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Home » Blog » Recipes » Umami Roast Chicken (Whole30, Keto)

Umami Roast Chicken (Whole30, Keto)

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Umami Roast Chicken is a super simple and delicious Whole30- and Keto-friendly dish that uses my Magic Mushroom Powder. It’s a fool-proof weeknight chicken supper!

A platter filled with Nom Nom Paleo's Whole30-friendly Umami Roast Chicken

Magic Mushroom Powder is the BEST!

Have you tasted the power of my Magic Mushroom Powder yet? This (totally non-hallucinogenic) seasoning salt is one of my favorite flavor boosters—period. You can totally make it yourself—or save yourself the time and mess by buying bottles online from The Spice Lab! They ship nationwide and you can save 15% off with the one-time coupon code LETSGO.

Image of the Nom Nom Paleo Magic Mushroom Powder bottle and spice blend

I use a sprinkle of Magic Mushroom Powder in place of salt in almost all of my savory recipes. The pulverized porcini mushrooms add an indescribable deliciousness to every dish you dust it with. Case in point: this crazy-simple Umami Roast Chicken!

A person is holding up a plate of Umami Roast Chicken

What Coconut Yogurt is the best for Umami Roast Chicken?

This recipe uses plain coconut yogurt, and some of my favorite brands include Anita’s Coconut Yogurt and Coyo. For those of you who are doing a Whole30 and worried about whether coconut yogurt is a compliant ingredient, I got you covered: I checked with the Whole30 headmistress herself, Melissa Hartwig, to ask if plain coconut yogurt with no junky ingredients (like the brands I listed above) is Whole30-compliant if used in a recipe like this one. Her answer?

Coconut yogurt is a pretty new product, and I’m treating it like nut cheeses. Technically compliant in any context—as long as the ingredients are compliant, of course. I’d really prefer it if people didn’t turn it into a breakfast bowl with dried fruit and coconut… but even that’s not against the RULES, just against my RECOMMENDATIONS. In the context you are describing, totally fine for the Whole30.

So don’t worry—you can totally make this nomtastic recipe on your Whole30! (You can do it even if you can’t find plain coconut yogurt anywhere: just use full fat coconut milk + lemon juice!)

Time to make Umami Roast Chicken!

Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • ⅔ cup plain coconut yogurt (or use ½ cup full fat coconut milk + 2 tablespoons lemon juice)
  • 2½ teaspoons Magic Mushroom Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Red Boat fish sauce
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Equipment:

  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Large bowl
  • Garlic press
  • Rimmed baking sheet
  • Stainless steel wire rack
  • Instant-read meat thermometer

Method:

In a large bowl, combine the coconut yogurt, Magic Mushroom Powder, fish sauce, and garlic.

Someone adding minced garlic to a bowl.

Mix it all together.

An overhead shot of the marinade for Umami Roast Chicken being stirred together with a spoon.

Toss in the chicken thighs and mix until well coated. Marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to a day.

Someone using their hands to combine the chicken thighs and marinade for Umami Roast Chicken

When you’re ready to cook the chicken, heat the oven to 400°F convection or 425°F conventional with the rack in the middle position. Shake off the excess marinade and arrange the chicken, skin-side down, on a stainless steel wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Roast the chicken for 45 minutes…

A tray of Umami Roast Chicken is being placed in the oven with the skin side down.

…rotating the tray and flipping the thighs skin-side up at the halfway point.

Umami Roast Chicken being flipped over skin side up in the oven.

The thighs are done when the skin is browned and the internal temperature of the chicken in the thickest part is at least 165°F.

A finished tray of Umami Roast Chicken fresh from the oven.

Enjoy!

A close up shot of Umami Roast Chicken on a platter.


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).


 PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Umami Chicken by Michelle Tam / Nom Nom Paleo https://nomnompaleo.com
Print Recipe
4.96 from 24 votes

Umami Chicken

Umami Roast Chicken is a super simple and delicious Whole30 dish that uses my Magic Mushroom Powder. It's a fool-proof weeknight chicken supper!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time55 mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: chicken, Dairy-free, gluten-free, keto, low carb, nomnompaleo, paleo, Primal, Whole30
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 488kcal
Author: Michelle Tam

Ingredients

  • ⅔  cup plain coconut yogurt or use ½ cup full fat coconut milk + 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2½ teaspoons Magic Mushroom Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Red Boat fish sauce
  • 6 cloves of garlic minced
  • 3 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, combine the coconut yogurt, Magic Mushroom Powder, fish sauce, and garlic. Mix it all together.
  • Toss in the chicken thighs and mix until well coated. Marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to a day.
  • When you’re ready to cook the chicken, heat the oven to 400°F convection or 425°F conventional with the rack in the middle position. Shake off the excess marinade and arrange the chicken, skin-side down, on a stainless steel wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Roast the chicken for 45 minutes, rotating the tray and flipping the thighs skin-side up at the halfway point.
  • The thighs are done when the skin is browned and the internal temperature of the chicken in the thickest part is at least 165°F.

Video

Notes

  • Note about the plain coconut yogurt: Some of the brands I like include Anita’s Coconut Yogurt, Living Cultures Super Food, and Coyo. No coconut yogurt? No prob! Just use full fat coconut milk + lemon juice!
  • If you use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, decrease the total cooking time to 30 minutes or cook until the final internal cooking temperature is 165°F.
  • If you're using chicken breasts, make sure you don't over cook them! Cook until the final cooking temperature is 150°F and not too much higher! 
Tried this recipe?Mention @nomnompaleo or tag #nomnompaleo!

Nutrition

Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 38g | Fiber: 1g

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Pamela says

    January 6, 2018 at 11:29 am

    This looks great! I can’t wait to make it. It looks like you use bone-in chicken thighs. Will boneless thighs work as well?

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      January 6, 2018 at 4:39 pm

      Yes, the cooking time would be reduced to about 30 min. The final internal temperature would still be 165 F.

      Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      January 6, 2018 at 7:05 pm

      Yes, but the cooking time will be less — maybe 30 min or so depending on the size of the thighs. Check that the final internal temp is 165 F.

      Reply
  2. Mitch says

    January 6, 2018 at 12:18 pm

    Where is the fish sauce, I assume in the yoghert mix.

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      January 6, 2018 at 4:38 pm

      Yes! I fixed the omission! Thanks for your catch!

      Reply
      • rachel sewell says

        January 6, 2018 at 11:44 pm

        Is this seasoning sold anywhere in the Dallas-Fort Worth area?

        Reply
        • gin says

          January 7, 2018 at 10:44 pm

          I’m not sure about Dallas but I found it in Houston – on the counter in the seafood department, oddly enough!

          Reply
          • rachel sewell says

            January 8, 2018 at 12:58 am

            Thank you! I ended up making it because all of the Whole foods near me were out of stock. Came out great! I made a coconut mushroom gravy with it. Yum!

  3. Nancy Cheng says

    January 6, 2018 at 3:21 pm

    If we don’t have coconut yogurt and are not doing whole 30, is regular Greek yogurt a possible substitution?

    Reply
    • Jessica says

      January 6, 2018 at 3:31 pm

      That’s what I would do.

      Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      January 6, 2018 at 4:38 pm

      Yep!

      Reply
  4. Shelly Erasmus says

    January 6, 2018 at 6:27 pm

    This recipe looks fantastic! I have Anita’s plain coconut yogurt but I don’t have chicken thighs. Could I make this with chiicken wings and/or skinless chicken breasts? If so, would the cooking time change? Thank you!! ps – just made your curried broccoli soup – sooo good on an arctic east coast day.

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      January 6, 2018 at 10:11 pm

      I’m not a fan of skinless chicken breasts, but if that’s all you have, I’d use those instead of the wings (only because this recipe’s better with meatier pieces of chicken). Cooking time should be based on final temp – use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the internal temp of the chicken is 150°F and not much more above it. Chicken breast can get overcooked very easily!

      Reply
  5. Jessica Peppler says

    January 6, 2018 at 8:49 pm

    With these Whole 30 meals, I’d love to know recommended veggie sides to go with the main courses you’re posting. Thank you!

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      January 6, 2018 at 9:50 pm

      Anything works! A big salad, vegetable soup, roasted veggies, spiralized zucchini sautéed with ghee and garlic, etc.

      Reply
    • holly drouillard says

      January 16, 2018 at 11:56 pm

      I had mashed cauliflower and. roasted carrots

      Reply
  6. Jill says

    January 7, 2018 at 6:08 am

    I see you’ve said that you can use boneless thighs. What about boneless and skinless? I haven’t been able to find boneless skinless thighs anywhere.

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      January 7, 2018 at 6:32 am

      I added a note to the printable recipe card at the end for boneless, skinless thighs. Cook for about 30 minutes total (or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

      Reply
    • Cloris Ellis says

      January 7, 2018 at 3:25 pm

      Most grocery delis can provide for the asking, or just yank the skin off yourself – (pretend Chick is ex who broke your heart) quite therapeutic.

      Reply
    • Jill says

      January 7, 2018 at 3:44 pm

      I wrote that wrong. I meant to say that I can’t find “bone-in, skin-on” thighs anywhere. I can, on the other hand, find “boneless, skinless” quite easily which is why I wanted to know if we could sub those in the recipe.

      I know I can find places to mail-order what I want … but that takes more time, money, and freezer space.
      So I’ve been looking for local places to buy free range chicken thighs (skin-on). No luck so far.

      Reply
      • Ragamuffin23 says

        January 19, 2018 at 6:57 pm

        I try to go to the grocery store when they aren’t as busy. I choose packages of thighs and ask them to remove the bones, and keep the skin. Be sure to ask for the bones! I stick those in the freezer for bone broth.

        Reply
  7. Kristin says

    January 7, 2018 at 3:12 pm

    Hi! I made this last night with boneless, skinless thighs and my family LOVED it!! Was soooo good. The only bummer is that I checked two Whole Foods for your spice mix; La Jolla and Del Mar, neither had it 🙁 I did end of making it from scratch though, which is great. Both stores have your sign up at the hot bar, but none of your food. I complained about that. Thank you for posting the Whole30 recipes!!

    Reply
  8. Cloris Ellis says

    January 7, 2018 at 3:20 pm

    I’ve been baking chicken with various yogurt and spices of whatever “mood” hits for decades. I’m anxious to try the magic mushroom.

    Reply
  9. gin says

    January 9, 2018 at 5:55 pm

    Just put these in the fridge to marinate! So excited for dinner tonight and to finally try the mushroom powder!

    Reply
  10. Michelle Bartley says

    January 10, 2018 at 9:21 pm

    I made this last night, and it was the best chicken recipe I’ve tried yet. It was sooooo delicious, it will be a staple in my cooking schedule. Thank you for this!

    Reply
  11. Paige R says

    January 10, 2018 at 10:41 pm

    looks like another fantastic dish. can’t wait to try it tonight. i notice my oven has convection bake and convection roast – which should I use (I feel silly not knowing, but don’t want to screw this up)? thank you!

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      January 10, 2018 at 10:46 pm

      Every oven is different, but I normally choose convection roast.

      Reply
      • Paige R says

        January 11, 2018 at 5:51 am

        Thank you, thank you! It was another winner with the whole fam. I’m amazed and thankful for your quick responses! have a wonderful evening

        Reply
  12. Vanessa Lombardi says

    January 11, 2018 at 4:23 pm

    Will GT’s coconut yogurt work with this recipe? Looking at the ingredients list, it seems like its a compliance with Whole30?

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      January 11, 2018 at 4:39 pm

      I haven’t tried that one yet!

      Reply
  13. Jenn says

    January 14, 2018 at 2:09 pm

    Where do you find coconut yogurt and does the end dish have a coconut flavor to it as a result of using that product?

    Reply
  14. Rocky Beck-Owens says

    January 14, 2018 at 11:05 pm

    I was wondering what the idea behind a coconut based marinade vs an oil marinade? Does it make it more moist?

    Reply
  15. holly drouillard says

    January 16, 2018 at 11:52 pm

    Michelle I tried this recipe this weekend and had a tough time getting the skin to brown up. I did have a couple things in the oven at the same time which may have been the cause so I’ll try again. However the flavor was so good! In addition I am now in love with coconut yogurt! Very similar to greek yogurt except tastes like coconut, which I love. I’ll be making my own for future recipes! Thank you again for another winner!

    Reply
  16. Erin Hamilton says

    January 17, 2018 at 2:36 pm

    We live two hours from any Whole Foods market ( Thanks North Carolina! haha), any chance you will sell your products on amazon?!

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      January 17, 2018 at 3:01 pm

      No plans yet! We’ll let everyone know if we start selling it online!

      Reply
  17. Allyson C says

    January 19, 2018 at 12:01 am

    This

    Reply
  18. Allyson Cagney says

    January 19, 2018 at 12:04 am

    This is, hands down, the best chicken recipe I have tried yet. I love your recipes, Michelle, and have both your cookbooks, but this recipe is just phenomenal. I’ve never tried marinating in coconut yogurt, so I was shocked at the level of flavor this had. I let the chicken sit for the full 24 hours, and bam! Intense and really full of umami.

    Reply
  19. Lizzy36 says

    January 19, 2018 at 2:02 pm

    This was so delicious! The skin didn’t get as brown as I wanted in the oven so I put the chicken under the broiler for a few minutes. Yum! Thanks for another great recipe!

    Reply
  20. Tracey says

    January 25, 2018 at 6:42 pm

    Tried this recipe the other day and absolutely loved it! It really was jammed packed with umami. My chicken thighs came out absolutely perfect. I did have to broil it towards the end to achieve a crispy skin (probably because my oven isn’t amazing). What model is your oven?

    Reply
  21. Tracey says

    January 25, 2018 at 6:45 pm

    I loved this recipe! The chicken was jammed packed with umami, and came out perfectly! I did have to broil them at the end to achieve a good crisp (probably because my oven isn’t amazing). Your chicken looks perfectly baked! What kind/model oven do you use? I’m considering an upgrade!

    Reply
  22. TennisGurl says

    January 26, 2018 at 3:40 am

    So incredibly delicious and unique. This recipe is a keeper! I misread the directions so roasted at 425 for over an hour. For those with less-than-ideal-ovens, this might be the secret. The skin was crispy delicious and the chicken was very moist. Thank you, Michelle. We are devotees. I even bought a rack and baking sheet just for this occasion.

    Reply
  23. Janet Carmichael says

    August 11, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    This chicken was insanely delicious. I have to say that I’ve made the Magic mushroom powder from your cookbook and used it. The second time I made the chicken I was out of that so I bought Trader Joe’s Umami powder. Your powder recipe is much better. Thank you!

    Reply
  24. Judy says

    August 11, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    This was so delicious! Used my Cosori air fryer, 380 degrees for 20 mins, flip at halfway. It was juicy and amazing ! And in half the cook time!

    Reply
  25. Sheree says

    August 15, 2020 at 4:41 pm

    5 stars
    I’m going to try this. I have made the Magic Mushroom Powder and it is fantastic in soups and everything else I cook. We love how it livens up my dishes!

    Reply
  26. Laura says

    August 17, 2020 at 10:45 am

    5 stars
    I made this for the first time this weekend and it was super easy and delicious! I didn’t have the coconut yogurt so I used the substitute and it was great!

    Reply
  27. Dianna W says

    October 5, 2021 at 12:44 am

    5 stars
    Dang this is so good!!

    Reply
  28. Nicole says

    October 20, 2021 at 5:44 pm

    5 stars
    Not going to lie, I was dubious about the mushroom powder as I am generally not a fan of mushrooms. But HOLY COW, that stuff is AMAZING. This chicken tasted “like fried chicken” as my husband put it, and I couldn’t get over how damn tasty it was. Seriously, best thing ever. This is going in heavy rotation, and making the mushroom powder was a breeze.

    Reply
  29. Ann says

    February 1, 2022 at 4:24 pm

    Looking forward to trying this. Can it be made in an air fryer, and at what temperature for how long?

    Reply
    • Jeannie says

      February 17, 2022 at 3:38 am

      5 stars
      I followed another review’s instructions using air fryer @ 380 degrees for 20 minutes flipping half way It was excellent ‼️

      Reply
  30. Michelle says

    February 3, 2022 at 8:20 pm

    Hi, I have made several of your chicken thigh recipes (they are all delicious!) but I can never get the skin as brown and crispy like yours. Do you think I should try to cook at a higher heat?

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      February 3, 2022 at 10:44 pm

      Check your oven temperature! It might not be as hot as you think. Also, I almost always use convection roast on the oven.

      Reply
  31. Maryann says

    February 17, 2022 at 10:29 pm

    Can you air fry these instead of convection roast?

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      February 20, 2022 at 11:50 pm

      Definitely! 400 F for 20 minutes or so!

      Reply
  32. Mandy Peregoff says

    February 24, 2022 at 1:17 am

    Hi Michelle,
    I was going to make this tonight (2/23) but something came up and I don’t have time. I put it in the marinade at about 4:00 today, will it be ok in the marinade until tomorrow night? I did the spatchcock option. 🙂
    Thank you,
    Mandy

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      February 24, 2022 at 4:04 pm

      Should be fine!

      Reply

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