Embarking on a Whole30 program involves dedicating oneself to a month of eating whole, unprocessed foods, a commitment that encourages cooking with natural ingredients. This month, the focus is on Whole30-friendly recipes that are not only compliant with the program’s guidelines but also delicious and easy to prepare. Utilizing resources like a detailed Whole30 meal plan can simplify the process, helping to plan meals efficiently and ensure a variety of healthy dishes.
Creamy Lemon Slowcooker Chicken Recipe
This recipe leverages the simplicity and efficiency of the slow cooker to create a nutritious and flavorful meal. The combination of juicy chicken thighs, tangy lemons, hearty artichokes, creamy coconut milk, and rich chicken stock creates a dish that is both satisfying and compliant with Paleo and Whole30 guidelines. The key is to keep your pantry stocked with versatile staples like coconut milk and arrowroot powder, which can be used to thicken sauces without the need for flour, making it perfect for gluten-free and Paleo diets.
Mastering the Creamy Lemon Slowcooker Chicken Recipe
Achieving the perfect balance of flavors in this recipe requires some experimentation. Initial tests might find the lemon too overpowering or the texture not quite right. Adjusting the amount of lemon and substituting ingredients like white potatoes with less starchy alternatives can enhance the texture and flavor balance. The slow cooker method is ideal for melding these flavors over several hours, resulting in tender chicken that easily shreds and absorbs the creamy, aromatic sauce.
Serving and Enjoying Your Meal
The nature of this slow-cooked dish makes it ideal for serving as a hearty stew, especially during colder months. Its rich, creamy consistency and robust flavors are enhanced when allowed to rest, making leftovers a delightful option for busy weekdays. For those adhering to Whole30, enjoying this dish without bread allows the natural flavors of the ingredients to shine through. Preparing large batches can simplify meal planning, providing nutritious and tasty options throughout the week without additional cooking time.
Creamy Lemon Slowcooker Chicken
Using ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen, this is a super easy meal that comes together quickly and tastes great as leftovers as well.The lemon isn't overpowering and the artichokes add great taste and texture.
Ingredients
- 8 Chicken Thighs, boneless & skinless
- Sea Salt, to taste
- Ground Black Pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbsp Avocado or Olive Oil
- 1 Lemon, sliced
- Approx 32 oz Artichoke Hearts, in water, not marinated - we get ours at Costco
- 1 cup Chicken Broth, no added sugar
- 1/2 cup Full-Fat Coconut Milk
- 3 Tbsp Arrowroot Starch, divided
Instructions
Crockpot Method
- Trim chicken thighs of any excess fat. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken evenly with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the chicken. Cook a couple minutes per side, until browned. Set aside.
- Drain the artichoke hearts and cut into quarters (if they didn't already come cut). Place the artichokes in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add browned chicken to the slow cooker on top of the artichokes.
- With a whisk, mix 2 tablespoons of the starch into the chicken broth, then add in the coconut milk. Pour mixture evenly over the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Slice the lemon (not too thin, not too thick). Remove and discard any seeds. Place one lemon slice on top of each chicken thigh.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours. Remove the lemons and discard. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken and set aside.
- Mix the remaining 1 tablespoon of starch with 1 tablespoon of water. Add to the crockpot and stir to thicken. Add the chicken back to the crockpot and stir to combine. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1 gAmount Per Serving Calories 447Total Fat 35gSaturated Fat 9gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 110mgSodium 627mgCarbohydrates 10gFiber 2gSugar 1gProtein 20g
Nutrition is calculated by a third party and may not be 100% accurate
Nicole
Monday 21st of June 2021
I used your Whole 30 meal plan and followed it exactly. Now that our Whole 30 is over, I’m revisiting some of our favorite recipes. We liked the flavor of this one, but not the texture (my family is very anti-mushy). I’m thinking about trying this in the oven or air fryer to keep the chicken from falling apart so much. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Kate
Thursday 2nd of January 2020
I agree with Jen that this was bitter, but I think it’s the artichokes. I am not a fan of artichokes - though in spinach artichoke dip it’s okay, so I thought I’d give this a try. I made enough for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow, and with no one eating tonight we now have loads of leftovers :(. So heads up - unless you love artichokes, I would skip this dish. I might try the tip add red peppers to the leftovers to see if it’s bearable.
JESSICA L NIXON
Saturday 23rd of February 2019
Couple questions: 1) When you say "full fat coconut milk", do you mean you refrigerate it and then skim the solid stuff off the top? Or do you just take a can of liquid coconut milk and use that (non-refrigerated)? 2) Can you taste the coconut at all? I'm not a fan of coconut, so the taste really sticks out to me if there aren't enough other tastes to mask it completely.
Patricia Brandenburger
Thursday 27th of December 2018
Going to try this one out with pheasant! (Was gifted some but even wrapping it in bacon left it super dry.) My dad and uncle have both recommended cooking it in a cream sauce but I have tried to avoid dairy... maybe this will do the trick?!
Jessica
Wednesday 7th of March 2018
Can I use frozen chicken thighs or should I defrost before putting in slow cooker?
Kendra Benson
Wednesday 7th of March 2018
I have't tried this with frozen chicken yet, but you may want to add a couple hours to the cook time just to be safe.