This Creamy Crack Chicken is an easy one-pot meal that’s ready to plate in 30 minutes! Juicy, tender chicken with a creamy Middle Eastern flair, YUM! Bonus this addictive chicken recipe is dairy-free and really good for you.
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The best crack chicken recipe you’ll ever try
You may have seen a recipe or two for crack chicken blowing up on Pinterest. It’s a combination of chicken, ranch dressing, cheese and bacon, usually made in a crockpot. Listen: don’t get me wrong, those flavors are delicious, especially layered together. But if we’re talking a truly addictive, absolutely salivating, crave-it-more-than-once-a-week recipe, it’s got to BRING THE FLAVOR. Like, that knock your socks off, holy crap, damn that’s good FLAVOR. This recipe is it. With warm, sweet, tangy, and creamy components, this elegant dish will tantalize your senses.
Where to buy ingredients for this one-skillet chicken recipe
That’s what this Creamy Crack Chicken is: perfectly cooked and properly juicy chicken breasts seasoned with an explosion of flavors, harmonizing together in an addictively creamy sauce. You’ll love it, your kids will love it, it’s a win-win. Best of all? This is a one-pot recipe that comes together in 30 minutes. Win-win-win-win.
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Step by Step Creamy Crack Chicken
Start by combining all of the seasonings, onion, chicken etc in a large bowl. Toss everything together and marinate, at least 20 minutes. Then heat a large skillet with plenty of fat.
Cook the chicken breast 5 minutes per side. While it cooks whisk together the sauce. Add it to the skillet, pouring it all over the seared chicken breast and onions.
Cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid and lower heat. Simmer here until chicken is cooked through. Then garnish with herbs and serve.
Dairy-Free Creamy Crack Chicken
Warm and sweet with a slight Middle Eastern flair. Creamy, juicy, and absolutely addictive. This flavor combo is named creamy crack chicken for a reason!
Yes, this one-skillet chicken recipe is dairy-free. The secret is using full-fat canned coconut milk or homemade cashew milk for the sauce — this will guarantee the creamiest result with no dairy.
In addition to the creaminess and Middle Eastern spice influence, this recipe is slightly sweetened with coconut sugar. Written as is, the macros are still keto-friendly, but if you want, you could swap coconut sugar for a golden monk fruit sweetener, I like Lakanto. Either way, it’s only 1/3 teaspoon of sweetener per serving, so you can make it work for any dietary preferences.
You can use any kind of vinegar you have on hand and any kind of mustard, too — this recipe is super flexible and pairs well with any side dish. Keto crack chicken? Yep. Dairy-free crack chicken? You got it. Creamy Crack Chicken for all!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
You can omit the cumin and black pepper. Use 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ginger instead. For the sauce swap the mustard with 1 teaspoon ground horseradish or prepared horseradish, 1 tablespoon vinegar and extra coconut aminos.
When I made this at my mom’s house, I was using a stoneware skillet that I found at Ross. It lasted about 8 months before it was no longer non-stick. Not sure I would recommend it.
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Creamy Crack Chicken (Dairy Free, One Pot Meal, Keto, 30 Minute Meal)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Chicken
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Creamy, dreamy, flavorful and addictive chicken breast
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon brown granulated sweetener (coconut sugar or Lakanto golden – get yours from Thrive Market)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Half small onion sliced
For the Sauce:
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 1/4 cup Dijon or spicy mustard
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
For the Garnish:
- Minced mint to serve
Instructions
- Combine the chicken, seasonings, coconut sugar, vinegar, oil and onion in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Let sit and marinate for 10-20 minutes (if you can).
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When it comes to temperature, drizzle in a little olive oil. Put the chicken breasts with onion in the skillet so they’re not touching. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Flip and cook another 5 minutes uncovered.
- While the chicken cooks, combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet. Lower the heat and cover. Simmer here for 5 minutes. Uncover and turn the chicken over in the sauce.
- Serve with minced fresh mint if you have it! Goes great with roasted veggies!
Recipe Notes:
net carbs per serving: 5.5g
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 439
- Fat: 29.9g
- Carbohydrates: 6.8g
- Fiber: 1.3g
- Protein: 36.6g
Rachel says
I’m planning to make this tonight, but I want to clarify something first so I don’t screw it up 🙂 if using coconut milk, its supposed to just be the thick creamy part at the top of the can, right? What if using cashew milk? The recipe for cashew milk i have makes a “drinkable” texture milk, so that would probably be too thin for the sauce? Any guidance for ratio of cashews to water to make the right thickness?
Cristina says
Yes, coconut cream – just the solid fat from the top of the can. Ad for the cashew milk/cream a 2:1 ratio is what I like for coffee and cooking (2 cups water to 1 cup soaked cashews)
Jody Soldo says
My partner took care of the marinading of the chicken and I took over later to cook – So easy! We used boneless, skinless chicken thighs and they turned out great.
My partner was finishing every last drop of sauce on his plate remarking – ‘I guess this is why it’s called crack chicken’!
Cristina says
Hehehe yesss, that’s why we call is crack chicken 😉
Chris says
This is really good. Thanks for sharing. I’ll definitely be having this again. The only thing I would change is the salt to a 1/2 teaspoon.
Cristina says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Deonn says
Could I use skinless chicken thighs?
Cristina says
YES!
Mary Gillespie says
My sauce was a little watery and then later read you’re just supposed to use just the thick part of the coconut milk, is that correct? With it being a little more watery, I could taste more of the Dijon mustard. My husband enjoyed the flavor. And I think it would’ve been better if it was thicker
Cristina says
Yes, just the coconut cream, or you could use cashew cream or heavy cream 🙂
Rachel says
Wow, this looks amazing! We love chicken recipes and can’t to try this one out tonight. When we take the chicken out of the olive oil/vinegar/spice mixture, do we pour everything in the pan to cook the chicken or just use the chicken and onions and discard of the remaining marinade? Thank you!!
Cristina says
You’re going to love it! All the sauce and onion go in to the skillet, cook and you serve the chicken with the sauce, it;s the best part
Jess M says
This was divine! I doubled the recipe because I knew it’d be another Castaway Kitchen winner. I used Chicken thighs, added roasted spinach, put it on top of zucchini noodles, and sprinkled with mint. Amazing!!! Thank you for this recipe!
Cristina says
yummm!!!! So glad you loved it
Lisa M says
I don’t have coconut aminos, can I use a substitute or leave out?
Cristina says
You could use gluten free soy sauce
Lisa Murphy says
Thank you!
Mikayla says
This was AMAZING!!! So so yummy! My hubby LOVED the sauce. Was also great with thighs too. This will be a new staple recipe for us. Made it twice already and It was just as delicious the second time. Seriously, SO GOOD!!!??
EDavis says
This definitely will be in rotation at my house! It was so good I made a 1 adjustment because I’m not sure what was going on with my coconut milk…is it just the creamy part or do I shake the can before I open idk I’m always confused but I added condensed coconut milk just a smidge because my milk was super thin. Still good my husband who loves dairy (but we are dieting) really liked this dish he told me multiple times! I am dairy free so I practically jumped foe joy when I read the comments and you had great reviews….long winded lately, don’t mind me! Thanks for the recipe!
Cristina says
Full fat canned coconut cream/milk- just the thick part. Or homemade cashew milk or the elmhurst brand.
Lori Cormier says
We used thighs but it still was amazing. I do have a question as to whether you have a way to scan or add this into carb manager?
Amanda says
A-MAZING! Thank you! My picky husband chowed DOWN! Do you think we could freeze it in the marinade for a quick defrost later? Do you think the coconut milk mixture could freeze in a separate container?
Debbie Duncan says
Wow! My new go to! Yum! And love how fast and easy it is.
Cristina says
Thank you Debbie!!
Patricia Andrade says
OMG, this recipe is amazing! It was super easy to make it, and absolutely delicious! Thank you!
Cristina says
Thank you, Patricia!
Debbie says
I made this for dinner tonight. My first keto dinner. I too added spinach because I had it and try to up my veggies. It was delicious Cristina. Thank you. I have it pinned!
Caroline says
would almond milk work as a substitute in this recipe?
Cristina says
reduce the amount by 1/4