Creamy Lemon Chicken, Olives and Artichokes (Paleo, Whole30)

A Whole30 chicken recipe in a creamy lemon sauce with olives and artichokes in a white platter on a wooden table

5 from 4 votes

Creamy Lemon Chicken, Olives and Artichokes (Paleo, Whole30)

This Creamy Lemon Chicken, Olives and Artichokes recipe is easy enough for a healthy weeknight dinner and elegant enough for company. Juicy chicken breasts, olives, artichokes and capers are coated in a creamy, tangy, garlicky lemon sauce. Serve it with rice, veggie rice or steamed potatoes to soak up the irresistible sauce and you're all set! Plus it's gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo and Whole30 friendly!

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: people

Calories: 527kcal

Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

1 large lemon
1 cup full-fat, unsweetened canned coconut milk (shake before opening to blend well)
2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided, plus more if necessary
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided, plus more if necessary
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total)
1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
3 garlic cloves
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 (14 oz.) can quartered artichokes in water, drained
½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, drained
2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives
rice, veggie rice or steamed potatoes, for serving

Instructions

Zest the lemon and set the zest aside. A microplane grater is best for this, but if you don't have one, use a vegetable peeler to peel off the lemon rind (be sure not to press too hard, you don't want the bitter white layer underneath). Then chop the strips of rind as finely as possible.
Halve the lemon and squeeze out the juice until you have 1/4 cup. (My favorite trick? I don't have a juicer so I set a small mesh sieve over a measuring glass, stab the cut side of the lemon with a fork, aim the cut side down over the sieve and squeeze and rotate the lemon while twisting the fork until I gouge out every last drop of juice.)
Whisk together the coconut milk, lemon juice, ½ salt and ¼ pepper.
Pat the chicken breasts dry and trim any excess fat. Sprinkle both sides with the 1½ teaspoons salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper and Italian seasoning.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Sear the chicken breasts for about 4-5 minutes per side. They might not be cooked all the way through yet which is fine. We'll make sure they cook through later. Remove the chicken to a plate.
While the chicken is searing, peel and dice the garlic cloves.
Once the chicken is out of the pan, reduce the heat to medium.
If there's still about 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan, great. If not, add more olive oil until you have about 2 tablespoons.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and stir frequently until the garlic is golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.
Pour in the coconut milk/lemon sauce and use a wooden or silicone spatula to scrape up all the yummy brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Not only does this add all the flavor to the sauce, it basically cleans the pan for you!
Once the sauce begins to simmer, return the chicken to the pan. Cook until the chicken reaches 165° in the thickest part of the breast, about 4-8 more minutes, depending on their size. (Some breasts might finish cooking before others; just remove each one as it's done.)
Remove the chicken to a serving platter.
Add the artichokes, olives, capers, reserved lemon zest and most of the chives to the sauce. Stir for 1 minute until warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the remaining chives. Serve with rice, veggie rice or steamed potatoes.

Notes

Make ahead and storage

The lemon sauce can be made up to 1 week ahead and kept in the fridge. Whisk to loosen before using.

The chicken can be seared and then stored in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before proceeding to cook and make sure they reach 165°.

The final dish can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm over low heat on the stove.

The final dish can also be frozen in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or baggie for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Substitutions and variations

You can replace the chicken breasts with boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts. If they're very small, they might not need as much time to cook all the way through.
You can replace the artichokes with broccoli florets (fresh or frozen and thawed) or asparagus spears cut into 2" chunks.
You can replace the Kalamata olives with your favorite pitted olives.
You can omit the capers if you don't like/have them. You might need to add a pinch of salt to the sauce - taste before serving.
You can omit the red pepper flakes if you don't want the spiciness. Or add more if you really want some spiciness.
You can use unsweetened almond milk instead of coconut milk but the sauce won't be quite as thick (and will taste a bit almond-y).
You can use any fresh herb instead of chives: parsley, cilantro, mint, basil, tarragon, oregano and thyme would all be good. You'll still need about 2 tablespoons of the chopped herb.

Nutrition