Description
Coconut Chicken brings tropical flavors straight to your dinner table with crispy, golden-brown goodness that makes weeknight meals feel like a mini vacation. Marinated in creamy coconut milk and seasoned with aromatic spices, this dish delivers delicious comfort your family will absolutely adore.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Protein:
- 1 lb skinless chicken
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon achiote/annatto powder
- ¼ teaspoon achiote/annatto powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tomato
- 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
- ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 bay leaves
- Fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Combine 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp cumin, ¼ tsp coriander, ¼ tsp achiote powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Thoroughly coat your 1 lb chicken with the seasoning mix.
- Heat 1½ tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet at medium temperature (350°F). Sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer chicken to a separate plate.
- In the same skillet, sauté your minced onion, 3 cloves garlic, and chopped tomato for 2-3 minutes at medium heat (325°F).
- Sprinkle ½ tsp paprika, ¼ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp coriander, ¼ tsp achiote powder, salt, and pepper into the skillet. Stir continuously.
- Add 1 tbsp tomato sauce and cook for 1 minute at medium-low heat (300°F).
- Incorporate ¼ cup shredded coconut into the skillet. Toast for 2-4 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour 1 can (450 ml) coconut milk into the skillet. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
- Return chicken to the skillet. Drop in 2 bay leaves and simmer at low heat (275°F) for 10-15 minutes until sauce thickens.
- Remove bay leaves before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro if desired.
Notes
- Toast the coconut beforehand to enhance its nutty flavor and add more depth to the sauce’s complexity.
- Choose bone-in chicken thighs for extra moisture and richer taste, which works better than chicken breasts in this recipe.
- Use fresh coconut milk from the refrigerated section instead of canned for a lighter, more authentic tropical profile.
- For a gluten-free version, replace tomato sauce with pureed fresh tomatoes and verify all spice blends are certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 23-31 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: South Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 291 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg