Coconut Lime Chicken

This Skillet Coconut Lime Chicken is made with a homemade coconut lime sauce crafted from creamy canned coconut milk, zesty fresh lime juice, and a touch of garlic and ginger and has the perfect sweet, savory, and tangy flavors. It is paired with tender, juicy chicken breasts for a quick, easy, and flavorful one-skillet dinner.

Oh, how I love 30-minute meals! What is better than 30-minute meals…less than 20-minute meals. This Lime Coconut Chicken Recipe is super quick and easy to whip up on a busy weeknight and the richness of the coconut milk paired with zesty lime juice adds the perfect citrusy tang.

Why you will love this Skillet Coconut Lime Chicken:

• We love an easy less than 20-minute meal that is full of savory, tangy, and sweet flavors.
• The velvety coconut lime sauce keeps you on your toes since you get vibrant fresh lime, ginger, garlic, sauteed onion, jalapeno, and creamy coconut milk.
• The sauce paired with tender, juicy chicken breasts goes perfectly together.

Ingredients:

Here’s a list of the ingredients needed to make this skillet coconut lime chicken recipe. The sauce is complex which keeps you on your toes. I adds substitutions or variations below.

• Chicken Thighs or Chicken Breast — use your favorite type of chicken. See below for the differences between using chicken thighs or chicken breast in this recipe.
• Salt and Pepper — add more salt and pepper as needed. When the sauce is finished, add more salt if needed to add more flavor to the sauce.
• Oil — this is what is used to saute the onion, jalapeno, garlic, and ginger until softened.
• Onion — use your favorite sweet onion, yellow onion, or red onion. I love to use sweet onions.
• Garlic — add the garlic with only 1 minute remaining in the cooking time to keep it from becoming too browned.
• Jalapeno — this adds the perfect amount of spice. If you want it to be less spicy, remove all of the seeds and inner membranes of the jalapeno before mincing.
• Ginger — use fresh ginger, ginger paste, or ground ginger powder. If using ground ginger powder, reduce to 1/2 to 1 teaspoon.
• Canned Coconut Milk — I suggest using good-quality full-fat canned coconut milk in this recipe for the creamiest sauce.
• Soy Sauce — this adds the perfect umami flavor to the dish. If you want more salty flavor, add a touch more soy sauce.
• Brown Sugar — the sweetness of the brown sugar compliments the tangy fresh lime juice and zest. You may substitute sugar for the brown sugar.
• Lime Juice and Lime Zest — I suggest using fresh limes for the freshest flavor.
• Cilantro — sprinkle the dish with a generous amount of cilantro before serving.

How to make Lime Coconut Chicken:

A tip would be to have all of the sauce ingredients ready and chopped to make it faster and easier.

1. Generously sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. Cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place on a plate.
2. Add the onion and jalapeno and cook for 5-6 minutes or until it begins to soften. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute longer.
3. Add canned coconut milk, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime zest, and lime juice. Allow the sauce to begin to thicken.
4. Add in chicken and let it cook in the sauce. If the chicken is thicker, it may need time to cook all the way through. You can use a meat thermometer to check to see if the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. If you overcook the chicken, it can end up dry and rubbery and we want tender and juicy chicken!
5. Using a spoon, coat the chicken with the sauce. Taste the sauce and add more salt or soy sauce, as needed. Sprinkle with cilantro and garnish with fresh lime slices.

Substitutions and Variations:

Use either chicken thighs or chicken breast in this recipe.

You can use low-fat canned coconut milk but I do suggest full-fat canned coconut milk for the most velvety, creamiest coconut sauce.

If you don’t like spicy foods, you may omit the jalapeno or use half of a jalapeno.

Storing:

This is so easy to store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you need to reheat it, I suggest reheating it in a skillet. If you have to use the microwave, heat at 50% power so the chicken doesn’t become overcooked.

Popular Thai Recipes:

Thai Red Chicken Curry

Thai Chicken Noodles

Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

Thai Chicken Curry Bowls