Go Back

Creamy Coconut Milk Chicken

Creamy coconut milk chicken with golden seared thighs simmered in a silky coconut sauce infused with ginger and garlic. Finished with lime zest and fresh cilantro, it’s an easy Thai-inspired chicken skillet dinner.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and turmeric to taste Use a mix of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and turmeric to season the chicken.
Searing and aromatics
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
Sauce
  • 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
Serving
  • Fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season the chicken
  1. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season all over with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and turmeric to taste.
Sear and build flavor
  1. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken skin-side down for 6-7 minutes until deep golden; remove to a plate.
  2. In the same skillet, cook the diced onion for 3 minutes until softened.
  3. Add garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant.
Simmer the creamy coconut sauce
  1. Pour in full-fat coconut milk and chicken broth, stir in soy sauce, and bring to a simmer.
  2. Return chicken to the skillet skin-side up; cover and simmer over medium-low for 18-20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in lime juice and lime zest to brighten the silky sauce.
  2. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges over jasmine rice.

Notes

For the best sauce texture, keep the simmer at a gentle bubble after adding coconut milk (avoid a hard boil). Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop until warm. Freeze yes—freeze portions in sealed containers for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter option, use light coconut milk and add 1-2 tbsp extra broth to keep the sauce from getting too thin.