Easy One-pan Dairy Free Chicken Thigh Recipe

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When you want a chicken thigh recipe that is dairy-free as well, it might feel impossible. Especially when you crave something creamy without the dairy, it feels more horrible because without dairy, cream might seem impossible. For many, cutting out dairy from a creamy dish can feel like sacrificing comfort foods. But today’s dairy free chicken thigh recipe will prove you wrong.

This recipe gives you creamy and satisfying chicken thighs with some ingredients such as coconut milk, garlic, and some herbs. It doesn’t take hours to make, is perfect for busy-night dinners, and doesn’t contain any dairy products as well.

So, if you want to know about today’s recipe, just keep reading below.

What Are We Using Instead Of Dairy?

First of all, before wasting time trying to figure out what we have actually used to make this recipe dairy-free, let me tell you what we used here. In this dairy free chicken thigh recipe, we’ve used simple coconut milk, a naturally rich and creamy alternative that delivers both flavor and nutrition without lactose.

Coconut milk works beautifully in this recipe because of its smooth texture and mild sweetness, which complements the savory notes of garlic, onion, turmeric, and thyme. It gives the dish a velvety sauce that clings to chicken thighs, creating a luxurious bite without needing cream cheese.

What we do in this recipe is we sear the chicken thighs first, then slowly we will put them into the coconut milk mixed with garlic and other things. I can not describe the whole recipe in one line, but to know it, you can check below. I just put this part above all, just to make sure you get what you want. Thanks!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you will need to make this recipe:

1. 600g of Chicken Thighs
2. 300 ml of Coconut milk
3. 5 Cloves of Garlic
4. 2 tablespoons of butter
5. 1/2 Onion
6. 1/4 teaspoon of thyme
7. 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
8. 1 teaspoon of salt
9. 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
10. 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

There are all the ingredients you will need to make this recipe. Once you have these, let’s move on to the instructions part.

Instruction

Here are all the instructions you will need to follow to cook this recipe:

1. First, chop the onion and garlic properly. Then, put all the chicken thighs on a plate and season them with salt and pepper to taste. Rub them on both sides.
2. Now, put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the pan and heat the pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs to the pan.
3. Now, let the chicken thighs cook for around 10 minutes per side. I am telling the timings based on if you have large-sized chicken thighs. But normally, you would not need to cook for more than 5 to 7 minutes. If you check my Dutch oven chicken thighs recipe, chicken thigh bell pepper recipe, or the chicken thigh basil recipe, I have said this same thing. The goal is to have a lavish, golden-brown color on each side. After 10 minutes of cooking, flip the thighs and cook for another 10 minutes.
4. Now, once the chicken thighs are purely seared, remove them from the pan, add 1 tablespoon of butter, and wait for it to completely melt. Once it melts down completely, add the garlic and saute it for a few minutes. Now, add finely chopped onion and saute for some additional minutes. At this point, add a pinch of salt for seasoning.
5. After that, add turmeric powder and thyme to it and stir them well.
6. Now add 300ml of coconut milk to the pan and stir everything very well. After 1 minute, drop the chicken back into the pan and let it cook well.
7. While cooking, the sauce should slowly start thickening. After cooking for 5 to 10 minutes, when the sauce has a proper texture, bring the chickens out and enjoy!

Now you know how to cook this amazing dairy-free chicken thigh recipe. Below, there are some PRO tips that I think can level up your cooking. Check below!

PRO Tips for Cooking

Here are the tips as I promised:

1. Don’t disturb the thighs while searing: I have also told this in recipes like the chicken thigh basil recipe, and the chicken thigh spinach with potatoes, that when you are searing chicken thighs, don’t move them. Leave them undisturbed all the time, especially if you want super crispy skin.
2. Don’t overcrowd the pan: One of the best lessons that I learnt in my journey is that if you have many chicken thighs, then don’t try to fry them all at once. I mean, don’t overcrowd them in the pan. As before, I have also told this in my Dutch oven chicken thighs recipe, chicken thigh parmesan recipe, blackened chicken thighs recipe, or even frozen chicken thighs recipe. What it does is that it traps the moisture in between the thighs and makes them soggy and less tasty instead of making them crispy.
3. Marinate for maximum flavor: You should always marinate the chicken thighs for maximum flavor. I personally suggest marinating the chicken thighs in salt, pepper, a little olive oil, and some garlic for at least 30 minutes in advance. This ultimately boosts flavor and tenderness.
4. Let it rest after cooking: I don’t know how many times I have told you about it, but here’s again once. Don’t forget to rest the thighs for an extra 5 minutes after cooking. This helps the juices to redistribute, making the meat extra juicy.
5. Take advantage of the pan fond: When you are done searing, you’ll see some brown bits left in the pan. Trust me, they are flavor bombs! Don’t forget to scrape them with anything when you are adding coconut milk to the pan. This will add extra depth to your sauce.

Recipe Card

Conclusion

So, now you know how you can cook this amazingly delicious dairy free chicken thighs recipe. If you have tried it once at your home or want to give me some suggestions, then you are most welcome. Also, if you have tried something different from this recipe, then also, don’t forget to comment down below. I would love to hear from you!

For today, thanks for reading, and happy cooking.