A non-dairy version of the Mexican classic, this Dairy-Free Pollo A La Crema features tender chicken in a rich creamy mushroom sauce. Serve it with rice, beans, and tortillas for a complete meal!
When we were visiting our friends in Montana, we ate at a Mexican restaurant one night, and our friend ordered pollo a la cream. Both Jeff and I had never tried it, and after doing so, we were completely struck by how delicious it is. Rich and creamy with bold, luscious flavors and exceptionally tender chicken.
My first thought? I must make a dairy-free version of this! Not only do I limit my dairy intake, but many of my readers are dairy-free, so I found it absolutely mandatory to offer the internet a dairy-free alternative to the classic Mexican dish.
Before I get ahead of myself, pollo a la crema (or pollo en crema) is simply tender chicken in a rich, creamy sauce with onions and mushrooms. It is often paired with Mexican rice and beans and served with warm tortillas.
As it turns out, this cozy comfort food is easy to make in spite of being completely saturated in luxurious flavors.
Let’s discuss the ingredients for pollo a la crema!
Ingredients for Pollo En Crema:
Chicken: The star of the show! We need boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs. I recommend thighs for the best flavor and texture.
You can also use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and simply leave them whole versus chopping them into bite-sized pieces.
Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk: Taking the place of heavy cream, we use full-fat canned coconut milk. Be sure to use full-fat coconut milk that comes in a can, and not light coconut milk or a carton of coconut milk.
Yellow Onion and Fresh Garlic: Both boost the flavor profile to serve as a backbone for deliciousness.
Mushrooms: Provide an umami flavor with some earthiness. Ideal for mushroom lovers!
Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds tangy flavor to mimic the flavor of heavy cream and sour cream, which is what the traditional version uses.
Chicken Bouillon: A boost of chicken flavor to give it additional richness. Skip it if you don’t have any on hand.
Paprika: Adds a little smoky flavor.
Flour: Used to thicken the sauce, we need some gluten-free all-purpose flour, regular all-purpose flour, or cornstarch.
Salt and Pepper: Season it to taste with salt and black pepper.
Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredients, let’s make a dairy-free rendition of the Mexican favorite!
How to Make Pollo A La Crema Dairy-Free:
Heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat in a large thick-bottomed pot such as a Dutch oven. Sauté the onion, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add in the chopped chicken and garlic and allow the chicken to brown for 3 minutes before adding the mushrooms.
Cook the chicken and mushrooms for 2 minutes, then add the coconut milk, apple cider vinegar, paprika, and chicken bouillon. Bring the mixture to a full boil and stir well.
Stir in the flour (or corn starch) and continue cooking until the sauce has reached your desired level of thickness. Season to taste using salt and pepper.
Serve pollo a la crema with your choice of side dishes, and enjoy! I recommend Mexican rice, Cilantro Lime Rice, black beans or pinto beans, and warm flour tortillas or corn tortillas.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
The next time you’re craving cozy comfort food, enjoy this creamy chicken and mushrooms as your main dish!
Love making Mexican food at home? Here are some of my favorite Mexican recipes.
More Mexican Cuisine:
- Crock Pot Al Pastor
- Ground Turkey Taco Casserole
- Crock Pot Carnitas
- Carne Asada
- Crock Pot Birria Tacos
Enjoy this chicken in creamy mushroom sauce!
Dairy-Free Pollo A La Crema Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms chopped
- 1 (15-oz) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar optional
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1-2 tsp chicken bouillon optional
- ½ tsp sea salt to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp gluten-free flour or cornstarch optional
Instructions
- Heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat in a large thick-bottomed pot such as a Dutch oven. Saute the onion, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the chopped chicken and garlic and allow the chicken to brown for 3 minutes before adding the mushrooms. Cook the chicken and mushrooms for 2 minutes, then add the coconut milk, apple cider vinegar, paprika, and chicken bouillon. Bring the mixture to a full boil and stir well. Stir in the flour (or corn starch) and continue cooking until the sauce has reached your desired level of thickness. Season to taste using salt and pepper.
- Serve pollo a la crema with your choice of side dishes, and enjoy! I recommend Mexican rice, Cilantro Lime Rice, black beans or pinto beans, and warm flour tortillas or corn tortillas.
