Coconut Chicken and Rice with Lime and Cilantro
By Jonah Pike
Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Total
45 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
I make this coconut chicken and rice meal on weeknights when I want to cook in just one pot to make cleanup easier․ Combine diced chicken and jasmine rice with coconut milk and broth․ Garnish the finished meal with lime and cilantro․ Sauté ginger and garlic at the start of cooking to save time on weeknights․
I use a large frying pan and brown the chicken on medium-high heat․ I take the chicken out and add other ingredients to the pan․ I use a spoon to mix the browned chicken bits into the liquid․ These browned chicken bits cook with the rice․ After simmering starts‚ I return the chicken to the pan with the rice․ You could use a Dutch oven instead․ The pan bottom is clean after mixing․
Use full-fat canned coconut milk‚ not the kind found in the refrigerator section of the store․ Use a lid when cooking the rice for 18 to 20 minutes․ The sauce will stay creamy while cooking․ I use a fork to fluff the cooked rice when serving directly in the skillet after it has settled with the lid on․
The lime juice is added at the end as a flavoring agent for the coconut․ Cilantro is typically added at the table․ Serves four people․ All ingredients can be cooked and served in the same pan․ The chicken can be chopped into small pieces and served over rice with no other side dishes․
Why you'll love this recipe
- Using one skillet for all aspects of the dinner‚ including browning the chicken‚ means cleaning just one skillet․
- It feeds four people out of one dish․ Four people eat dinner at the same time․
- Rice is cooked alongside the chicken․ The food is prepared in just one pot on the stove․
- The lime and cilantro are added to the dish near the end of preparation‚ after the rice is cooked․
- Leftovers can be eaten for lunch․ No need to plan another meal․
- You can add vegetables to the pan during the final five minutes of cooking․
Ingredients
- •1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch cubes)
- •1 tbsp coconut oil
- •1 tsp paprika
- •1 tsp salt
- •½ tsp black pepper
- •1 ½ cups jasmine rice (rinsed and drained)
- •4 cloves garlic (minced)
- •1 tbsp fresh ginger (minced)
- •13 ½ oz full-fat canned coconut milk
- •2 cups chicken broth
- •2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- •¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Toss the cubed chicken with the paprika, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes, until lightly browned on all sides, then transfer it out of the skillet.
- 2
Lower the heat to medium. Add the garlic and ginger to the skillet and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- 3
Add the rinsed, drained jasmine rice and cook for about 1-2 minutes, stirring to lightly toast the grains.
- 4
Pour in the full-fat coconut milk and chicken broth. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, stir, and bring the liquid to a simmer.
- 5
Return the chicken to the skillet once the liquid simmers. Mix briefly, reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 18-20 minutes, until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid.
- 6
Remove the skillet from the heat and let it stand covered for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork, fold in the lime juice and cilantro, and serve immediately.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
580
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