Atkins Summer Barbecue Menu: Chicken, Sausage, and Veggie Kabobs!

Why settle for plain grilled meat when you can
toss together some inexpensive keto-friendly Shish Kabobs?

Are you struggling to come up with a great Atkins menu for your next summer barbecue?

If so, you can't find a better way to enjoy the warm weather than grilling up a skewer filled with keto-friendly meats and vegetables. While kebobs might look fancy, and time consuming, they are simple to make and extremely economical.

Couple those Shish Kabobs with a new twist on stuffed jalapenos and learn an easier way to cook hot wings, and you'll have a feast that's good enough to serve to company, as well as showcase your cooking talent at your next summer barbecue.

Barbecue meal plans take advantage of grilled meats and vegetables, which can easily fit into your ketogenic plan. Grilling meat cuts down on the need for fancy casseroles and off-plan ingredients - even if you're expecting a crowd.

Even though the weather is warmer, you don't have to settle for just frozen hamburger patties and bun-free all-beef hot dogs. Instead, you can pick up a variety of:

• steaks
• ground beef or turkey
• all-beef hot dogs
• pork or beef ribs or riblets
• chicken
• Italian sausages

All of these meats work well on the grill and can easily make a fantastic holiday meal. Whether it's just you or you're cooking for 12 to 15, coming up with low-carb ideas doesn't mean your guests will feel deprived.

Where Atkins dieters might run into trouble is the carby marinades and super-sweet barbecue sauces that can quickly turn a safe, protein-rich menu into a nightmare.

You'll also want to steer clear of the carbier, more traditional side salads that use potatoes and pasta.

To help you navigate your menu choices, this post shares what we actually ate for a keto-friendly Memorial Day feast, back when I was in the process of losing over 100 pounds on keto, and includes the actual recipes I used.

I fed four adults that day, but you can easily double or triple the recipes for a larger barbecue crowd, if needed.

Holiday menus don't have to be reserved for the holidays.
The Atkins Memorial Day Menu I used will make
a great low-carb summer barbecue menu, as well.

Great low-carb food is always great low-carb food, no matter when you serve it. For that reason, this holiday menu would also make a great choice for your next summer barbecue or even the Fourth of July.

My Memorial Day Atkins Menu:

This is the menu that my in-laws and I decided on:

• Armadillo Eggs
• Easier Hot Wings
• Easy Shish Kabob
• Homemade Low-Carb Barbecue Sauce

You'll notice that this menu doesn't include traditional low-carb side dishes like coleslaw, pork rinds with a homemade dip, or even a cold lettuce salad.

Although, you could easily add those to the menu if you're feeding a crowd, to me, these types of low-carb sides show up on the lunch or dinner plate all the time.

And I prefer to do something different when it comes to the holidays or special get-together.

Traditionally, I pick holiday dishes that are a bit more costly than I would serve every day. However, Shish Kabobs are economical and easy-to-do. They can easily be fit into whatever your keto budget is for the summer.

This makes them the perfect choice for a weekend party, week night special meal, or a summer holiday like Memorial Day,  Fourth-of-July, or Labor Day.

Think Ahead

Holidays and weekends can be even busier than week nights, so if you have a busy day planned, you'll want to take some time and think ahead. When it comes to creating ketogenic meals, you want to plan in advance exactly what you're going to eat.

Memorial Day was busy for us that year, as we had several errands to run throughout the morning, so I created a low-carb menu that consisted of several things we could easily do a day or two before.

When we arrived home late that afternoon, the beef cubes were already marinating in the refrigerator, the chicken wings were thawing out nicely in the sink, the eggs were already hard-boiled and soaked, and the low-carb BBQ sauce and hot wing sauce just needed to be heated up.

Most of what we still had to do was just sit-down work.

Good thing, because after our Cracker Barrel misadventure, I sure didn't feel like doing anything that was going to force me to stand on my aching, throbbing feet.

My sister-in-law is always in charge of the jalapeno peppers, and this time we decided to do something different. Instead of traditional Jalapeno Poppers, she had recently eaten something called Armadillo Eggs. 

She didn't have a recipe for them, so we just threw them together from memory.

Armadillo Eggs

(Induction-Friendly for Atkins 2002 or Atkins 20)

Ingredients:

• 12 jumbo-sized Jalapeño peppers
• 4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
• 4 ounces softened cream cheese
• 12 slices of thin cut bacon

Carefully cut the peppers down one length only, then cut across the top to make a "T" shape. Carefully spread the opening slightly, then scoop out the seeds and pith with a small spoon. This was the first time I'd used a spoon to do this, and I couldn't believe how much easier it was to do than with a knife.

Combine the hard-cooked chopped eggs and softened cream cheese. It will look like egg salad.

(NOTE: If you're on Atkins 72 and can't do cream cheese yet, simply use mayonnaise)

Gently fill the jalapeno peppers, then wrap each pepper in in a slice of raw bacon and secure with toothpicks. Be careful not to overfill the peppers. You want them less than full, or they will blow up in the oven.

We used a toaster oven, since I wanted to broil them, but these could also be tossed on the grill. You'll just need to watch them closely and turn them over more often than you would in the oven. The dripping grease will cause the barbecue to flare up, so please be careful if you do it that way.

If you have a broiler in your normal oven, you can certainly use that instead of a toaster oven, as well. Broil the filled peppers for about 20 minutes on one side. Flip them over, and broil for another 10 minutes, until the bacon has crisped and the peppers are tender. If you want to turn them more often than that, you can do that, too.

Makes 12 servings, about 1-1/2 carbs each.

Shish Kabob Skewers

For oven or barbecue cooking, you can certainly use cheap bamboo skewers that have been soaked in a sink filled with water. The pre-soaking keeps the short sticks from burning while your kabobs cook.

Fox Run Bamboo Skewers

(Available at Amazon)

For those who rarely make kabobs, bamboo can be an excellent option. For many years, this is how I made kabobs. 

The sticks are small. They will be about 6 to 8 inches long, depending on the brand, which makes them difficult to turn on the grill. I used to burn myself quite often when using them. In my opinion, they work best for oven kabob cooking, where you can set your pan on the stove while turning the skewers over.

Bamboo also tends to splinter, so in my experience, it's worth paying more for a quality brand. If you don't, many in the package will be too thin and flimsy to even use for kabobs, making them better suited for non-cooking applications like threading chunks of salami and cheese.

Today, I prefer to use metal skewers. In fact, metal is all I use now. 

Stainless Steel Brazilian Metal Skewers for Kabobs

(Available at Amazon)

With the vertigo and balance issues I have, metal skewers are safer and much more practical. Since they are longer, you don't have to make as many kabobs, and they are easier to turn than wood, whether I'm using the oven or the grill.

Just make sure that you're wearing a pair of oven mitts, so you don't burn yourself. The metal ends will get quite hot!

I also like the fact that they are always available. I don't have to guess whether I'm going to have enough wooden sticks left in the package for all of the meats and vegetables I plan to use.

Easy Keto-Friendly Shish Kabobs

(Can be adapted to fit all Phases of Atkins)

My favorite Shish Kabobs are made with
chicken breast, sausage, red onion, peppers, zucchini.

While my in-laws were working on the jalapeno peppers, I cut up onions and bell peppers into squares, and then sliced up a couple of narrow zucchini. You don't want your summer squash to be too fat, or the kabobs will be too difficult to turn over.

I next began threading the Shish Kabobs.

The type of meats and vegetables you use are up to you, of course. We used beef that day, but since then, I've used a variety of meats with this recipe, and they have all worked well. My favorite is chicken breast and spicy Italian sausage.

The following meats, seasonings, and marinade are compatible with Atkins Induction. For Atkins 72 or 92 Induction, simply leave out the sausage and substitute another meat that doesn't have any carby fillers. Ideal substitutes would be meatballs. 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound beef or chicken breast cubes
• 2 Italian sausages, cut in large chunks
• tenderizer or baking soda
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

A day ahead, cut the beef into large cubes. Sprinkle with tenderizer and stab with a fork. If using chicken breast, you don't want to tenderize them too early or they'll be mushy, so wait until a few hours before cooking.

(I no longer do it this way because I haven't been able to verify if meat tenderizer is gluten free, or not. So today, I sprinkle the chicken that morning with a bit of baking soda and then let it sit in the marinade for several hours before cooking.)

In a small bowl combine oil, vinegar, water, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Place the meat or chicken cubes in a gallon-sized baggie, pour the marinade over them, and refrigerate for several hours.

When ready to cook, thread the meat or poultry onto wooden or metal skewers along with any desired low-carb veggies and fruits that fit into your current level or phase. If you're doing zero-carb or Atkins 72 Induction, just omit the veggies.

Since it was Memorial Day, I made a double recipe of the meat, so there would be enough food to feed us for two meals.

For the veggies, we used:

• red onions
• bell peppers
• fresh pineapple chunks
• whole fresh mushrooms
• zucchini slices

For those doing Atkins 40 or have room in their diet for a little fruit, those fresh pineapple chunks really made a huge difference. Canned pineapple chunks don't taste as good, but will still work.

Other possible additions to your Atkins 40 skewer might be:

• slightly steamed carrot pieces
• whole radishes
• olives
• apple slices
• sweet potato chunks
• cucumber slices
• shrimp wrapped in bacon

Once the meat had marinated for several hours, we barbecued them with low-carb bbq sauce, but the sausage dried out and burned before the steak cubes were done.

When I did this again, I threaded the sausage chunks on one skewer and the beef on another since the sausage cooks fast. 

You can put chicken breast and sausage together, on the same skewer, as long as the chicken chunks are not too large. Zucchini also takes time to cook, unless you like it on the crunchy side.

Next up? Low-Carb Barbecue Sauce and an easier way to cook those delicious hot wings!

Low-Carb Barbecue Sauce

(For Phase 2 or Atkins 40)

There are a few low-carb barbecue sauces on the market today, such as Guy's Award-Winning Barbecue Sauce for 1 carb per tablespoon. Simple Girl's Carolina-Style BBQ Sauce, sweetened with Stevia, is only 1 carb for TWO tablespoons.

Today, I no longer make this recipe exactly as written because we are gluten free, but for those who are not sensitive to gluten, this is a super-good low-carb barbecue sauce you can make yourself at home.

At the time I created this recipe, sugar-free honey was not made with maltitol. I do not know if that is still true.

Maltitol will stall you quicker than using a traditional sugary barbecue sauce will, so if you can't find a decent sugar-free honey, you're better off just leaving it out or using diet maple syrup rather than maltitol. You could also use a little erythritol instead.

As an alternative, for those on Atkins 72 or 92, you can use a sugar-free Italian Dressing.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz can of Hunt's tomato sauce
• 1-1/2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp 5-spice powder
• 1/4 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp smokey salt (or liquid smoke)
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp molasses
• sugar substitute equal to 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup sugar-free honey
• 1/4 cup sugar-free maple syrup
• 1/4 cup brandy

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Fill the empty tomato sauce can with water, and add that too. Stir until the sauce is well mixed. Over medium heat, bring the sauce to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer the barbecue sauce until it reaches the desired thickness you want, stirring occasionally.

I made a double batch of sauce for Memorial Day. We used the bbq sauce straight on the grill.

The next day I took 1/2 cup of the leftover sauce (what we had left) and heated it up in a pan with 1/4 cup of butter, until the butter was melted. I then brushed the kabobs with the sauce, and baked them in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. They were wonderful baked. Much better than the day before.

Easier Hot Wings

Baking your hot wings is easier than frying in oil.
These wings are extra hot and well-flavored.

Wings are one of my favorite low-carb foods, so I try to serve them on holidays whenever possible.

Although we were already having Armadillo eggs, I still wanted a few hot wings. Short on time, I baked 2 to 3 pounds of chicken wings, sliced in half and the wing tips removed, at 350 degrees for an hour, instead of deep-frying them.

I turned them over after 30 to 45 minutes.

*If you line your pan with non-stick foil, it will make clean-up a breeze.

Keto-Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 cup Louisiana hot sauce, like Frank's brand
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

That cayenne pepper is going to make a fairly hot sauce. If you prefer something milder, you can just leave it out. Heat all the sauce ingredients over medium heat until they are well mixed and creamy.

Once the wings have par-baked, pour the sauce over the wings and continue baking for another 15 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has caramelized and the wings are cooked through and tender.

Final Result

Overall, it was a great Memorial Day spread and one I've used several times since then. We had plenty of low-carb leftovers for lunch and dinner the following day. All I needed to add to the following day's dinner was a nice salad.

Additional Low-Carb Menus to Check Out:

Zero-Carb Diet Recipes and Menu Ideas
3-Day Minimal Carb Menu to Get Into Ketosis Fast (10 carbs)
7-Day Ketogenic Diet Menu for Atkins Induction (20 net carbs)
Atkins 72 Induction Menu with Recipes (10 carbs)
Low-Carb Templates to Help You Create Your Own Menus