Description
Making zesty coconut chicken thighs brings together juicy chicken pieces with a tangy, creamy coconut sauce that your whole family craves. Simple pantry ingredients and basic cooking techniques mean you end up with restaurant-quality results in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Aromatics:
- 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 1 green jalapeno, finely diced
Seasoning and Coating:
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose or gluten-free flour
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 zest of lime
Cooking Fats and Sauce Base:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or rapeseed oil
- 14 ounces full-fat coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons coconut cream
Garnish and Serving:
- 2 tablespoons salted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 5 spring onions, finely diced
- Red pepper flakes
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Pat your 8 chicken thighs dry with paper towels, then coat each side with 2 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp paprika, finishing with a light dust of 1 tbsp flour.
- Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil and 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then sear your chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Transfer your seared chicken to a plate and keep it nearby.
- Pour 2 tbsp fresh lime juice into the hot skillet and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to release any stuck-on bits that flavor your sauce.
- Lower your heat to medium and add 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp minced ginger, and 1 finely diced jalapeno to the pan.
- Cook your aromatics for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, then stir in 2 finely diced shallots and let them soften for 1 minute.
- Mix in 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp Sriracha, and 2 tbsp light soy sauce, stirring until everything combines smoothly.
- Pour 14 oz coconut milk into your pan and stir well, then add 3 tbsp coconut cream if your preference leans toward extra richness.
- Return your chicken thighs to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce and sprinkling the zest of 1 lime across the top.
- Cover your skillet, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until your chicken is cooked through.
- Top your finished dish with 2 tbsp chopped salted peanuts, 5 finely diced spring onions, red pepper flakes, fresh cilantro, and serve alongside lime wedges for squeezing.
Notes
- Patting your chicken thighs completely dry ensures they’ll get a deep golden brown crust when seared, which locks in the flavor.
- Don’t skip deglazing the pan with lime juice because those stuck-on brown bits are packed with savory depth that makes the sauce taste fuller.
- If your sauce seems too thick after simmering, thin it out with a splash of coconut milk or water to reach the consistency you prefer.
- For a dairy-free version that still feels rich, use full-fat coconut milk and skip the coconut cream, and serve alongside rice or flatbread to catch every drop of that tangy, creamy sauce.
- Prep Time: 5-7 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: Sautéed Chicken
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Caribbean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 521 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 695 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 26 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg