Creamy Garlic Chicken (Dairy Free & Paleo)

This Creamy Garlic Chicken is the latest recipe I’ve added to our dairy free comfort food collection. Picture sautéed chicken bathed in a creamy sauce all perfumed with garlic and savory flavor. It’s beyond delicious and so easy to make too!

This recipe is my latest answer to the ever present question, ‘what’s for dinner’? It’s perfect comfort food that’s healthy as well. And it’s just as good for a family dinner, or for an at home date night. It’s simple and creamy, but light enough for spring meals as well, especially when you pair it with roasted asparagus.

As the name ‘garlic chicken’ suggests, there’s lots of garlic in this dish. But it’s not at all overwhelming because the garlic is lightly browned first, then simmered into creamy submission. There’s also a subtle balance added with just a touch of Italian seasoning to round out all the flavors.

Let’s get started by talking about the ingredients for this Creamy Garlic Chicken!

• Chicken – I used large chicken breasts, (8 oz each) cut into half lengthwise to make 4 chicken breasts about 1 – 1 1/2″ thick. You could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs as well.
• Cassava flour – or regular all purpose flour, or Einkorn wheat flour all work here. The chicken is dredged in the flour then pan fried. And as it simmers in the sauce, that bit of flour thickens it perfectly. You could also try sprinkling a tablespoon or so of tapioca starch over the chicken breasts if you don’t have any of the flours listed. I wouldn’t personally recommend gluten free flours as they often add a weird bean-like taste to the final dish.
• Garlic – As mentioned above, there’s a lot of garlic in this recipe. You’ll see below the recipe calls for a whole head, and that’s not a misprint! You’ll find that the garlic flavor isn’t as strong as you might think once it’s been thoroughly simmered. Also I like to cut the cloves in half lengthwise so they can completely soften in the sauce.
• Seasonings – I add just a touch of garlic powder, (I know… more garlic, but trust me!) and some Italian seasoning. These both round out the flavors of the sauce and make sure you don’t taste the coconut milk.
• Coconut milk – is what makes this garlic chicken creamy. And you definitely don’t taste the coconut flavor with everything else going on here. However if you want to go all out, you can sub in heavy creamy here as well!
• Chicken stock – homemade chicken stock will always give you the best flavor. But if you’re looking for store bought, try and find a brand with low sodium.

And now let’s make this recipe step by step:

Step 1:

First we’ll prep all the ingredients and cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise.

Step 2:

Next the chicken is dredged in the flour and pan fried just to brown each side. You don’t need to cook it all the way through at this point. It will finish cooking in the sauce at the end.

Step 3:

Then we’re going to lightly brown the halved garlic cloves in melted ghee or olive oil. The browning add lots of ‘roasted garlic’ flavor to the final sauce.

Step 4:

After the garlic is browned, you’ll add the seasonings along with the liquids. From here the most crucial part of the recipe is to keep the sauce at a slow simmer. This allows the garlic to fully soften and not be overwhelming, and the sauce to reduce.

Step 5:

The final step is to simmer the chicken in the sauce until the chicken is done in the center. I like to sprinkle a touch of parsley over the top for a bright pop of color, and touch of fresh flavor.

• To Store – place any leftovers into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
• Reheat – by placing the leftovers into a skillet and warming over low to medium heat until heated through. You may need to add a touch of water depending on how much sauce you have.

FAQ’s

Serve this Creamy Garlic Chicken with:

• Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
• Oven Roasted Broccoli
• Garlic Butter Sautéed Mushrooms
• The Best Rosemary Potatoes
• Easiest Garlic Roasted Green Beans

I really hope you enjoy this simple and comforting dinner. And if you do get a chance to make it, I hope you’ll leave me a comment/rating below. I always love hearing from you here! Also for lots more dairy free dinner recipes, check out the recipe index.

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