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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
Enjoy!
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
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!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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?
Yes, the cooking time would be reduced to about 30 min. The final internal temperature would still be 165 F.
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.
Where is the fish sauce, I assume in the yoghert mix.
Yes! I fixed the omission! Thanks for your catch!
Is this seasoning sold anywhere in the Dallas-Fort Worth area?
I’m not sure about Dallas but I found it in Houston – on the counter in the seafood department, oddly enough!
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!
If we don’t have coconut yogurt and are not doing whole 30, is regular Greek yogurt a possible substitution?
That’s what I would do.
Yep!
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.
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!
With these Whole 30 meals, I’d love to know recommended veggie sides to go with the main courses you’re posting. Thank you!
Anything works! A big salad, vegetable soup, roasted veggies, spiralized zucchini sautéed with ghee and garlic, etc.
I had mashed cauliflower and. roasted carrots
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!!
I’ve been baking chicken with various yogurt and spices of whatever “mood” hits for decades. I’m anxious to try the magic mushroom.
Just put these in the fridge to marinate! So excited for dinner tonight and to finally try the mushroom powder!
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!