Description
This Creamy Coconut Lime Chicken recipe offers a luscious blend of tender chicken simmered in a rich coconut milk sauce with fresh lime zest and juice. Enhanced with garlic, honey, and fish sauce, it delivers a perfect balance of savory, tangy, and mildly sweet flavors, making it a delicious Thai-inspired dish ideal for an easy, wholesome dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Sauce
- 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
- Zest of 1 lime
- Juice of 2 limes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce or soy sauce
Garnish
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: Sprinkle the chicken breasts or thighs evenly with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika to ensure every bite is flavorful.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook for 4–5 minutes per side until golden brown and almost cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside to keep warm.
- Sauté Garlic: Lower the heat to medium, add minced garlic to the skillet, and sauté for about 30 seconds until it becomes fragrant but not browned to add depth to the sauce.
- Prepare the Sauce: Stir in the full-fat coconut milk, lime zest, fresh lime juice, honey if using, and fish sauce or soy sauce. Let the mixture simmer gently for 2–3 minutes while scraping up any flavorful browned bits from the pan bottom.
- Simmer Chicken in Sauce: Return the chicken breasts or thighs to the skillet, submerging them in the coconut lime sauce. Simmer for 5–7 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through and the sauce has thickened to a creamy consistency.
- Finish with Cilantro: Just before serving, stir in the chopped fresh cilantro to add a burst of freshness and complementary herbal aroma.
- Serve: Plate the creamy coconut lime chicken with your choice of rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice for a complete, satisfying meal.
Notes
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you prefer a spicy kick to the dish.
- For a lighter sauce, substitute full-fat coconut milk with light coconut milk, though the sauce will be less rich and thinner.
- This dish pairs exceptionally well with steamed jasmine rice or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
