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Creamy Coconut Milk Chicken

Creamy coconut milk chicken with golden-seared thighs simmered in a silky coconut sauce infused with ginger, garlic, lime, and cilantro. This Thai-inspired easy coconut chicken dinner is an Asian chicken skillet meal you can make for weeknights.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp turmeric to taste
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
Aromatics and sauce
  • 1 onion small, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp lime zest
  • 0.25 fresh cilantro for serving
  • 0.25 lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the bone-in skin-on chicken thighs with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and turmeric to taste.
  2. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken skin-side down for 6-7 minutes until the skin is golden.
  3. Flip the chicken and sear for 3 more minutes, then remove from the skillet.
Build the coconut sauce
  1. Cook the finely diced onion in the same skillet for 3 minutes.
  2. Add the minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, and red pepper flakes, then cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the full-fat coconut milk and chicken broth, stir in soy sauce, and bring to a simmer.
Simmer until tender
  1. Return the chicken to the skillet skin-side up and cover.
  2. Simmer over medium-low for 18-20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in the lime juice and lime zest.
  2. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve over jasmine rice, with lime wedges on the side.

Notes

For the best sauce texture, keep the simmer at a steady bubble during the covered stage so the coconut milk stays silky. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; rewarm gently on the stove until hot. Freeze yes (up to 2 months), though cilantro is best added after reheating. For a dairy-free swap, this recipe already is naturally dairy-free; you can use gluten-free soy sauce if needed.