Creamy Tomato Artichoke Chicken (Whole30, Paleo)
Posted: 09/12/18
Updated: 09/30/22
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This creamy tomato artichoke chicken is absolutely delicious. Whole30, paleo, and dairy-free, the recipe is simple but big on flavor and so dang good! Made with only 7 ingredients, this creamy tomato artichoke chicken is a fantastic paleo or Whole30 dinner, but everyone would love it!
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- It’s a 7-ingredient, 30-ish-minute, one-pan meal that’s completely Whole30, paleo, and dairy free. What more do I need to say??
- We’re talking a restaurant-quality, creamy, tangy tomato sauce that swaddles tender, juicy, perfectly-cooked chicken breasts that have been seasoned simply but beautifully. It’s rich but not too, too heavy. Bright and so satisfying. Easy yet company-worthy. Seriously, do I need to go on?
- Oh, and since this creamy tomato artichoke chicken is so incredible all on its own, you only need a simple side or two to pair with it. Try Italian green beans, air fryer asparagus, sautéed spinach, broccolini, or your favorite Whole30 potato dish.
Chef’s Tips
- If a tomato-y sauce isn’t your style, check out my recipe for Creamy Whole30 Tuscan Chicken with Artichokes. It’s very similar to this creamy tomato artichoke chicken, but uses sun-dried tomatoes instead of crushed, giving you more of a white “cream” sauce.
- Make sure your chicken breasts are roughly the same size and thickness, otherwise they won’t cook evenly. If they vary wildly in thickness, pound them thinner with a meat tenderizer (or a rolling pin) or halve them into evenly thick cutlets.
- For a really golden sear, pat the chicken breasts completely dry with a paper towel before seasoning them. Don’t worry, removing that outer moisture won’t dry them out. It’ll actually give you a better sear, which will lock in those natural juices, keep the chicken breasts nice and moist.
- Your cook times will vary slightly depending on the size and thickness of the chicken you use, and on the size and age of the skillet. Use an internal meat thermometer to make sure the chicken’s cooked to a safe-to-consume temperature (165°F for chicken) before serving.
Serve Up Even More Whole30 Deliciousness
- Whole30 Marry Me Chicken (Paleo, Dairy Free)
- Whole30 Burgers with Spicy Mayo
- Paleo Meatloaf (Whole30, Low Carb, Gluten Free)
- Whole30 Creamy Garlic Chicken (Dairy Free, Paleo)
- Whole30 Lasagna Soup
Creamy Tomato Artichoke Chicken (Whole30, Paleo, Dairy Free)
Whole30, paleo, and dairy free, this recipe is simple but big on flavor and so dang good!
servings
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons avocado oil or other neutral oil, divided
- 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts approximately 6 ounces each, see Notes
- 2 teaspoons dried basil divided
- 2 teaspoons salt divided, more or less to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper more or less to taste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts drained
- ½ cup coconut cream see Notes
- chopped fresh parsley or chopped fresh basil, for garnish
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Paper towels
- Small bowl
- Whisk or silicone spatula
- Large skillet
- Tongs
- internal meat thermometer
- Plate
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts on cutting board and pat chicken dry on all sides with paper towels.
- In small bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, until ingredients are well distributed. Liberally season chicken breasts on all sides with spice mixture. Set chicken aside.
- Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, add 2 teaspoons avocado oil and swirl pan to coat bottom with oil. Heat oil over medium-high heat until oil is hot and shimmering.
- When oil is hot, add seasoned chicken breasts to skillet. Cook chicken, undisturbed, 8 minutes, or until bottom of chicken is golden brown and releases easily from skillet. If chicken sticks to skillet, continue cooking until chicken releases easily.
- When chicken is ready, flip chicken breasts over and cook until chicken is cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Internal temperature of chicken should read 160° to 162° Fahrenheit according to internal meat thermometer. Transfer cooked chicken to plate and set aside.
- Move skillet from heat and let cool 2 to 3 minutes, then return skillet to heat. Add remaining 2 teaspoons avocado oil to skillet and swirl pan to coat. Heat oil over medium-high heat until oil is hot and shimmering.
- Add minced garlic to hot oil. Sauté garlic, stirring constantly, just until garlic is fragrant, approximately 30 to 60 seconds.
- When garlic is fragrant, add crushed tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and coconut cream to skillet. Gently stir until ingredients are fully combined and cream is completely incorporated. Let mixture come to low boil, then reduce heat and simmer until sauce is thickened, approximately 5 minutes.
- Return chicken breasts to skillet and spoon sauce over tops of chicken. Simmer just until chicken is warmed through, then garnish chicken with chopped parsley or basil. Serve warm with desired sides and plenty of sauce.
Notes
- Chicken: To cook evenly, chicken breasts should be evenly sized and not too thick. Trim or pound chicken breasts as needed.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs would also work here. Adjust the cook time as needed to accommodate.
- Coconut Cream: Make sure to use coconut cream, not coco lopez (cream of coconut) or coconut creamer. Coconut cream comes from a can of coconut milk that’s been refrigerated overnight – the cream is the thick top layer that separates from the liquid in the can.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 478kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 109mg, Sodium: 1875mg, Potassium: 1049mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 1269IU, Vitamin C: 34mg, Calcium: 82mg, Iron: 4mg, Net Carbs: 10g
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.
I’M ALLERGIC TO COCONUT CREAM. WHAT CAN I SUB FOR THAT?
You can try regular cream or a different non-dairy cream. Hope that helps!
Uh oh. My 15 year old daughter and I love your blog and have tried a ton of your recipes with great luck. In my haste before rushing out to pick up kids from school I added coconut whipped cream instead of plain cream. Ahhhhh!!! Let’s keep our fingers crossed that it still turns out ok.
Could you add cooked broccoli to this?
Sure!
This meal is unlike anything I’ve ever had. The coconut milk and artichoke combo is what makes this off the charts awesome! When my husband tried it he said, “this might be the best thing I’ve ever eaten”. That blew me away, but it is sort of true. I love love love it too!
Hi! Do I refrigerate the coconut milk and for how long?
No, you don’t have to refrigerate the coconut milk!
This looks amazing and we can’t wait to try it; can I sub fresh tomatoes for canned? Thanks!
Sure!
Oh this recipe is wonderful !! thank you sooo very much❗️This will be a favorite and able to serve guests as well???
You are so so welcome!
This looks great! I have fresh artichoke hearts. How would you suggest I prepare that? Should I roast it first? I’m intimidated because I’ve never cooked with it before and it looks very different from the canned version. TIA!
This is an amazing, tasteful, and easy recipe that takes almost no prep-time!
One recommendation I have is to cook your chicken in a separate skillet while your sauce is going. I found that if I did the chicken first per the steps above, then removed it from the skillet to make the sauce, the chicken got much too cold waiting.
Outstanding meal!!! Made this for our family of 5. 1 Lactose intolerant, so found the coconut alternative for cream was great. Trying to get the family more Paleo/Primal also. However, we did have a little penne with it. The 3 picky kids (none of which like tomatoes), loved it. Now becoming an almost weekly dinner and everyone cleans the plates. We are not big on artichoke, so substituted mushrooms.
I’m so glad! And that’s an interesting idea to substitute with mushrooms. I’ll have to try that!
mushrooms AND artichokes sound delicious! Try it with chickpea pasta. We LOVE that.
Sounds delicious!
This was absolutely incredible! Even my
Boyfriend (who doesn’t appreciate healthy alternatives, whatsoever) said it reminded him of an Olive Garden dish. The only alternation we made, was we cut chicken up into pieces before cooking it. Loved it!