Coconut lime Chicken is a creamy, tangy, delicious dinner perfect for the summer. Don’t we all trend towards light, refreshing flavors when the weather is warm? The meal is filling and satisfying without being too heavy.
We eat a lot of chicken, and I am always looking for different ways to prepare it. Chicken over rice is a favorite at our house.
This is so random, but I was thinking about coconut and lime and this scene from Practical Magic was running through my head. You put the lime in the coconut. Midnight margaritas? Yes! 🙂
Ingredients
Chicken Breast: Chicken breasts or thighs would work.
Salt & Black Pepper: Seasons the chicken.
Flour: Flour gives the chicken a light crust while it sautés and helps to thicken the sauce.
Olive Oil: Used to sauté the chicken.
Onion: I have used red and yellow onions for this recipe, they both work great.
Garlic: Adds great savory flavor. Garlic is so good with chicken.
Fresh Ginger: Ginger adds bright flavor. You could add some ground ginger if you don’t have fresh ginger available.
Lite Coconut Milk: Caribbean rice is one of my favorite sides, and it was the first time I have used coconut milk in a recipe. Coconut milk is thick, slightly sweet, and creamy.
Soy Sauce: Adds a savory touch to the sweet and tangy flavors.
Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and color to the sauce.
Lime Zest & Juice: Lime and coconut are wonderful together. The zest adds so much flavor.
Cilantro: A nice pop of green color and fresh flavor.
Rice: I serve coconut lime chicken over steamed white rice. Rice is a great base for the creamy sauce.
Instructions
Prep and start your rice.
Chop the chicken and add to a bowl with the flour, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat the chicken in the flour mixture.
Heat a skillet and add the chicken. You will add the flour remaining in the bowl to help thicken the sauce, so set the bowl aside.
Once the chicken is done, we will remove it from the skillet. Add onion and sauté until soft. Add garlic, ginger, and the reserved flour. Stir until the oil in the pain absorbs the flour. This will help prevent lumps of flour in the finished dish.
Stir in coconut milk, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime zest, and lime juice. Stir as the sauce thickens. Add the chicken back to the skillet and heat through.
Serve over rice with a sprinkle of cilantro. I like to serve coconut lime chicken with roasted broccoli.
Coconut Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 large chicken breast zest and juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup onion diced
- 1 garlic clove minced or grated
- 2 tsp fresh finger grated
- ½ can lite coconut milk
- 1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 large lime zest and juice
- cilantro chopped
- 2 servings rice
Instructions
- Chop chicken breast into small bite-size pieces. Add to a bowl along with the salt, pepper, and flour. Toss to coat the chicken in the flour.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Heat the oil and add the chicken. Reserve the flour left in the bowl.
- Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes until browned. Remove the chicken from the skillet. If the skillet looks dry, add a bit more oil.
- Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until it begins to soften. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the reserved flour and stir until the flour is incorporated into the oil and veggies.
- Add canned coconut milk, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime zest, and lime juice. Allow the sauce to begin to thicken for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the chicken to the sauce and heat until the chicken is cooked through.
- Plate over rice and sprinkle with cilantro.