This kid-friendly favorite, Whole30 Tangy Chicken, is regularly requested by my minions and teenagers alike. It’s an easy chicken dish that is flavorful but neutral enough to win over even some of my tough critics.
Why We Love This Whole30 Tangy Chicken
It’s a dish we almost always have the ingredients for! Plus, it comes together in less than 30 minutes. A great FAST meal for a busy night.
Additionally, it is Whole30, Paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, grain-free, nut-free, and egg-free. It’s a kid-friendly and freezer-friendly dish that is not just for kids.
One of the first dishes I learned how to make in college! Yes, it’s that easy and approachable.
Ingredients
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast – Use whatever quality is accessible to you!
- Arrowroot or potato starch – Both are a type of flour or starch. I can find both at Winco, arrowroot at Walmart, or both on Amazon (arrowroot here, potato starch here). You can use tapioca flour for this recipe, but it’s not my favorite as it makes the coating a little bit tacky/gummy. If you are not on a Whole30, you can use an equal amount of your favorite Gluten-free 1:1 flour.
- Salt and Pepper – Just basic table salt and black ground pepper here!
- Olive oil – Can also use avocado oil or coconut oil. This is just to cook the chicken in.
- Date paste – The source of sweetness for this recipe if you are on a Whole30 and using unsweetened ketchup. If you are not on a Whole30, you can use an equal amount of a granulated sweetener of choice – like coconut sugar or monk fruit sugar (both are Paleo).
- Dried minced onion – Find this in most spice aisle or in the Winco bulk spice bins.
- Ketchup – If you are on Whole30, make sure the ketchup is Whole30 Compliant, my favorite brand is the Primal Kitchen Whole30 Approved Ketchup. If just looking for a Paleo option, I love using Heinz or Hellman’s ketchup sweetened only with honey.
How to Make This Whole30 Tangy Chicken
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Combine flour and salt in a ziplock bag or medium bowl. Add bite-sized chicken pieces, seal, and shake or stir to coat (my kids love doing this part!).
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Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add flour-coated chicken pieces, shaking off excess flour before putting it into oil. Cook chicken in hot oil, flipping after 3-4 minutes until cooked through.
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While the chicken is cooking, combine all remaining ingredients (water through ketchup) in a separate medium bowl. Once the chicken is cooked, pour sauce over the chicken.
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Simmer on the stove at medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir several times throughout as sauce thickens. Serve over cauliflower rice (Whole30) or regular rice (gluten-free).
Other Whole30 Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
If this tangy chicken hits the spot, here are more saucy, family-friendly chicken dinners to keep on repeat:
- Whole30 Garlic Chicken Sheet Pan — want the whole dinner handled at once? Garlic chicken, crispy potatoes, and green beans on one pan. Whole30 · Paleo · GF · DF · Egg-free
- Paleo Teriyaki Chicken — that sweet-savory teriyaki flavor, made clean and served over rice or cauli rice. Paleo · GF · DF
- Skillet Pineapple Chicken — sweet, tangy, and on the table fast — a total kid-pleaser. GF · DF
- Crispy Orange Chicken — the takeout craving, made gluten- and dairy-free at home. GF · DF
- Whole30 Creamy Chicken and Rice — cozy, creamy comfort food with none of the dairy. Whole30 · GF · DF
- 30-Minute Chicken Dinners — thirty quick chicken dinners for the busy nights. Whole30 · Paleo · GF · DF
Whole30 Tangy Chicken
An EASY weeknight dinner that my teenagers request!
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bitesized cubes
- 1/2 cup arrowroot or potato starch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup water
- 8 large dates pitted; can sub 2 tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar if not on Whole30
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
- 1 cup ketchup if on Whole30, Tessemaes or Primal Kitchen have compliant ketchup
- 1 12-ounce bag fresh or frozen riced cauliflower To serve, for Whole30; or cooked rice for gluten-free (not Whole30)
Instructions
- Combine flour and salt in a ziplock bag or medium bowl. Add bite-sized chicken pieces, seal, and shake or stir to coat (my kids love doing this part!).
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add flour coated chicken pieces, shaking off excess flour before putting into oil. Cook chicken in hot oil, flipping after 3-4 minutes until cooked through.
- MAKE DATE PASTE (for Whole30, if using): Combine dates and 1/2 c hot water in a blender or food processor and let sit for 1 minute. I usually press them down into the water a bit to ensure they are all soaking. Blend/process for 30 seconds, or until smooth.You will only use 2 tablespoons for this recipe - store remaining in a closed container in the fridge for up to 3-4 weeks.
- While chicken is cooking, combine water, 2 tablespoons date paste, black pepper, dried minced onion, and ketchup in a separate medium bowl. Once chicken is cooked, pour sauce over chicken.
- Simmer on stove at medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir several times throughout, as sauce thickens. Serve over cauliflower rice.
Notes
See the ingredient section in the blog post above for substitutions and favorite products!
Nutrition information does not include cauliflower rice or rice you serve it on.
Nutrition
Calories: 335kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 26gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 729mgPotassium: 724mgFiber: 2gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 37IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
This is my family favorite, it makes perfect left overs (which I’m pretty picky with leftovers). This is also my go to when taking dinner to a family after having a baby. Especially if they have dietary limitations.
I love that this one was not only a family hit, it’s even good enough to love the leftovers. And how sweet it’s one you take to others for a meal. I’m so glad it’s one you use and love! Thanks for the review!
One of my all time favs! So super easy & yummy
Such an easy family-friendly dish! I’m so glad it’s a favorite in your home as well. Thank you so much for the review!
My Kids LOVED it. I served leftovers mixed with GF Rotini and although they noticed it was last night’s dinner again it did not stop them from nearly licking their plates clean.
WAHOO! Love that it was “enjoyed two nights in a row” good! Thank you.
Made this tonight and everyone ate and enjoyed! My super picky 3 and 2 year olds had several helpings! Easy and affordable! Thanks for a great recipe to feed our family of 9!
Just do yourself a favor and make this recipe! It is outstanding! We have to double this recipe because we all fight over the leftovers 🙂
Hooray! I’m so happy to hear this is a double every time kind of recipe. Thank you!
This chicken recipe was different and so delicious! We loved having the cauliflower rice with it.
Happy this was a delicious hit, thank you!
I finally made this today and it was terrific! The instructions were super easy to follow. I don’t really love to cook but I’m trying to expand my recipe base. It was a *little* too heavy on the ketchup flavor for my taste but that did not stop me from devouring it. I would definitely make it again.
Good for you for branching out and building that recipe vocabulary. So happy you enjoyed this one and will make it again!