Home Blog Dietary Concern Whole30
Cheryl MalikPosted: 01/25/22Updated: 10/29/23
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This creamy garlic chicken is out-of-this-world delicious and seriously might be my favorite Whole30 recipe ever! Packed with savory flavors and tons of rich, roasted garlic, the tender chicken and creamy sauce just put it all over the edge. Serve over mashed potatoes or cauliflower and sink in.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- This dish is similar to our creamy garlic chicken recipe, which means there is SO MUCH FLAVOR here! Juicy chicken cutlets seasoned with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. A rich, garlicky, oniony coconut cream sauce. Every bite just bursts with flavor.
- Whole30 creamy garlic chicken is one of those dishes that’s perfect for a busy weeknight, but equally as perfect for a special-occasion dinner. Pair it with mashed potatoes, asparagus, or sauteed broccoli. If you’re counting carbs, try mashed cauliflower or zucchini noodles!
- The leftovers keep well, so look forward to having this one for lunch in the next day or two! Just refrigerate everything in an airtight container. It’ll keep up to 5 days. You can reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
More Creamy Whole30 Chicken Recipes
Key Ingredients
Garlic – I promise you, there is not too much garlic in this recipe! A whole head PLUS some garlic powder may seem like a lot, but it’s really the perfect amount. The flavors between the two styles are different enough that they play off each other without overwhelming the dish.
Coconut Cream – Place an unopened can of unsweetened coconut milk in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. Open the can (don’t shake it or stir the milk) and you’ll notice a thick, solid layer has formed on top of the milk. That’s your coconut cream! Scoop it out and use it in this recipe, and save the liquid milk for another recipe.
Chef’s Tips
- Don’t skip the part where you slice the chicken breasts into chicken cutlets. The thinner halves will cook more evenly and in less time, which lessens the odds of them overcooking.
- If you love mushrooms, sautéed mushrooms would be a lovely addition to the other flavors in this recipe. Cook them separately then add them in when you return the chicken to the skillet.
- To smash the garlic, peel the cloves and place them on a cutting board. Take a knife and place one flat side on top of the garlic with the sharp edge of the knife facing away from you. With the heel of your hand, carefully press on the flat side of the knife that faces up, crushing the garlic beneath the knife. For more garlicky flavor, crush all of the cloves of garlic rather than just 6.
More Whole30 Recipes You’ll Love
- Whole30 Marry Me Chicken (Paleo, Dairy Free)
- Healthy Zuppa Toscana (Whole30, Paleo, Dairy Free)
- Whole30 Everything Bagel Chicken and Scallion “Cream Cheese” Sauce
- Paleo Meatloaf (Whole30, Low Carb, Gluten Free)
- Whole30 Southern Fried Chicken Salad
- Creamy Whole30 Bacon Mushroom Chicken Thighs with Thyme (Paleo)
- Whole30 Taco Stuffed Peppers (Paleo, Low Carb)
- Whole30 Breakfast Tacos
- Creamy Whole30 Tuscan Chicken with Artichokes (Paleo)
- Whole30 Creamy Taco Soup
- Whole30 Chicken Tenders (Paleo, Low Carb, Gluten Free)
- Creamy Whole30 Balsamic Dressing (Paleo, Vegan)
- Whole30 Burgers – Burger Joint Style (Paleo, Low Carb)
5 from 2 votes
Whole30 Creamy Garlic Chicken
Prep:15 minutes minutes
Cook:30 minutes minutes
Total:45 minutes minutes
This creamy garlic chicken is out-of-this-world delicious and seriously might be my favorite Whole30 recipe ever! Packed with savory flavors and tons of rich, roasted garlic, the tender chicken and creamy sauce just put it all over the edge. Serve over mashed potatoes or cauliflower and sink in.
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4 servings
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 head garlic peeled, divided into 10-12 cloves
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil divided
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half horizontally to create 4 cutlets
- 2 teaspons salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
For the Sauce
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 ¼ cup chicken broth or chicken stock
- 1 ¼ cup coconut cream see Notes
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley to serve
Equipment
Cutting board
large sharp knife
Large skillet
Plate
Tongs
Instructions
Season both sides of each chicken cutlet with salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Add 2 tablespoons neutral oil to large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Swirl and rotate skillet to coat entire surface in oil.
Place 4 chicken cutlets in hot oil and pan-fry approximately 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden and no longer pink. Flip cutlets over and repeat on other side, cooking 4 to 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer cooked chicken to plate.
Using side of knife, smash 6 cloves garlic on cutting board, leaving remaining cloves intact.
Reduce stovetop heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon neutral oil and onion to skillet and sauté until onions are softened. Stir in smashed and intact garlic cloves, mixing garlic through onions. Sauté until fragrant, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
Pour chicken broth into skillet to deglaze pan, and scrape up any browned bits that might be stuck to skillet. Let mixture summer until liquid is reduced by 50%, approximately 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in coconut cream and stir gently. Bring sauce to simmer approximately 3 to 4 minutes or until slightly thickened. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Return chicken to pan and heat through, spooning sauce over tops of chicken periodically. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired and serve over mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower with plenty of sauce.
Notes
- Coconut Cream: Place an unopened can of unsweetened coconut milk in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. Open the can (don’t shake it or stir the milk) and you’ll notice a thick, solid layer has formed on top of the milk. That’s your coconut cream! Scoop it out and use it in this recipe, and save the liquid milk for another recipe.
- Make it Keto: Use heavy cream or half-and-half in place of the coconut cream if desired. Note that these substitutions are not Whole30-compliant.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1serving, Calories: 479cal, Protein: 21g, Fat: 41g, Saturated Fat: 27g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 45mg, Sodium: 625mg, Potassium: 582mg, Total Carbs: 10g, Fiber: 2g, Net Carbs: 8g, Vitamin A: 285IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 183mg, Iron: 2mg
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
© Author: Cheryl Malik
Meet Cheryl Malik
In addition to being a certified health coach, certified yoga instructor, and mom of 3, Cheryl is also the recipe developer, editor-in-chief, food photographer, and passionate foodie behind 40 Aprons. Having spent the last 10+ years as a food blogger, she's become known for her flavorful recipes, detailed instructions, gorgeous photography, and down-to-earth approach to food and cooking in general.
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Elizabeth saysThis was amazing! The whole family loved it. I only used the 6 cloves of garlic, otherwise I followed the recipe exactly. This will definitely go into our rotation!
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- Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says
So glad the whole family loved it! It’s such a great one to keep in rotation!
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- Barkley D. says
Have you ever made this recipe in the crockpot?
Reply
- Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says
We have not!
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- Suzanne Lewis says
I made this tonight for my husband after I had been talking about it for a couple of weeks. We were going to make your sheet pan fajitas that we love, but the bell peppers were not firm. Lucky me! This recipe was absolutely delicious! We saved the sauce so we could cook a couple more pieces of chicken to put with it. Thanks for another excellent recipe!
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- Jessica | 40 Aprons Team says
So glad you and your husband loved it! Thanks for sharing, Suzanne!
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