Posted by Tastefully Simple on May 26, 2015
I continually experiment with new dishes in the kitchen. Sometimes they flop and sometimes they turn out quite delicious. While this recipe started out as one giant experiment, it’s become a go-to in our house. The best part? It’s Paleo and still so creamy and full of comfort-food goodness!
My step-by-step follows. However, if you just want the recipe, simply scroll down for the main recipe and instructions.
First, start by heating 2 tablespoons of Avocado Oil in a pan over medium heat. Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks and season with salt and pepper.
Add chicken and Garlic Garlic™ Seasoning to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the chicken starts to brown on one side.
Turn the chicken to cook on the other side. Allow that to cook for another 3-5 minutes. Chop ½ a large yellow onion (about 1½ cups) and add that to the pan.
Allow the chicken and onion to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times to be sure everything cooks evenly. Add 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms.
Again, allow this to cook for 3-5 minutes or until the mushrooms start to soften. Stirring a few times helps ensure even cooking and prevents anything from burning.
Once mushrooms are soft, add a 14 oz. bag of frozen broccoli (about 5 cups).
Stir in 1 cup each chicken broth and canned coconut milk. Stir in 1 tablespoon coconut aminos. Soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce also work although they’re not considered Paleo.
Add in a heaping capful of Spinach & Herb Seasoning, about 2½ tablespoons. Fun fact: one capful of our shaker jars is equal to 2 tablespoons!
Stir this in to evenly incorporate. Now here’s where you can take this dish into two different directions.
Option 1: If you eat brown rice, just add 1 cup of uncooked brown rice to the pan. Stir until the rice is evenly mixed in. Cover the pan and let it cook until the rice is done and the broccoli is cooked through. Eat it just like this. The perfect blend of cozy cream sauce, complete with healthy veggies, protein and whole grains!
Option 2: If you don’t eat brown rice, let the mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes. You can keep the sauce like this and serve it over spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles. What I like to do is thicken the sauce up. To do that, just stir together 2 teaspoons arrowroot starch and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Slowly stir that into the pan. As soon as your sauce starts to thicken, remove it from the heat and serve on its own or over spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice.
Creamy Paleo Spinach Herb Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. Avocado Oil
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 pinch each salt and pepper
- 2 Tbsp. Garlic Garlic Seasoning
- ½ large, yellow onion, chopped (about 1½ cups)
- 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms
- 14 oz. (about 5 cups) frozen broccoli florets
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
- 1 heaping capful (about 2½ Tbsp.) Spinach & Herb Seasoning
- 1 Tbsp. coconut aminos, soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice (optional)
- 2 tsp. arrowroot starch (optional)
- 1 Tbsp. water (optional)
- Spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice (optional)
Directions
Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add chicken pieces to skillet with salt and pepper. Fry for 3-5 minutes. Turn chicken and add Garlic Garlic Seasoning; continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add mushrooms; cook for another 5 minutes, continuing to stir often to ensure even cooking. Add broccoli, broth, coconut milk, Spinach & Herb Seasoning and coconut aminos; stir to blend.
Option 1 (non-Paleo): Add brown rice. Cover and cook until rice and broccoli are cooked, about 15 minutes.
Option 2: Reduce heat to medium-low, continue to cook mixture uncovered for another 10-15 minutes or until broccoli has reached desired doneness. In a small bowl or cup, combine arrowroot starch and water. Slowly drizzle arrowroot mixture into pan, stirring to incorporate. Once sauce thickens, serve immediately over spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice, or serve on its own.
Tips and Hints
- The first time I made this I used ½ cup each of chicken broth, white wine and coconut milk. As I continued to cook, I continued to add equal parts of each and then just let that reduce into a delicious creamy dish. Yum! Unfortunately, that’s not as quick, and not as Paleo, as omitting the wine!
- If your sauce isn’t thickening up, try adding another batch of the arrowroot mixture. Sometimes the sauce has thickened up very quickly. Other times it’s taken more starch to get it to thicken at all. Just add more starch mixture until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- If your sauce gets too thick, simply add more liquid, like chicken broth, and stir until you reach your desired consistency.
- Once the sauce has thickened up the way you want it, remove it from the heat. Keeping it over the heat for too long will break down some of the thickness.