Description
A vibrant and zesty dish featuring tender chicken in a creamy coconut lime sauce, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or impressing guests.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breast or chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or any cooking oil like olive oil)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced (or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes)
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 can (14 oz) full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or use soy sauce or coconut aminos as a substitute)
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or Thai basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients by gathering and chopping as noted above.
- Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and sear for about 5-7 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
- In the same skillet, add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Sauté for about 3 minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant.
- Add the sliced red chili or red pepper flakes to the skillet and mix well with the sautéed aromatics.
- Pour in the coconut milk along with lime zest, lime juice, fish sauce, and honey if you’re using it. Stir everything together and let it simmer while it thickens gently.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, ensuring it’s coated evenly in the sauce. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes until the chicken absorbs the flavors and heats fully.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and garnish with chopped cilantro or Thai basil before serving.
Notes
For added flavor, marinate chicken in lime juice, zest, garlic, and ginger for an hour before cooking. Adjust spice levels to taste with different peppers.
