Coconut Lime Chicken

5 from 8 votes

This Thai-inspired coconut lime chicken recipe is fast, comforting, and simple to make! The sauce is silky and zesty. Ready in just over 30 minutes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Thai American

Keyword: coconut lime chicken, coconut milk chicken

Servings:

Author: Natasha Bull

Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts cut into 1" pieces
1/2 medium onion chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste
3 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk (full fat)
1 tablespoon lime juice + zest of 1 lime
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 small handful fresh basil chopped (or more, to taste)
1 small handful fresh cilantro chopped (or more, to taste)
1 small handful scallions chopped (or more, to taste)

Instructions

Cut up the chicken into bite-size pieces and sprinkle them with the garlic powder and some salt & pepper (I just do this right on the cutting board).
Chop the onion then add it to a deep skillet over medium-high heat along with the olive oil. Sauté for 5 minutes.
Add the chicken to the pan and cook it for about 5 minutes (stir it occasionally). Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
Stir in the garlic and ginger, and cook for 30 seconds.
Add in the coconut milk (shake the can first), lime juice + zest, and sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the sauce is somewhat reduced. This won't be a thick sauce, but reducing does help concentrate flavors and thicken it up a bit.
Add the chicken back into the pan and cook for a few more minutes. Stir in the cilantro, basil, and scallions right before serving. Season with extra salt & pepper as needed. This dish goes well with rice. I serve it with extra lime wedges (and you can top each bowl with extra cilantro/basil/scallions too if you wish).

Notes

The best trick for fresh ginger: Keep some in your freezer (I just put in a ZipLoc bag), and it's easier to grate and you will always have some on-hand.
I recommend Thai Kitchen coconut milk. It tends to be less watery than other brands that I've tried. Feel free to use your favorite brand.
Don't be shy to play with the ingredient quantities:
- Add more sugar, ginger, or lime to suit your tastes. If you happen to have fish sauce, add some in - it'll be delish.
- Add a chili pepper or red pepper flakes for heat.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition