatter.
- If the sauce is too thin, whisk in a small piece of ice-cold butter for extra body.
- Adjust the acidity at the end with a few drops of lemon juice.
Why guinea fowl works for keto
Guinea fowl contains roughly 11 g of fat, 23 g of protein and 0 g of carbs per 100 g, slightly fattier than chicken and therefore better suited to keto. Cream (30 % fat) contributes about 1.5 g of carbs per 50 ml. Dry white wine adds approx. 0.6 g of carbs per 30 ml, since most of the residual sugar cooks off. Shallots have 4 g of carbs per 100 g, so the 20 g used here come in under 1 g.
Source: USDA FoodData Central, Guinea hen, meat , Harvard T.H. Chan, The Nutrition Source, Fats and Cholesterol
How can I vary the dish?
If you prefer not to use wine, swap it for light poultry stock plus a splash of white wine vinegar. Chervil or chives work nicely in place of tarragon. Alternatively with chicken or turkey: a skin-on chicken breast (180 g) is the obvious substitute, cooking times and amounts stay identical. Flavor: milder than guinea fowl but far easier to source. A turkey medallion (180 g, cut into 2 cm thick pieces) needs only 2 minutes per side in the pan and 6 minutes in the oven at 160 °C. Since turkey is lean, bump the cream in the sauce up to 70 ml to keep the fat profile in place, otherwise the dish drops below keto macros.
Nutrition values
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving | Keto context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | approx. 210 kcal | approx. 490 kcal | Filling main course. |
| Filling main course. | |||
| Fat | approx. 15 g | approx. 34 g | From cream, butter and guinea fowl skin. |
| From cream, butter and guinea fowl skin. | |||
| Net carbs | approx. 1.7 g | approx. 4 g | Low, from cream, shallot and white wine. |
| Low, from cream, shallot and white wine. | |||
| Sugar | approx. 0.9 g | approx. 2 g | From the cream and the white wine; none is added. |
| From the cream and the white wine; none is added. | |||
| Protein | approx. 17 g | approx. 38 g | High quality, from the guinea fowl. |
| High quality, from the guinea fowl. | |||
| Salt | approx. 0.6 g | approx. 1.5 g | Season sparingly. |
| Season sparingly. | |||
Note: Nutrition values are estimated averages per 100 g and per serving and may vary depending on ingredients, brands, portion size, and preparation. They do not replace individual nutrition or medical advice.
FAQ
Where can I buy guinea fowl?
At a poultry butcher or through online suppliers for game and poultry. Frozen guinea fowl breast fillets are available year-round and cook much like chicken breast.
Does white wine fit into keto?
In small amounts, yes. Dry white wine has about 2 g of carbs per 100 ml, so a sauce using 30 ml per serving lands at 0.6 g, which is keto-friendly.
Does the sauce work without wine?
Yes, replace the white wine with 30 ml of clear poultry stock plus a splash of white wine vinegar. The flavor turns a little rounder and less fruity.
Does guinea fowl in cream sauce fit a keto weight-loss plan?
Yes. With 38 g of protein at 4 g of net carbs it is one of the better ratios here, and guinea fowl is leaner than chicken thigh. The 490 kcal depend mostly on the cream, which you can cut to two thirds without losing the sauce.