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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
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!
Dang this is so good!!
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.
Looking forward to trying this. Can it be made in an air fryer, and at what temperature for how long?
I followed another review’s instructions using air fryer @ 380 degrees for 20 minutes flipping half way It was excellent ‼️
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?
Check your oven temperature! It might not be as hot as you think. Also, I almost always use convection roast on the oven.