Dairy Free Tuscan Chicken

Dairy Free Tuscan Chicken is a perfect option if you’re looking for a delicious and flavorful dairy-free recipe. This is an easy weeknight dinner that everyone loves!

As the kids get older, dinnertime just gets more and more hectic and difficult to make happen. Finishing work and then spending time making dinner in the kitchen is hard, but it’s even more difficult when you have to time it with kids’ activities. The family dinner is still a priority for me, though, so I’m focused on creating quick, easy, and healthy homemade dinners that can be made even on the most hectic of weeknights.

Like this creamy Tuscan chicken recipe! It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s the perfect fancy meal option (well it LOOKS fancy…), ready in under 30 minutes. Plus everyone loves it, so that makes it a big winner!

This simple dish is traditionally made with chicken, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and a creamy sauce. However, with a few substitutions, you can make its dairy-free version without sacrificing the taste.

Plus, this dairy-free creamy Tuscan chicken recipe is so easy to make; you just have to cook the chicken to golden brown perfection, make the creamy sauce, and combine both. The result? A delicious comfort food loved by the whole family, bursting with flavor, thanks to the combination of garlic and Italian seasoning!

Plus, the coconut cream sauce is a perfect substitute for traditional dairy-based cream sauces and adds a delicious richness to the dish. You don’t even taste the coconut thanks to the strong flavors that overpower it.

Therefore, this healthy Tuscan chicken is a great choice if you’re looking for easy weeknight meals. You can have it on its own or pair it with zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, brown rice, spaghetti squash noodles, or gluten-free pasta for a wholesome and fulfilling meal. These photos are shown serving it with these Gluten Free Spaghetti Pasta Noodles.

Recipe Ingredients for Dairy-Free Tuscan Chicken

Here’s a list and description of all the ingredients you need for this easy dinner idea:

Chicken Breasts

We need 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. I often meat from chicken breasts because it is generally leaner than other parts of the chicken, such as the thighs or wings, making it a good choice for people who prefer a lean protein option for their dinner. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer, although I haven’t tried using a different cut.

Italian Seasoning

This dairy-free Tuscan chicken is one of my favorite dinners because it bursts with so much flavor, and I owe it to the tablespoon of Italian seasoning!

It is basically a blend of herbs that adds depth and flavor to the dish. Italian seasoning blends consist of oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary and can transform a simple meal into a delicious masterpiece!

Salt and Black Pepper

Salt and pepper are the basic seasonings that enhance the flavor of all the other sauce ingredients.

Avocado Oil

We need 3 tablespoons of avocado oil for this recipe, 2 tablespoons to cook the chicken, and 1 tablespoon to saute the onions.

But why am I using avocado oil? Because it is a healthy, nutrient-rich oil that offers numerous benefits. It is high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, antioxidants, and vitamin E and helps lower cholesterol levels. Moreover, it is known to improve skin health and reduce inflammation.

However, you can also use coconut or olive oil as an alternative. I don’t recommend using vegetable or seed oils.

Onions

¼ cup diced onions is all you need to add a sweet and savory flavor to this tender chicken dish. It also provides a slightly spicy aroma that can enhance the overall sensory experience of a dish!

I used yellow onions for this recipe, but you can use red or white onions too. If you don’t have any onions on hand, add a dash of onion powder for a substitution.

Onions, no matter which type, have plenty of health benefits due to their high content of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.

Garlic

Garlic is one of the main ingredients to add flavor in one-skillet meals; therefore, we’ll add 4 cloves of minced fresh garlic. However, you can use garlic powder as well.

Garlic is a superfood with several health benefits. It is a good source of manganese, selenium, fiber, and Vitamins B6 and C. Plus, it helps protect the body against the common flu and reduces blood pressure, cholesterol, and the risk of heart disease.

Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Here’s the main ingredient for this recipe that makes this recipe an instant crowd pleaser: ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, cut in juliennes. You can either get a jar of sun-dried tomatoes of different brands, or substitute using regular cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes. Sun-dried tomatoes have a bolder flavor than fresh tomatoes, and boost the flavor of any dish they’re added to, so if you can, use the sun-dried tomatoes the recipes calls for.

White Wine

We will add ¼ cup white wine to deglaze the pan. In case you’re wondering what deglazing is, it is a popular cooking technique used to enhance the flavor of dishes, especially in French and Italian food. Once you cook the chicken in the pan, you’ll scrape up all the bits of flavor from the pan and it’s added to the sauce.

White wine adds a fruity and acidic flavor to the dish, which can help balance out the richness of chicken and the coconut cream-based sauce used in this recipe.

Coconut Cream

As we are aiming to make creamy dairy-free Tuscan chicken, we will use 1 can of coconut cream to make the sauce. A more traditional Tuscan chicken recipe uses heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and sometimes cream cheese to make the dish creamy. But as we’re making the dairy-free version for people with dairy allergy or those who avoid dairy due to its inflammatory nature, we will stick with coconut cream.

I tried using full-fat coconut milk when testing this recipe, and it didn’t work nearly as well as coconut cream. I highly recommend finding coconut cream, not coconut milk for this recipe.  If you’re allergic to coconut, try using cashew cream made using raw cashews like I do in this Chicken Fajita Pasta recipe.  Non dairy milks like unsweetened almond milk don’t work here because they lack the fat content necessary to produce a creamy sauce.

Spinach

And lastly, we will add chopped spinach leaves to the recipe. You can use fresh baby spinach, or regular spinach, which ever is easily available. I pack 2 cups and then chop the spinach into small pieces.

How to Make Dairy-Free Tuscan Chicken

1. Use a meat mallet to pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness. This will help them cook more quickly and evenly.

2. Season both sides of the breasts with Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Depending on the size of your breasts, they likely won’t be finished cooking yet. Remove them from the pan and set them aside on a plate.

4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon avocado oil and the onion and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and tomatoes and sauté another minute.

5. Add the white wine to the pan and deglaze the pan.

6. Add the coconut cream and stir until combined. Place the chicken breasts back in the pan and bring the sauce to a simmer.

7. Stir the chopped spinach in and continue to cook until the spinach is wilted and the chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. This will be 5-10 minutes more, depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts used.

Serve alone or with pasta of your choice. You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

If you’re looking for more dairy-free recipes, head over to the dairy-free section on my website and have a blast!

I hope you love this Dairy Free Tuscan Chicken as much as my family and I did. If you try them, please let me know! Leave a star rating below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag me so I see it and I’ll feature you!

Scroll beyond the recipe card if you want more easy and healthy 30 minute dinner ideas!

Dairy Free Tuscan Chicken

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5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Maryea Flaherty of Happy Healthy Mama
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This Dairy-Free Tuscan Chicken is super quick and bursting with flavor!

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
• 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup julienne sliced sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut cream (not coconut milk)
• 2 cups spinach leaves, chopped

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Instructions

1. Use a meat mallet to pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness. This
   will help them cook more quickly and evenly.
2. Season both sides of the breasts with Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt,
   and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add
   the chicken breasts and cook until golden on both sides, about 3-5 minutes
   per side. Depending on the size of your breasts, they could not be finished
   cooking yet. Remove them from the pan and set them aside on a plate.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon avocado oil and the onion and sauté until
   softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and tomatoes and sauté another
   minute.
5. Add the white wine to the pan and deglaze* the pan.
6. Add the coconut cream and stir until combined. Place the chicken breasts
   back in the pan and bring the sauce to a simmer.
7. Stir the chopped spinach in and continue to cook until the spinach is wilted
   and the chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. This
   will be 5-10 minutes more, depending on the thickness of the chicken
   breasts used. Serve alone or with pasta of your choice. Enjoy!

Notes

*To deglaze the pan, scrape the bottom with a wooden or silicone spoon or spatula and stir as the liquid comes to a boil.  Let the wine boil briefly, until it’s reduced but not completely evaporated. As it simmers, continue to stir until you’ve released all those tasty browned bits from the pan and the alcohol from the wine has cooked off.

*To keep this dish low carb, serve with zucchini noodles instead of pasta. We like to serve this with these Gluten Free Spaghetti Pasta Noodles.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 25
• Category: dinner recipe
• Method: stove top
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
• Calories: 494
• Sugar: 4 grams
• Fat: 15.4 grams
• Saturated Fat: 2.3 grams
• Trans Fat: 0 grams
• Carbohydrates: 7.6 grams
• Fiber: 2 grams
• Protein: 41 grams

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