If you loved my Beef Stroganoff, you’ll really enjoy this Chicken Stroganoff. It’s just as simple to prepare, virtually dairy-free, and wonderfully rich and creamy. The whole dish comes together in about 30 minutes and is excellent served over mashed potatoes, homemade fries, or a cauliflower purée for a low-carb option.
What is Stroganoff?
Stroganoff is a classic Russian dish traditionally made with beef in a creamy sauce. That said, it adapts beautifully to other proteins — including chicken, pork cutlets, or even ground meats if you prefer. The hallmark is a savory, creamy sauce often flavored with onions, mushrooms, and mustard; many cooks add their own twist.
My family’s version used sour cream, lots of garlic, and fresh dill, typically served over fries. For this recipe I’ve lightened and simplified the sauce to be Whole30-compliant and Paleo-friendly. It’s free of grains, gluten, refined sugar, legumes, and alcohol, and nearly dairy-free thanks to the use of ghee and coconut milk.
Instead of making a coconut-based sour cream, this version reduces full-fat coconut milk with Dijon (or whole-grain) mustard and cooks it with onions and garlic to mellow the flavors. Adding chicken stock after reduction loosens the sauce, and finishing with fresh dill and a touch of lemon juice helps mask any coconut notes. The result is a velvety, flavorful sauce that doesn’t taste like coconut.
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Chicken Stroganoff – Paleo, Whole30
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise
- Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms – thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic – thinly sliced
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tbsp Dijon or whole-grain mustard
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
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Lightly season both sides of each chicken breast with salt and pepper.
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Preheat a 12″ stainless-steel or cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add avocado oil and heat until shimmering. Cook the chicken, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 3–4 minutes until golden and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and set aside; tent with foil to keep warm if desired.
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Return the pan to medium heat. Add the mushrooms and ghee, season with a pinch of salt, and cook while stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until softened, about 4–5 minutes.
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When the mushrooms have browned and released their moisture, add the onions and cook until softened, 3–4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute, stirring.
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Stir in the coconut milk and mustard, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half. Add the chicken stock, simmer again, and reduce by half to concentrate the flavors.
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Remove from heat, stir in the chopped dill and lemon juice, and season with freshly cracked black pepper. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
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Spoon the hot stroganoff sauce over the chicken and serve immediately, garnished with extra dill if desired.