Name: Coconut Lime Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 500 gm boneless, skinless chicken breast; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp butter; 1 onion, sliced; 1/2 cup chicken stock; 1 can full fat, unsweetened coconut milk; 2 tbsp lemon juice; zest of 1 lemon; 2 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro; 1 tbsp red pepper flakes; salt and pepper to taste; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp honey

This Thai inspired Coconut Lime Chicken is comforting, delicious and easy to make. It is made with chicken breast that is simmered in creamy coconut milk, fresh lime juice, cilantro and red pepper flakes and ready under 30 minutes!

It’s been awhile since i’ve created a Thai inspired recipe, so I am really excited for this. And I love Thai! I have also been getting quite a few requests for the recipe for this dish so I am eager to see how many of you will make this dish! I had some left over coconut milk, and I decided to make a chicken dish out of it. This recipe is ideal for weeknights or if you have guests coming in last minute.

The sweetness of the coconut milk combined with the freshness and tanginess of the lemon juice and spiciness of the red pepper flakes is truly one of the best combinations! This dish is best served steamed rice.

Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is the hero of this Thai inspired creamy Coconut and Lime Chicken dish. It gives the dish a creamy texture, nuttiness and sweetness. Also, as coconut milk is thick itself, you do not need a thickening agent.

There are many varieties in the market when it comes to coconut milk. So here are a few tips to help you choose the right one.

Unsweetened – Make sure to buy unsweetened coconut milk. Coconut milk itself is on the sweeter side, whereas sweetened coconut milk and cream of coconut both contain added sugar and are often placed near the coconut milk in shops.

Canned – Many varieties are available like I said. Canned, boxed, powder or refrigerated. Make sure to buy the canned coconut milk, this usually placed near the Asian sauces. Canned coconut milk is the most flavourful.

Full Fat Milk – For the best taste and texture use full fat coconut milk. Lite coconut milk obviously has less fat, but then tends to be watery. This will not give you a rich and creamy texture.

Shake the can – It’s important you shake the can before opening it, because there is often a white solid layer on top that is formed which is known as coconut cream. Vigorously shake it before opening to combine the cream and liquid together.

My favourite brand to use is Chaokoh Coconut Milk. It is easily available in most of the grocery stores. It truly tastes and looks the best, the perfect texture you would want for your Coconut and Lime Chicken. The other brand that you can also use is Real Thai Coconut Milk. This is equally good.

Recipe tips and notes for Coconut Lime Chicken

Like the spice? If you like your food spicy, try adding in a few chopped Thai Chilli Pepper.
Fish Sauce – Try adding in a tsp of fish sauce to enhance the flavour of the dish. It is completely optional but it will give the dish a more authentic Thai flavour. I haven’t included it in the recipe since many people don’t stock up on fish sauce. Fish sauce and even Lemongrass would be a great addition to the dish.
Lite Coconut Milk – Feel free to use lite coconut milk, but keep in mind the dish won’t be as rich and creamy as it would be if you use full fat milk. The sauce will definitely be thinner.
Don’t like cilantro? If you are one of those people who don’t fancy cilantro, then leave it out! Instead you can use basil or lime leaves.

Want to try more Thai inspired recipes?

Coconut Lime Chicken

Recipe by Ishana PassiCourse: Main Dish, Non-VegetarianCuisine: ThaiDifficulty: Medium

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Total time

minutes

This Thai inspired Coconut Lime Chicken is comforting, delicious and easy to make.

Ingredients

500 gm boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 onion, sliced
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 can full fat, unsweetened coconut milk
2 tbsp lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp honey

Directions

Slice the chicken into small chunks and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a large pan over medium heat. Melt the butter in it with 1 tbsp oil. When hot, add the chicken and cook until golden brown or slightly cooked. Transfer to a plate.
In the same pan, add the remaining oil and cook the onions and the garlic until fragrant. About 30-45 seconds.
Stir in the chicken stock, lemon juice, lemon zest, red pepper flakes and honey. Simmer on low heat until reduced by half for about 5 minutes. Keep stirring and scrapping the pan from the sides.
Stir in the coconut milk and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until chicken is fully cooked.
Stir in the cilantro and serve with steamed rice.

Fresh or frozen peas?

As peas are not available all year round, it’s okay to use frozen peas for this recipe. This recipe works great with fresh or frozen peas, use whatever is available. Majority of the time I have made the recipe with frozen peas and the taste is the same. So it doesn’t really make a difference. This is also an added advantage. You can make this dish as a quick fix if you want to put together something at the last minute.

This green pea and peanut quinoa recipe has an Indian touch to it. It is sautéed in olive oil, curry leaves and black mustard seeds to give it a taste of those flavours. I have adapted this recipe from the famous Indian dish, Poha (flattened rice). Poha is a Western Indian breakfast recipe but its flavours are known all over the country. It has been a tradition in my family since many years to have Poha for breakfast every Sunday morning.

This recipe is a one pot recipe.

One pot quinoa and fresh peas

Start by boiling the peas in a medium sized pot. Once the peas turn bright green and slightly soft, rinse them under cold water. Keep them aside. Next boil your quinoa in the same put in chicken or vegetable stock. You can also boil it in simple water. When the quinoa is cooked and all the liquid in the pot is absorbed, turn off the heat. Allow the quinoa to rest for 5-8 minutes.

Fluff the quinoa with a fork and mix it with the peas.

How-to-make-pea-and-peanut-qunioa-spoonful-stories

Sauté the pea and quinoa mixture in olive oil, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Cook until the quinoa is fragrant and add a handful of peanuts. Serve hot and garnish with chopped parsley if you want. This dish is sure to make you feel happy and satisfied!

Green Pea and Peanut Quinoa

Recipe by Ishana PassiCourse: Sides, MainDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Total time

minutes

Quick and easy, this dish is flavourful and a bowl of healthy comfort food!

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup raw green peas
1 cup vegetable stock
1 tsp black mustard seeds
Handful of fresh curry leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
Handful of peanuts

Directions

In a medium size pot, boil the green peas until bright green and slightly soft. Rinse them under cold water, drain and keep aside.
In the same pot, bring to boil the vegetable stock. Add the quinoa, cover and let it cook on low heat. Keep it on low heat until all the liquid is absorbed by the quinoa and is fully cooked. Remove from the heat and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
Fluff the quinoa with a fork and mix it with the green peas.
In a medium size pan, heat the olive oil. Add the black mustard seeds and curry leaves. After a few seconds, add the quinoa and peas mixture and the peanuts and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Cook until the quinoa is fragrant.
Remove from heat and serve hot.