This Whole30 Garlic Chicken is such an easy weeknight dinner option. It has seven ingredients (not counting salt) and can be made in the oven or the air fryer. It’s great by itself, chopped up in salads, or on top of zoodles with a marinara sauce like a chicken parmesan. Whole30 compliant and keto-friendly, this one is a winner!
Why We Love This Whole30 Garlic Chicken
First, because it is so darn EASY! It takes only 15 minutes prep to mix together and batter chicken in a simple breading. Great for when you don’t have a lot of time to spend in hands-on dinner prep.
Second, the ingredients are allergen-friendly. Not only is this recipe Whole30, but it’s also Paleo, Keto, low-carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free with nut-free options. Love that it can meet so many dietary needs!
Finally, we love that it can be cooked in the oven or the air fryer. I love my air fryer though will use the oven if I am double batching for my big family. Both turn out delicious!
Ingredients
The ingredients to make my Whole30 Garlic Chicken are simple and I can find them all at my local Walmart.
- Ghee – Ghee is clarified butter and is allowed on programs like Whole30 or a diet like Paleo. You find it easily at Walmart or many grocery stores. However, if you have a dairy allergy or need a vegan option, use a vegan butter like Miyokos instead.
- Coconut milk – Coconut milk is the Whole30, Paleo, or vegan version of cream. It’s thick and rich, helping the breading stick to the chicken without egg. Use canned, unsweetened coconut milk. I prefer the Thai Kitchen brand I find at Walmart. Other dairy-free milks are not thick enough to allow this breading to hold on, and I don’t recommend them. If you are allergic to coconut, use a whisked egg instead for the breading.
- Dried parsley – I find this in the spice section of most grocery stores. I get mine in bulk at Sam’s Club or Winco.
- Salt – Regular old table salt here.
- Garlic powder – Garlic powder or granulated garlic both work equally well in this recipe. I find this in the spice section of most grocery stores. I get mine in bulk at Sam’s Club or Winco.
- Almond flour – I prefer “super-fine” almond flour to get the best texture. I like this one from Blue Diamond I can get at Sam’s Club or Amazon. Need a nut-free option? See recipe notes!
- Paprika – I find this in the spice section of most grocery stores. I get mine in bulk at Sam’s Club or Winco.
- Chicken breasts – boneless, skinless. Choose the highest quality that is accessible to you!
Instructions
Easy instructions on how to make this Whole30 Garlic Chicken for your family:
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If using the oven, heat to 425. Place the cooking sheet inside the oven as it preheats – this will help the chicken get crispier.
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Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt on sliced chicken breasts. Set aside.
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In a small shallow bowl, combine ghee, milk, 1 teaspoon parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
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In another small shallow bowl, mix almond flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 3 teaspoons (same as 1 tablespoon) parsley, and paprika.
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Dip chicken strips into the milk mixture, then roll to coat lightly with the almond flour mixture. Place on a cooking sheet (removed from the oven and lined with parchment) or in an air fryer basket. Repeat with all chicken strips. Spray generously with cooking oil.
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Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or air fry at 375 for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through.
- Delicious served with my Homemade Ranch!
- Freeze leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 months.
Other Whole30 Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
If these garlic strips are a hit at your table, here are a few more Whole30 chicken dinners my crew asks for on repeat:
- Whole30 Garlic Chicken Sheet Pan — love these garlic strips? Here’s the whole dinner on one pan: juicy garlic chicken, crispy potatoes, and green beans, all roasted together. Whole30 · Paleo · GF · DF · Egg-free
- Whole30 Chicken Zucchini Nuggets — the kid-approved one. Crispy little nuggets with a veggie hidden right in, and nobody’s the wiser. Whole30 · Paleo · GF · DF
- Whole30 Chicken Fried Chicken — all the crispy, comfort-food crunch (and that country gravy) without the gluten or dairy. Whole30 · Paleo · GF · DF
- Whole30 Garlic Butter Chicken — for the garlic lovers. Rich, buttery, and done in one skillet on a busy night. Whole30 · Paleo · GF · DF
- 30-Minute Chicken Dinners — a whole roundup for the nights you have zero minutes and even less patience. GF · DF
Whole30 Garlic Chicken
An EASY 30-minute main dish that is budget and kid-friendly, with quick prep!
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts trimmed and cut into strips
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- 1/4 cup vegan butter use ghee for Whole30; melted, then measured
- 2 tablespoons canned full-fat unsweetened coconut milk or other dairy-free milk
- 4 teaspoons dried parsley divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder divided
- 1 cup almond flour see note for modifications
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- If using oven, heat to 425. Place cooking sheet inside the oven as it preheats - this will help the chicken get crispier.
- Pat chicken dry to help the breading stick. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt on sliced chicken breasts. Set aside.
- In a small shallow bowl, combine ghee, milk, 1 teaspoon parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
- In another small shallow bowl, mix almond flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 3 teaspoons (same as 1 tablespoon) parsley and paprika.
- Dip chicken strips into milk mixture, then roll to coat lightly with the almond flour mixture. Place on cooking sheet (removed from oven and lined with parchment) or in air fryer basket. Repeat with all chicken strips. Spray generously with cooking oil.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes in the oven, flipping halfway through, or airfry at 375 for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through.
Notes
SUBSTITUTIONS: You can use 3/4 cup cassava flour or arrowroot flour instead of the almond flour for a nut-free option. I don't recommend tapioca, as it gets tacky. Follow rest of recipe as written.
NOTE: The recipe as written creates a breading that melts in your mouth with a beautiful crumb. If you want a less crumbly option, you can whisk one egg into the ghee instead of the milk.
Nutrition
Calories: 313kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 28gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 521mgPotassium: 445mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 117IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Delicious! I have too big of a family to make this in the air fryer, but the oven worked great too!
I’m so happy you loved this recipe! Glad the oven method worked well for your family. Thank you so much for the review!
I made this (literally) as soon as it came across my Instagram feed. Easy and delicious! Because I have only a tabletop oven I made half in the air fryer, and half in the oven. Both were great! I love the recipes here, Autumn really does the research! Many thanks to her family for being her taste testers.
You know it’s easy when you literally can make it the same day you see it, because the ingredients are *that* simple. I’m so glad you loved both cooking methods and found this one a family win. Thank you for the review!
These were so good and easy to make! My entire family loved them!
I’m so happy these were an EASY family win – those are the best! Thank you for the review 🙂
These are dangerously good, we couldn’t stop saying “mmmm” as we were eating them! Made some in the oven and some in the air fryer and next time will definitely be doing all in the fryer!! Thanks for another crowd pleaser
YESSS that these were such a family win! Happy to hear it, thank you!
These are amazing! I did mine in the air fryer, but they are so flavorful! The whole family loved it!
Love an easy family win! Thank you!
So easy and full of flavor. The leftovers should be tasty.
I’m happy to hear you found them quick and delicious! Thank you for the review!
Do you think these could be modified and made with drumsticks?
They’re a better price right now where I live and I’d like to find a good recipe to use them with. Thanks.
Great question! I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not. Let me know if you try it!
We keep coming back to this one! It’s comforting and delicious. It bakes up perfectly and has great texture and depth of flavor. Yum!
YAY! I’m glad this is one you have on repeat and find it spot on in texture and flavor. Thank you for the review!
I made these in the airfryer and they came out perfectly! Great taste.