Chicken Florentine is a classic dish and it’s so darn delicious. This chicken florentine recipe is easy, fast, and uses simple ingredients. Plus, it’s of course AIP/Paleo friendly, gluten-free, dairy-free, Whole30 compliant, keto-friendly, etc. I made this recently for our non-AIP dinner guests and they and their children loved it.
If you’re looking for more dinner ideas, definitely take a look at my AIP Chicken Recipes roundup post.
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Ingredients for Chicken Florentine
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts- You can use chicken thighs if you prefer. Just note that they will likely take less time to cook.
- Sea Salt – I usually use pink Himalayan but there are tons of great sea salt options out there.
- Coconut OIl -When it comes to cooking at higher temperatures, saturated oils hold up best. You don’t necessarily have to use coconut oil. You can use lard, bacon grease, tallow, etc. If you don’t have these on hand, olive oil or avocado oil are fine.
- Yellow Onion- White onions or red onions would work too.
- Full Fat Coconut Milk– Be sure to choose one without guar gum.
- White Wine Vinegar The white wine vinegar adds a wonderful flavor. If you’re able to tolerate it, I definitely recommend using it. However, if you can’t use vinegar, lemon juice is ok too.
- Chicken Broth– Just a little bit of chicken broth rounds out the flavor and heartiness of the sauce. You can use bone broth here if you prefer.
- Garlic Powder
- Thyme Powder
- Dried Parsley
- Arrowroot Starch– Just a little bit of arrowroot starch mixed with water thickens the sauce perfectly. You can substitute tapioca starch in equal amounts if needed.
- Water- This will be mixed with the arrowroot starch to make a thickener.
- Fresh Spinach- Try to get organic if possible. You can also use frozen spinach if preferred. Just be sure to heat it up separately and drain off any extra liquid first.
How to Make AIP Friendly Chicken Florentine
This is a super simple recipe and it really only requires a few swaps from a regular chicken florentine recipe. Here are the basic steps:
- Sprinkle the chicken breasts with a little salt.
- Cook the chicken on both sides in a pan with some oil (6-7 minutes per side).
- Set the chicken aside and add some onions to the pan. Saute the onions.
- Add the broth and vinegar. Boil for a few minutes to reduce the liquid.
- Add the coconut milk and seasonings. Boil a little longer to reduce the liquid.
- Add the water/arrowroot starch mixture and cook for another minute.
- Add the spinach and allow it to wilt (just 1-2 minutes)
- Add the chicken back to the pan to coat it with the sauce.
- Serve!
Can You Make Chicken Florentine Ahead of Time?
Yes. Just prepare it according to the recipe and then store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.
Can You Freeze Chicken Florentine?
I haven’t tried freezing this recipe yet but I think it would freeze and reheat just fine. Store it in an airtight container. When you’re ready to thaw it, let it thaw preferably in the fridge overnight. Alternatively, you can use defrost mode on the microwave- just be careful not to overheat the chicken. Then just reheat as discussed above.
Chicken Florentine Tips
- Some chicken florentine recipes first dredge the chicken in some sort of flour. I tried dredging the chicken just with coconut flour the first time I made this recipe and it was ok but didn’t make a huge difference. For this reason, I left this step out plus it saves a little time. If you would like to dredge your chicken, I’d recommend dipping the chicken in coconut milk, then coating it with coconut flour, cassava flour, or tigernut flour. Then proceed with the recipe as listed.
- Be sure to get the pan nice and hot before adding the chicken. This sears the chicken adding to the flavor.
- Take advantage of the leftover flavorful pieces left in the pan from the chicken. They add so much flavor! If the pan gets too dry or it starts to burn, add a tiny bit of chicken broth to deglaze the pan. It works like a charm.
- Don’t overcook the spinach. It just needs a minute or two to get warm and then it’s good to go.
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Conclusion:
I hope you found this post useful. If you tried this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know what you thought!
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @foodcourage for the latest AIP/Paleo recipes, autoimmune nutrition info, and Food Courage happenings!
This recipe is shared on the Paleo/AIP Recipe Roundtable.
Chicken Florentine
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp sea salt divided
- 3 tbsp coconut oil (or oil of choice), divided
- 1/2 cup yellow onion minced
- 1 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground thyme
- 1/4 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch or tapioca starch
- 2 tbsp water
- 3-4 cups fresh spinach
Instructions
- Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with ~1/2 tsp salt (maybe slightly less depending on the size of the chicken breasts).
- Heat 1-2 tbsp oil in a pan over medium-high heat- give it a minute to get hot. Add the chicken to the pan. Cook for about 6-7 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, leaving any little extra toasty chicken bits in, heat 1-2 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until they are translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the broth and vinegar- this will help to deglaze the pan if it still has any flavorful residue from the chicken stuck to it. Boil gently until the liquid reduces by half, about 3 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk, garlic powder, thyme, parsley, and 1/2 tsp salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Boil until the sauce reduces by half stirring often, about 3-5 minutes.
- In a small dish, mix the arrowroot starch with the water and add it to the pan with the sauce. Mix it in well and cook for about 1 minute to thicken.
- Add the spinach to the sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes to allow it to wilt.
- Add the chicken and its juices back to the pan and coat the chicken with the sauce. Serve!
Notes
- Some chicken florentine recipes first dredge the chicken in some sort of flour. I tried dredging the chicken just with coconut flour the first time I made this recipe and it was ok but didn’t make a huge difference. For this reason, I left this step out plus it saves a little time. If you would like to dredge your chicken, I’d recommend dipping the chicken in coconut milk, then coating it with coconut flour, cassava flour, or tigernut flour. Then proceed with the recipe as listed.
Cathy says
Great recipe! Everyone really liked it and my son requested that we put this at the top of the “Do Again” list.
Arika | FoodCourage says
Thanks for the great feedback Cathy- I’m so glad you guys liked it!
Greyhound Gal says
Recipe sounds great. Do you think frozen spinach could be substituted for fresh?
Arika | FoodCourage says
Absolutely! I’d probably thaw/heat the spinach first to get rid of any extra water.
Katie says
Nice clear instructions. I tried this recipe and unfortunately, I found the seasonings a little bland. I would increase them a little next time.
Arika | FoodCourage says
Hey Katie, Thanks for the input- I’m sorry to hear that.
Mackenzie says
I added more seasoning than salt to the chicken but served with jovial spaghetti and it was a hit!
Arika | FoodCourage says
Hey Mackenzie, Thanks for the feedback. I’m glad everyone liked it!