There are plenty of reasons to cut down on dairy, be it an allergy, intolerance, or health reasons. After all, it might be super-rich, but it’s also high in calories. Either way, these recipes are just what you’ll need because you won’t have to rely on butter and cheese to make something tasty. Instead, why not try some fun, new spices? And instead of heavy cream, maybe give coconut cream a shot. I’ve found a wide range of recipes here, from curry to chicken tenders. Let me know which you like best!
1. Quick & Easy Lemon Chicken Marinade With Basil
Buttermilk is often touted as the best way to tenderize and flavor chicken. But as long as you include some kind of acidity, you can quickly achieve the same results without dairy. And this marinade couldn’t be more straightforward. All you’ll need is the juice of a lemon, salt and pepper, a dash of oil, and a few basil leaves.
2. Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry
If you have a dairy intolerance, coconut cream is probably already your best friend. It’s just as luscious and lightly sweet, which is ideal for curries. This Indian curry recipe is tangy, spicy, and insanely rich. But best of all, you don’t need any special herbs or spices, just cumin, coriander, and turmeric.
3. Yakisoba Chicken
Stir-fries aren’t usually loaded with dairy anyway, making this the perfect meal for those trying to cut back. Between the chili paste, garlic, and soy sauce, it packs quite a punch. Plus, it comes together in a matter of minutes.
4. Cracker Barrel Chicken Tenders
It’s kind of surprising to see chicken tenders without a heavy breadcrumb coating, especially since this recipe comes from Cracker Barrel. But with its fresh and zesty marinade made using honey, lime juice, and Italian dressing, you won’t need anything else to make this chicken shine.
5. Oven-Baked Chicken Tenders
That said, if you miss the crunch of chicken tenders covered in breadcrumbs, this recipe is for you. Though this recipe is dairy-free, it does use eggs to help the breadcrumbs stick. So if you want something lighter, try using oil or excess marinade.
6. Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Doesn’t this soup look insanely creamy? Believe it or not, it is, and there’s no dairy in sight. The trick is to cook the soup until everything is ready to eat, then remove about one-third of the mix (not including the chicken or veggies). You’ll need to blend that until smooth, but be careful. Some blenders don’t work well with hot liquids, so you may need to let it cool first.
7. Julia Child’s Coq Au Vin
It may have a fancy French name and give off an air of elegance, but coq au vin really couldn’t be more simple. It is, after all, just a chicken and wine stew, so don’t let it intimidate you. All you need to do is marinate the chicken in wine and stock, then cook the veggies a little before adding everything into a big pot to simmer and thicken.
8. Sheet Pan Mojo Chicken
This Cuban dish is bright and zesty, thanks to the lime zest, orange juice, and distilled white vinegar. That blend is also why this chicken is so insanely tender. For something even more special, try cooking this on the grill.
9. Healthy Thai Turkey Meatballs In Coconut Curry
One of the main differences between Thai and Indian curries is the texture and spice level. Though Indian curries are full of spice, I find Thai recipes have more heat in the end. Also, Indian curries tend to be slightly thicker. For this Thai meal, you’ll rely on red curry paste for flavor, but don’t go crazy, as it strengthens as it cooks!
10. Chicken Meatloaf
Meatloaf is a terrific family meal you can quickly make on a busy weeknight. Though it’s typically made with beef or pork, this dairy-free chicken recipe is light and tasty. Loaded with many of the same herbs and spices, it won’t taste exactly the same as you’re used to, but it will be tender and juicy, nonetheless.
11. Healthy 30-Minute Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken
If you haven’t spoiled yourself and bought an Instant Pot yet, this is your sign to do so. It’s incredible how quickly this appliance cooks food with that pressure cook setting! The flavor and stunning color come from the blend of paprika, turmeric, and cumin, plus a generous helping of minced ginger.
12. 30-Minute Dairy-Free Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Tuscan chicken is the kind of 30-minute meal that looks and tastes like it took way longer to create. Using sun-dried tomatoes adds incredible color and flavor to this dish, and I love the inclusion of nutritional yeast for a boost of cheesy goodness.
13. Creamy Crack Chicken
Crack chicken is usually loaded with ranch dressing and lots of cheese. Not exactly dairy-free, right? Of course, this doesn’t have the same flavor, so don’t expect that signature ranch taste. Instead, you’ll use mustard, coconut cream, and cumin.
14. Easy Dairy Free Chicken A La King
If you’re not vegan, you might not have made or cooked with cashew cream before. But after one bite of this, I bet you’ll want to put it in everything! This dairy-free chicken a la king dish is luscious, creamy, and jam-packed with flavor, and I’ll bet nobody will even guess it’s not full of heavy cream.
15. 3-Ingredient Pomegranate Balsamic Chicken
In some cases, if you want to skip the dairy, you need to be sure to boost the flavor another way, and nothing does that better than tangy balsamic vinegar. Adding pomegranate juice enhances the sweetness in the glaze, and those little seeds give such a dark dish beautiful pops of color.
16. Easy Chicken Fried Rice
Like stir-fries, fried rice is already (usually) dairy-free. So if you want a quick and delicious meal that’s filling, all you’ll need is a handful of ingredients and about 15 minutes of your time. The critical ingredient in fried rice is cooked and cooled rice. If you use freshly cooked, warm rice, it will turn to mush as you mix everything together.
17. Whole30 Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Remember that cashew cream above? Here’s another recipe that takes it above and beyond. But what makes this extra special is that you’ll add garlic, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast, giving it a more alfredo-like taste. I prefer this dish with chicken chunks since they add more texture, but that’s a matter of preference. Also, if you want a bit of crunch, try sprinkling some panko breadcrumbs over the top.
18. Israeli Paprika Chicken and Potatoes
Amazingly, this recipe only calls for two spices: paprika and salt. So with that in mind, you’ll want to ensure you have some decent paprika! Since you’ll cook the chicken and potatoes together, be sure to cut the potatoes relatively small. Otherwise, you’ll have raw potatoes under that crispy chicken.
19. Popcorn Chicken
Popcorn chicken is usually breaded or made using a wet batter. But no matter which coating you choose, the chicken should be cut into bite-sized pieces for easy eating. I like to use dark meat for this as it’s generally more flavorful and also stays juicy, even after slightly overcooking. If you have a Dutch oven, you can deep-fry the chicken easily. Or, use a deep saucepan and flip the chicken after a couple of minutes.
20. Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Southern Fried Chicken
I mentioned earlier that buttermilk is most often used to tenderize and flavor chicken. And that’s never more true than when making fried chicken. One way to imitate that is to make dairy-free buttermilk using your choice of dairy-free milk and a squeeze of lemon juice. Let it sit for around 10 minutes and then use as normal. Another option is to make a wet batter using dairy-free milk, eggs, and flour. Click on a star to rate it!
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