January 27, 2021
The recipe is freaking delicious, a simplified alfredo if you will. Pan fried chicken breasts and the most delicious creamy, garlicky sauce.
What is Cashew Cream?
If you are interested in eating more dairy free recipes, cashew cream will be your new best friend. It is easy to make and is the perfect rich & creamy replacement for heavy cream or sour cream in your kitchen. You can have your own cashew cream within minutes, all it takes is cashews, water & a blender.
- Use raw, not roasted, cashews. Roasted cashews will give the cream a nutty, cashew-y flavor. By contrast, raw cashews yield a neutral creamy taste, which is delicious in all sorts of savory recipes.
- To soak or not to soak? That is the question, and the answer depends on your blender. If you have a high-speed blender, there’s no need to soak cashews. However, if you have a less powerful blender, I do recommend using one of the following methods to soften your cashews: soaking cashews for at least 4 hours. Just place the cashews in a bowl, cover them with water, and set them aside. Boil Cashews for 3-5 minutes or cover cashews with water in a microwave safe bowl & microwave for 2 minutes.
- Drain Cashews & use fresh water for blending
Ingredients in Creamy Garlic Chicken
- Chicken Breasts: Thick & juicy. Need I say more?
- Olive Oil
- Ghee
- Garlic Cloves
- Cashew Cream: If not dairy free, heavy cream would work here.
- Spinach: We all need extra greens in our life!
- Arrowroot Flour/Starch: This is a thickener & is the whole30/paleo replacement for cornstarch.
- Spices: Think a smoky, Italian blend with paprika, onion powder, garlic powder & Italian seasoning
How to Serve the Creamy Garlic Chicken
Complete this meal by serving it with a crispy caesar or garden salad. Serve over one of the below options to soak up all of the tasty, creamy garlic sauce.
For Whole30, Paleo or Low Carb: Roasted Spaghetti Squash, Zoodles, cauliflower rice or hearts of palm pasta.
For Gluten Free: steamed rice, gluten free pasta, roasted spaghetti squash, zoodles, cauliflower rice or hearts of palm pasta.
No Diet Restrictions: steamed rice or pasta.
How to store the Creamy Garlic Chicken
This creamy dairy free garlic chicken will stay fresh covered in the fridge for about 4-5 days. It’s delicious made ahead of time, too, so feel free to prep it the night before for your weekday lunches. I recommend storing pasta separate from the sauce if making in advance.
How to serve to littles
This creamy garlic chicken recipe is a great way to sneak in spinach! Serve over organic pasta or another healthy grain like steamed rice. Top with a little shredded cheese if your babe is not dairy free.
Baby led weaning tips for Chicken:
9 to 12 months: Finely shred or slice chicken into paper-thin pieces to minimize choking.
12 to 24 months: Offer bite-size pieces of chicken as a finger food or to practice with a fork.
More Easy Cashew Cream Recipes:
One Pan Chicken & Brocolli Alfredo
Creamy Cajun Pasta
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment below and rate the recipe! You can also snap a picture and post it on Instagram using the hashtag #eatingataltitude. And of course be sure to follow Eating At Altitude on Instagram. You can also find me on Facebook and Pinterest. xo!
Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ C raw cashews
- 1 C chicken stock
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 2 C spinach, raw
- 1 tbsp arrow root starch
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt & pepper, each.
Optional for Serving
- steamed rice, zoodles, roasted spaghetti squash, gluten free pasta, hearts of palm pasta
Instructions
- Start by slicing the chicken breast in half to create 2 thin slices per breast. Place one hand on the breast for pressure, using your knife slice meat horizontally, cutting through to the other side.
- In a shallow bowl mix together the arrowroot, paprika, garlic & onion powder, italian seasoning, salt & pepper. Set aside
- Add the cashews to a blender with 1 Cup of fresh water. Blend until smooth & Set aside. If you do not have a high speed blender, follow one of the steps in the notes to soften your cashews.
- In a large pan over medium-high heat, melt the ghee.If you plan on serving with pasta, start boiling your water now.
- Dredge the chicken in the spice blend then place it into the frying pan. Reserve any remaining spices. Cook the chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to medium if the chicken is browning too quickly. When cooking is complete, Remove the chicken from the pan.
- Add the garlic to pan, let cook for 1 minute. Add in the remaining spice blend & mix with the garlic. Immediately add in the chicken stock and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck on bits.
- If it's not already, Lower the heat to medium. Add the cashew cream & lemon juice to the pan & stir to combine. Taste & season with salt if necessary.
- Add the spinach & toss with the sauce to allow the heat to begin to wilt the spinach.
- Lastly, add the chicken back to the pan. Reduce the heat to a low simmer & let cook for 3 minutes or until the chicken is cooked to perfection.
- Serve over your favorite pasta or gluten free option.
