This keto banh mi is full of so many flavors and textures, it’s so much more than just cucumber subs. I usually have some kind of pickled veggie in my fridge—and this is the perfect place for them. Plus you can make the low carb bread ahead of time for quick keto lunch ideas.
Looking for more? Try my keto chicken salad or my curry chicken salad.
Keto Banh Mi Video Tutorial
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Which came first? The Sandwich or the Bread?
I love lunch, and I love sandwiches. What I don’t love is sandwich envy. A traditional banh mi is served on a beautiful baguette—so I really worked on a low carb alternative that would be every bit as delicious and satisfying. And I’m so pleased with the final result that we bake this bread in bulk and freeze it. Easy to defrost and create a keto banh mi moment whenever the craving strikes.
There are layers of flavor here—the sauce, the pickled veg, a little jalapeño for heat, cool cucumber, all topped off with fresh cilantro. The pâté will add a decadent touch and pay homage to its Vietnamese inspiration. It’s listed as optional because like I said—I want it when the craving strikes!
Ingredient Notes
- The chicken. For this keto banh mi, I love chicken thighs, as they’re full of flavor and high in fat. You can use chicken breast, but they’ll be a bit less flavorful. If chicken banh mi isn’t your thing, check out the variation section below.
- The sauce. The simple combination of mayonnaise and soy sauce is salty, creamy, and delicious.
- The pate. Honestly, I don’t usually use it (there’s plenty of flavor in this keto banh mi without it). But, if you can’t live without it, spread some on half of the toasted bread. If you’ve never heard of it, it’s chicken or goose liver, which is best described as an extremely rich and creamy paste. Just read the label and be sure you purchase a product that’s low in carbs.
- The pickled veggies. It may be tempting to skip, but DON’T. Pickled veggies add a much-desired and delicious tang to this keto bahn mi sandwich. They also store well in the fridge, so don’t be afraid to make a double batch and top all your recipes with them.
- The veggies. Cucumbers add some crunch, and jalapenos a bit of heat. Skip the jalapenos if you don’t want a spicy Vietnamese banh mi sandwich.
- The keto baguette. This keto bread is my go-to. I make it in bulk and freeze it–it’s easy to reheat when a recipe calls for buns or rolls. Feel free to use your favorite keto bread, bun, or roll here.
Reheat/Storing Tips
Store all your keto banh mi ingredients separately, for best texture results.
How Do You Reheat Banh Mi?
Reheat your bread in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel. The chicken can be reheated in the microwave as well. Add all other toppings and ingredients straight from the fridge.
Can You Freeze Banh Mi?
Fresh veggies and mayo don’t do well in the freezer, however, you can freeze the keto banh mi components (separately), such as the bread and chicken. All other ingredients are best made, sliced, and served fresh.
How long can you keep banh mi?
Cooked chicken is good in the fridge for 4 days, while the pickled veggies do pretty well in the fridge for weeks.
Recipe Variations
- Use a different kind of bread. Keep it keto, but cut down on prep time by using vegetables–a hollowed-out cucumber works really well here. You can also use keto wraps, keto tortillas, or even turn these into lettuce wraps.
- Make a banh mi salad. Skip the bread altogether, and layer your keto banh mi components over a bed of lettuce. Add some mild tasting oil to the mayo-soy sauce combo so it’s easier to drizzle.
- Use a different kind of meat. This sandwich can be made with whatever meat your love, banh mi meatballs or pork banh mi are two other popular options.
- Add more keto vegetables. I kept the veggies pretty simple here, but often, radishes and other Vietnamese veggies are thrown into the mix. Grab some inspo from this rainbow colored Thai chicken salad.
More Keto Lunch Recipes
- Almond Flour Bread
- Rotisserie Chicken Salad
- Avocado Chicken Salad
- Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
- Avocado Tuna Salad
Low Carb Keto Banh Mi
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Make-Ahead:
- 1 recipe for keto hot dog bun (note 1)
Pickled Veggies:
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup Swerve or Lakanto granular
- 1 carrot peeled and cut into strips with a veggie peeler (or sliced into matchsticks)
- 1/2 medium red onion thinly sliced
Chicken:
- 1 Pound chicken thighs boneless + skinless (note 2)
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Sandwich:
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 cucumber thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 jalapeno ribs + seeds removed, cut into thin sliced
- 4 tablespoons pate this is optional, we never add it.
Instructions
- Make the bread. You'll want to make the "sandwich roll" version of the low carb bread for this recipe. Once the bread has cooled, use a bread knife to slice it in half lengthwise, so you have 2 slices of bread per sandwich. Alternatively, you can skip the bread and turn these into bowls, or use a hollowed-out cucumber.
- Pickle the veggies. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, water, and erythritol to a boil until the erythritol dissolves completely. Place the sliced carrots and onions in a heat-safe bowl, and pour the vinegar over the top. Secure a lid over the veggies and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
- Bake the chicken. Preheat oven to 425 F. Place chicken in a bowl with oil and toss to coat. sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss again. Place thighs in a 9x13 baking dish, and cook in the preheated oven until they reach an internal temp of 165 F--about 25 minutes. Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Assemble. Combine the mayonnaise and soy sauce together in a small bowl. Brush half the sandwich roll with the soy sauce mayonnaise combo. Brush the other half with pate (if using). Place a layer of cucumbers over the mayonnaise, then sliced chicken, then pickled veggies, cilantro, and jalapenos. Place the other half of your bread on top and dig in!
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Lindsey's Tips
- The bread. Don't feel like baking the bread? Turn these into banh mi bowls or a salad.
- Banh mi is made with many different types of meat (chicken thighs are my go-to), so feel free to sub in whatever you like. Some other great options include ground pork, pork tenderloin, or chicken breast.
- Nutritional information was calculated using my bread recipe, and does NOT include pate (varies too much by product):
