Delicious Gluten Free & Dairy Free Chicken Recipes

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If you’re looking for amazing dairy free and gluten free chicken recipes, look no further. Today I’m going to share some easy ideas and delicious recipes with you that an all be made free-from and still leave you feeling satisfied. Remember, living with Celiac Disease and/or food allergies doesn’t mean you have to give up delicious food.

First, let’s take a look at how to stock your kitchen for free-from cooking success.

Great Kitchen Tools to Have

Here are some of my fave kitchen tools, especially for those who cook a lot of foods at home. Many of these tools can help you take simple ingredients and transform them into an easy weeknight meal.

Sharp Knives & Several Cutting Boards
Meat Mallet (great for pounding your chicken when needed)
Cookie Dough Scoop (great for shaping and making meatballs quickly)
Large Skillet and Pots in Various Sizes
Splatter Guard (great when you’re cooking on the stove top)
Baking Tray
Parchment Paper
Instant Pot (especially great when you need a quick and easy dairy-free option)
Slow Cooker or Crockpot (not needed if you have a multifunction cooker like an Instant Pot)
High Powered Blender (good for making some sauces and purées)
Immersion Blender (if you plan to make lots of soups and some purées)
Food Processor (if you want to save time chopping veg, etc.)
Rice Cooker
Steaming Pot (if your rice cooker has a steaming basket insert, this may not be necessary)

General Cooking Ingredients I Like to Keep on Hand

Whilst this isn’t an exhaustive list, here are many ingredients you can keep on hand. This will allow you to make delicious dairy free and gluten free chicken recipes (as well as many others) at home.

Cooking Oil (Avocado Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, etc.)
Broth & Stock (Chicken Broth, Beef Bone Broth, Homemade Bison Stock, etc.)
Salt, Black Pepper, and Smoked Salt (these are the absolute basics for seasoning)
Single Seasonings (onion powder, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, turmeric, etc.)
Seasoning Blends (Italian Seasoning, BBQ Seasoning, etc.)
Flavourful Oils (sesame oil, peanut oil, perilla seed oil, etc., but these are generally for special/specific recipes)
Gluten Free Sauces (gluten-free soy sauce, gluten-free fish sauce, tomato sauce, etc.)
Acids (lemon juice, lime juice, etc.)
Dried Mushrooms & Sun-Dried Tomatoes (can add great flavour to recipes)
Cooking White Wine and Cooking Red Wine (for those who are foodies at heart)
Liquid Sweeteners (maple syrup, agave, date syrup, etc.)

Great Dairy Free Alternatives to Keep on Hand

When you’re cooking dairy free, it’s important to know that in most cases, dairy free items are a 1:1 substitution for their dairy counterparts. So, if a recipe calls for 4 ounces of milk, use 4 ounces of your dairy free milk. The same goes for cream cheese, sour cream, dairy free butter, and so on. There will always be some exceptions to this rule, and I’ve covered the topic in depth in this article on dairy free substitutions and how to use them (I even cover how to make dairy free heavy cream).

Coconut Products (Coconut Cream, Coconut Milk, Full Fat Coconut Milk, Coconut Oil)
Dairy Free Milk (I suggest an unsweetened milk such as unsweetened rice milk or unsweetened almond milk)
Nutritional Yeast (some sear it helps food taste cheesy and others think it’s awful so try it and see if you like it)
Dairy Free Salad Dressings (these can be used as an easy sauce on your chicken dish)
Dairy Free Butter of Choice (in cooking, all DF butters generally behave the same but you may see some differences when baking with them)

About dairy free cheese: this is what you should know – not everyone likes it. If you’re new to dairy free living, and you know what milk-based cheese tastes like, skip dairy free cheese for a while (6+ months). You need to forget the taste of cheese. When you do give it a try, if you can have tree nuts, start with a cashew cheese, as it will have a creamier mouthfeel.

Dairy free cheese is a world of its own, and it’s expensive. If you don’t need it, skip it. If you want it, be bold and try all the options so you know what you like best. From there, when a recipe calls for dairy free cheese, use the one(s) you really enjoy.

Wonderful Gluten Free Alternatives to Keep on Hand

There are a lot of ingredients you’ll want to have in your gluten free pantry. Whilst this isn’t an exhaustive list, these are the top items you’ll want to have so you can have success when making chicken dinners at home.

Gluten-Free Flour (read this article if you’re not sure where to start)
Quinoa & Rice (brown rice, white rice, frozen cauliflower rice, etc.)
Gluten Free Soy Sauce and/or Coconut Aminos
Gluten Free Carbs You Enjoy (here’s an article on carb options)
Gluten Free Pastas (here’s an article on how to cook it well)

Easy Dinner Ideas That are Gluten & Dairy Free

If you’re looking for gluten free and dairy free easy chicken recipes, these are some of the best I can share with you. The taste testers have given them all rave reviews.

Dairy-Free Tuscan Chicken Recipe
Easy Shredded Chicken (here’s an Italian version of this)
Easy Peach & Chicken BBQ Pressure Cooker Stew (an amazing gluten-free chicken dinner recipe for all ages, made with chicken tenders)
Dutch Oven Legume Free Chili Recipe

Let’s talk about that shredded chicken recipe for a moment. A foundational recipe like this should absolutely be in your regular rotation of meals. Here’s why: you can make a simple version, then add a different sauce to the leftovers.

I generally make a large batch of it on a Sunday, and the kids take it for lunches as sandwiches, salads, and wraps throughout the week. I also keep a range of sauces in the fridge so they can grab one, add it to the chicken, and go. It’s a system that’s worked so well for us and has made meals so much easier.

Chicken Recipes My Kids LOVE

I had such a hard time only listing four recipes here because my kids love so many recipes. These are all dairy free, gluten free, and top 9 allergy free.

Dairy Free & Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes in Under 30 Minutes

If you’re in need of a quick chicken recipe to feed your free-from family, I’ve got you covered. Big tip: the meatballs and smash burgers are freezer friendly. If you have extra time, double or triple the batch so you can have quick and easy dinners in the future.

Ground Chicken Meatballs (an easy recipe the whole family will enjoy)
Gluten and Dairy Free Garlic Mushroom Smash Burgers
Fast and Easy Chicken Pasta Recipe
Easy Mushroom Sauce & Pan Fried Chicken

Gluten Free Dairy Free Pressure Cooker Chicken Recipes

If you have a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot (or other multifunction cooker), here are some delicious recipes to try. Not only are these recipes gluten and dairy free, they’re also soy free, nut free, and allergy friendly.

Kid Friendly Dairy Free and Gluten Free Chicken Recipes

If you’re feeding kids (especially if you’ve got selective/picky eaters), here are some very fun recipes to make with your kiddos. There are so many things you can incorporate into your feeding routines to help with picky eating such as food exposures and food play. These particular recipes are bright, fun, kid friendly, and are recipes your kids can help you cook.

Gluten Free Pretzel Chicken Nuggets (more chicken nugget recipes here)
Dairy Free Grape Butter Chicken Recipe (the colour makes this so FUN)
Dairy & Gluten Free Mango Chicken
Kid Friendly Apple Chicken Tacos

Super Easy Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Egg Free Chicken Recipes

Here’s a few more chicken recipes that my kids really enjoy.

Amazing Sauces

Sometimes when you’re making a chicken dish at home, what you really need is a great sauce to coat your chicken with. Keeping sauces on hand is a great way to have dinner ready quickly. Many of these sauces are freezer friendly, so you can make big batches of them to get ahead.

Tree Nut Free Pesto
Dairy & Gluten Free Honey Almond Meat Sauce
Sweet & Spicy Peach BBQ Sauce Recipe
Veg Loaded Pasta Sauce Recipe (I’m told this tastes like Chef Boyardee and is very kid friendly)
Dairy Free Butternut Squash Parmesan Sauce
Kid Friendly BBQ Sauce Recipe (Allium Free)

Looking for Meal Plans? RAISE Has you covered! RAISE Members enjoy a selection of pre-made meal plans inside of the meal planning tool (it generates shopping lists) and here as well.

Using a Rotisserie Chicken Several Ways

Your local grocery store and stores such as Costco may sell pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. It’s usually seasoned with a little salt, and that’s it. I’ve also noticed that they’re generally well priced. These chickens are a great way to pull together a quick dinner.

When you purchase a rotisserie chicken, a good portion of your meal is ready to go. However, you can also have a lot of fun with it. Here are ten different ideas of what to do with a rotisserie chicken:

Romaine Lettuce + Peanut Sauce + Green Onion + Rotisserie Chicken
Large Tortilla + Refried Beans + Slaw + Rotisserie Chicken
Rotisserie Chicken + Pasta Sauce + Cooked Pasta of Choice
Oven Roasted Veg + Rotisserie Chicken
Steamed Rice + Steamed Veg + Rotisserie Chicken
Crispy Bacon + Rotisserie Chicken + Cooked Quinoa + Ranch
BBQ Sauce + Cooked Pasta + Rotisserie Chicken + Green Peas
Cooked Pad Thai Noodles + Rotisserie Chicken + Sweet Orange Sauce + Chopped Peanuts
Spicy Red Pepper Sauce + Rotisserie Chicken + Creamy Risotto with Onion
Maple Butter & Fresh Garlic Sauce + Rotisserie Chicken + Baked Potato Wedges or Slices (think: potato nachos)

Delicious Pairings & Sides For Your Chicken

As you go about making chicken recipes, there may be times when you need to add a side dish, or need something to serve the chicken on. For ideas on gluten free carbohydrates to add to your tasty plate, check out this article. Here are several foods that pair well with a range of chicken recipes:

Dairy Free Creamed Spinach with Onion
Grilled Asparagus
Mashed Potatoes
Pasta (there’s so many to choose from)
Rice (rotate through different types for variety)
Roasted Onion & Sweet Potato
Roasted Veggies (I like to use frozen veg my kids love)
Spiced Sliced Carrots
Steamed Broccoli (this soft texture really compliments crunchy textures)
Steamed Vegetables (you could do one vegetable, or a combination of vegetables)
Zucchini Noodles

Tip: When you can, choose sides that can cook in the background whilst you prepare the chicken. Vegetables roasting on a sheet pan in the oven is a great example, and bonus points if they were frozen. It makes adding a side super easy, and when you’re living the free-from life, that’s a great way to feel less overwhelmed by it all.

Cookbooks & Recipe Sites I Think You’ll Enjoy

Before I send you off, here are a few books and websites I think you’ll enjoy for gluten free, dairy free, and allergy free recipes.

50 Fast & Easy Dinners (full of my kids’ favorite recipes that are gluten free, dairy free, and very allergy friendly)
Mama Knows Gluten Free (her book has lots of dairy free recipes as well)
Allergy Awesomeness Dinner Cookbook
Living Freely Gluten Free (Jennifer has lots of dairy free recipe)

Want more amazing gluten free dairy free chicken recipes? Check out these recipes on RAISE, or use the Advanced Recipe Search.

Answering Your Chicken Recipe Questions

When purchasing a gluten-free flour, is it important to buy one that contains xanthan gum?

I’m sure you’ve seen big brands such as Cup-4-Cup or Bob’s Red Mill and they’ll usually contain gums or ingredients such as xanthan gum. The great news is that no, you don’t need these ingredients to have a successful flour. The real key is to make sure that the gluten-free flour is a good blend. When there aren’t enough flours in the blend, at the right ratio, you can end up with baked goods that fall flat. If you’d like to learn more about how to make your own flour blend, check out this article.

I’ll also add this: when you’re using a gluten-free flour for cooking, such as thickening a creamy sauce, the extra ingredients are absolutely unnecessary. In fact, in the recipes I share, I usually call for a single flour such as sorghum or millet.

Are boneless chicken breasts and boneless chicken thighs interchangeable in recipes?

Usually, yes. The key will be how you prep the meat and the cook time. For example, boneless skinless chicken thighs have a lot of fat and gristle that you don’t normally see on boneless skinless chicken breasts. What this means is you’ll have to spend a little extra time when prepping the meat to trim it all away. Still cut the chicken to be the size your recipe calls for.

If the recipe calls for thighs and you’re substituting in chicken breasts, be sure to check the thickness of your cut. You may want to butterfly the chicken breast to make the height closer to that of chicken thigh.

In the end, they really are interchangeable, just be sure to pay close attention to the cook time. You don’t want chicken thigh to become dry when swapping it in or burn your chicken thigh when swapping it in.

Do you have any tips for bland chicken? All of my recipes seem to be lacking in something.

Properly seasoning your meat is the top way to combat having bland chicken. It’s important to season the meat at the start of cooking (or just before adding it to the pot/pan) to make sure some of the seasoning is “locked in”. Additionally, you’ll want to continue to season it as it cooks.

If you’re following a recipe that says “to taste”, simply use more seasoning. If you’re following a recipe with specific amounts and it’s still bland, add extra seasoning and take note.

Something else to consider: feeding a household. If you’re feeding several people and only one person thinks the chicken is bland, it’s possible that it’s not bland, but that their tastebuds have a higher tolerance/need for salt. In that case, don’t add more salt to the recipe, but instead, encourage them to add salt at the table from a salt shaker.

The main drivers of flavour will be salt, acid, fat, herbs, and caramelization. Make sure each of those are present because when a recipe is lacking *something*, it’s usually a pop of acid or heat (think peppers).

One more thought: taste buds can change over time. Experiment with different flavourings. If you find that you don’t want more salt, try adding different herbs as well as acids such as lemon.

Here’s something so interesting: I’ve had many RAISE Members tell me that they were so tired of eating bland food. Once they tried my recipes, they were blown away by how good everything tasted. In many cases, people were under-seasoning their food and had no idea.

Can I make fried chicken without wheat flour and eggs?

Yes! This recipe for dairy free buttermilk fried chicken is a prime example. My kids actually said this was the best fried chicken they had ever eaten (better than what’s at restaurants, and those are my kids who can have wheat/gluten).

When making fried chicken without eggs, the easiest way to achieve perfection in my humble opinion is to use a wet batter. Traditional fried chicken uses the flour-egg-flour dredge method. You can technically do this gluten free and egg free as well, but as a recipe developer who has experimented with different methods, the wet batter is the way to go.

To make a wet batter, you combine your flour with liquid and spices, mix it up, then add your cut & salted chicken. Mix everything together, then fry. You don’t want a super runny batter, but it also can’t be so thick that it’s more like playdough. Be sure to check out that recipe as I show you all the steps to take.

How can I add more flavor to my chicken cutlets?

First, don’t skimp on the sea salt and other seasonings. Salt brings flavor, as does sugar. I know. Sugar… but hear me out. When I say sugar, I’m not talking about a cup of brown sugar in your recipe. It’s more like a teaspoon to a couple of tablespoons depending on the flavor profile and other spices in the dish. The goal here is to create balance, and a little sugar can help in that.

I’ll also add this: most gluten free flours have a distinct taste, and not everyone enjoys these flavors. I’ve found that a little sugar in my flour blends means that people who don’t need gluten free still love my creations.

Next, make a sauce to bring in more flavors to your dish. You know how little kids like to dip anything and everything in ketchup? It’s because it creates a more interesting (and predictable) flavor for them. Sauces can take bland chicken cutlets and elevate them so much. Plus, you can make all sorts of sauces including:

Dairy Free Parmesan Cheese Sauce (top with chopped fresh parsley for an extra layer of flavor)
Greek Tzatziki Sauce
Lemon & Dill Cream Sauce
Mexican Mole
Spicy Korean Sauce
Sweet & Sour Sauce

Many sauces can be purchased, and most are very easy to make at home. Plus, you can freeze most homemade sauces as well (I used to batch cook sauces when my kids were younger). You can also spice up your cutlets with ingredients such as red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.

Hopefully something here gives you some great ideas on how to jazz up your chicken cutlets.

Will most grocery stores carry gluten free bread crumbs?

These days, yes, most grocery stores will have at least one option for gluten free breadcrumbs. However, I’ve found that it’s usually the “meh” breadcrumbs. They’ll get the job done for some recipes, but not all.

If you need speciality breadcrumbs such as panko, only some grocery stores will cary it, but, you can always order online and stock up.

How can I substitute chicken in a recipe?

Rabbit is the best substitute for chicken in recipes if you want to get the texture and taste very close. If your recipe calls for ground chicken, ground turkey is an excellent substitute. Ground pork would also work, but will have a richer flavor.

Rabbit comes in both loin (which you can pressure cook and shred, or cut to treat like chicken breast and chicken thigh) and ground rabbit. I get mine from Northstar Bison and have had awesome results.

Do I have to use a marinade when I grill chicken?

No, you don’t have to use a marinade when you grill chicken. However, if you do, your chicken will have a deeper flavor. If you plan on slathering your grilled chicken in a sauce, a marinade won’t make a huge difference.

What’s the best preparation method for a whole chicken?

My personal preparation method of choice is oven roasting. I’ve tried the air fryer method, but wasn’t a fan. It seemed too involved for what I wanted. With oven roasted chicken, you rub the chicken in oil, add your sea salt, seasonings, and put it on the roasting tray. Pop that in the oven and you’re good to go, and you only need to flip it once half way through cooking.

My kids also love this preparation method, but to make them over the moon happy, I add fresh chopped vegetables to the bottom of the roasting pan. It’s usually some combination of zucchini, potatoes, onion, tomatoes, carrots, and beets. They. Go. Wild.

The roasting juices coat the vegetables and everything just comes out super delicious. Plus, it’s easy. I roast my whole chicken at 400f/205c for 60 – 80 minutes (with the flip half way thru).

How can I incorporate chicken into breakfast for my son who needs more protein (and also has an egg allergy)?

There are quite a few ways to add chicken to breakfast. Here are a few ideas I have for you:

Simple “breakfast” taco: tortilla + shredded chicken + BBQ sauce + guacamole
Breakfast sandwich: gluten free English muffin + pan fried chicken thigh + slice dairy free cheese + dipping sauce
Chicken & waffles: maple waffles + shredded chicken seasoned to pair with the maple (so not an Italian style, etc.)
Breakfast potatoes with chicken: Breakfast style seasoned potatoes + chopped chicken (can be pan fried, grilled, or air fried)
Chicken pacos: paco = pancake taco, make pancakes, serve with shredded or chopped chicken, use maple syrup as a dip

The other big tip I want to give you is this: be liberated. If your son adores lasagna soup with chicken, serve it for breakfast. Anything can be served anytime of the day. Don’t get trapped by the idea of traditional. Just make sure the food is well seasoned and it’s something he’s happy to eat. Good luck with all of this!

What would be good a cornstarch substitute in fried chicken tenders?

Arrowroot (sometimes called arrowroot flour or arrowroot starch) will most likely be your best substitute. My second pick for you would be tapioca flour. Assuming the chicken is simply coated in cornstarch, arrowroot flour will get the job done well.

If the cornstarch is part of a dry blend, arrowroot flour, tapioca flour/starch, and potato starch would all work well.