Paleo Spinach Artichoke Chicken Recipe - Dairy and Gluten-Free
This creamy spinach artichoke chicken will give you all the downhome comfort you’re looking for from this family favorite, without all the junk. This skillet favorite is made with juicy, seared chicken breasts that are covered in creamy, dairy and gluten-free spinach and artichoke sauce with onions and optional red pepper flakes as a garnish. This easy-to-clean, easy to make, dinner will take you about 30 minutes and is perfect for your next weeknight meal.
Lovers of spinach artichoke dip will swoon over this guilt-free meal. Not only can you make it 30 minutes, but it’s also healthier than the spinach artichoke dip you’re used to.
Most recipes using spinach and artichokes require cheese, sour cream, or milk to get that rich, creamy taste you’re longing for. In this recipe, however, we are using coconut milk combined with arrowroot flour to get that thick, creamy taste without dairy. Feel free to add nutritional yeast for more of a cheesy flavor.
Ingredients: What To Use
Avoiding dairy and gluten is important, however, we need to discuss the ingredients to look for and why choose them. For instance, many things that are considered gluten-free replace the gluten with massive amounts of sugars, which can mess you up almost as bad as gluten or dairy can.
● Chicken Breasts - Your best best bet is to choose pasture-raised, organic chicken, which is more difficult to find in grocery stores. The trick is to find chickens that are fed with pesticide-free feed, not pumped with growth hormones, and are not kept in confined spaces. This might be better accomplished by finding a local butcher or farmer that offers chickens without these.
● Chicken Broth - Organic chicken broth is what we used, and for the same reason as mentioned above. You can also use chicken bone broth for added minerals if you wish.
● Coconut Milk - Be sure that you buy coconut milk instead of coconut cream. It will change the flavor and consistency of the sauce.
● Arrowroot Starch - Arrowroot is the tuber of the arrowhead plant, and has been used by the Native Americans for centuries. It’s a gluten-free alternative to wheat flour and is packed with nutrients. This helps to thicken the sauce, but you can leave it out if you don’t mind your sauce being a little runny.
● Quartered Artichoke Hearts - If you are trying to save money, you could buy whole artichoke hearts, however, you will need to chop them up further to use them.
● Spinach - It’s imperative that you buy organic spinach because regular spinach is heavily sprayed with pesticides. Kale is an option for this dish as well, however, you will need to cook them longer to soften the kale for this dish.
How To Make Dairy and Gluten-Free Spinach Artichoke Chicken
Season Chicken Breasts
Season the boneless, skinless chicken breasts on both sides with salt, black pepper, basil, and garlic powder.
Pan Sear Chicken
Pan Sear the chicken on each side for 6-8 minutes. Make sure that the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees so you know they’re fully cooked. Set the chicken aside on a plate after so the chicken doesn’t overcook.
Start Your Sauce and Simmer
Use the same pan to saute your garlic and onions. Once they’re done, add the broth, coconut milk, arrowroot starch, and lemon juice to the pan. Whisk the mixture together and simmer for up to 3 minutes or until the sauce is to your preferred consistency.
Add the Spinach and Artichoke Hearts
Add the spinach and artichokes, then stir until the spinach has wilted. If you decide to use kale, it will take longer to wilt.
Return the Chicken to the Pan
Add the chicken back to the pan and spoon the sauce over the chicken.
Serve
You can serve this delicious spinach artichoke chicken with other vegetables, over potatoes or white rice.
How To Reheat Spinach Artichoke Chicken
The best way to reheat spinach artichoke chicken is to use the microwave. You can use the skillet to reheat, however, you have an increased risk of overcooking the chicken and making it tough to eat. Always add some extra chicken broth when reheating on the stove.
How To Meal Prep Spinach Artichoke Chicken.
Meal prepping this recipe is very simple. Place each piece of chicken in a container and spoon the sauce over it. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Paleo Spinach Artichoke Chicken Recipe - Dairy and Gluten-Free
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
For the Chicken Breasts:
● 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (for large chicken breasts, use 2 halved breasts)
● 1 tablespoon Basil
● 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
● 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
● ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
● 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
For the Sauce:
● 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
● 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
● 1 Yellow Onion (chopped finely)
● ¼ cup Chicken Broth or Bone Broth
● 1 13.5 ounce can Unsweetened Full-Fat Coconut Milk
● ½ Lemon (juiced)
● 1 tablespoon Arrowroot Starch
● ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
● ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
● 1 14 ounce can Quartered Artichoke Hearts (drained and chopped)
● 2 packed cups Spinach
● Red Pepper Flakes (garnish)
Instructions
Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt, black pepper, basil, and garlic powder. Heat olive oil over medium heat in the skillet. Pan sear chicken breasts for 6-8 minutes per side or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees with a meat thermometer. Set chicken aside on a plate once thoroughly cooked.
Clean out the skillet, return to medium heat, and the olive oil. Saute the onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes.
Combine chicken broth, coconut milk, arrowroot starch, lemon juice, sea salt, and pepper to the skillet and whisk together. Simmer for upto 3 minutes until the sauce thickens to your liking. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the spinach and artichoke hearts until the spinach wilts.
Add the cooked chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Use the red pepper flakes to garnish and serve hot.
*Add nutritional yeast for a dairy-free, natural cheesy flavor.
*You can substitute coconut milk with cashew milk if you wish.
