One Pan Coconut Lime Chicken
It's simple, but it goes well beyond basic.
Chicken breasts are a protein that so many of us turn to because it’s an easy, dependable, and healthy option. That also means it’s easy to get in a rut of seasoning it with some salt and pepper, cooking it quickly in a pan or on the grill, and calling it done. But chicken breasts don’t have to be so basic. There are a million and one ways to flavor them that don’t require any extra time… Take this One Pan Coconut Lime Chicken, for instance. The chicken comes out moist and tender, surrounded by a velvety coconut sauce infused with lime, ginger, garlic, and a little bit of a kick from some red chili flake. And it will only take you 20 minutes from start to finish.
With this dish, there’s no need to marinate anything ahead of time. The sauce ensures that the chicken has plenty of flavor. You just season your chicken and sear it, and then remove it from the pan so you can get the sauce going.
That sauce starts with some sliced onion sauteed in olive oil. Some garlic goes in too, followed by chicken stock, coconut milk, and lime juice. The coconut milk and lime juice create a Thai-inspired flavor, though it’s not heavy handed.
The last components are ginger, chili flake, and cilantro. The chicken gets popped back in the pan just long enough to cook through in the simmering sauce until it’s juicy and flavorful and perfect paired with some white rice and veggies. It may be simple, but it’s anything but basic.
Coconut Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice from 2 limes
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- While skillet heats, place chicken breasts between two pieces of parchment or wax paper and pound them until even in thickness. Season each side with salt and pepper.
- Add olive oil to skillet. Once hot, add chicken to pan and cook until golden brown, 3-4 minutes per side.
- Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Add onion to pan and cook until onion starts to soften and turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute more.
- Add chicken stock, coconut milk, and lime juice to the skillet. Stir to combine, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in chili flakes, ginger, and cilantro, and add chicken back to the pan. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until chicken has cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Serve garnished with additional lime slices or cilantro, if desired. Enjoy!
Adapted from A Saucy Kitchen.