Easy Coconut Chicken in a Flavorful Thai-Inspired Sauce

Easy Coconut Chicken is a crispy, tender, and flavorful dish that’s better than takeout and ready in just 30 minutes. After making this many times, I’ve discovered the trick to the perfect coconut sauce is toasting the spices first. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Keto Egg Roll in a Bowl Recipe Ready in 30 Minutes and Creamy Honey Lavender Ice Cream Recipe for Easy Dessert.

What You'll Need for Easy Coconut Chicken in a Flavorful Thai-Inspired Sauce

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Optional: Chopped green onions
• Optional: Toasted coconut flakes
• Optional: Lime wedges
• Optional: Fresh cilantro

How to Make Easy Coconut Chicken in a Flavorful Thai-Inspired Sauce

1. Step 1: In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Set aside.
2. Step 2: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken breasts, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
3. Step 3: In the same skillet, add garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, and turmeric. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Step 4: Add coconut milk, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice to the skillet. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
5. Step 5: Add the cornstarch mixture to the skillet and stir until the sauce thickens. Return the chicken to the skillet and coat in the sauce. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.
6. Step 6: Serve the coconut chicken over rice or noodles and garnish with your favorite toppings.

Storing & Reheating Easy Coconut Chicken in a Flavorful Thai-Inspired Sauce

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: You can make the sauce up to 2 days ahead of time. Store in the fridge and reheat before adding the chicken.

Freezing Easy Coconut Chicken in a Flavorful Thai-Inspired Sauce

Freeze cooked chicken and sauce separately for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Stir halfway through.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: To make this recipe gluten-free, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
• Best substitution: If you don't have coconut milk, you can use chicken broth and a can of coconut cream instead.
• Make-ahead: You can marinate the chicken in the sauce for up to 24 hours before cooking for extra flavor.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
• Troubleshooting: If your sauce is too thick, thin it out with a little bit of water or chicken broth.

Easy Coconut Chicken in a Flavorful Thai-Inspired Sauce

⏱

Prep

15 mins

🍳

Cook

25 mins

⏳

Total

40 mins

🍽

Serves

4 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

Seasonings

• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional Toppings

• Chopped green onions
• Toasted coconut flakes
• Lime wedges
• Fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Set aside.
2. Step 2: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken breasts, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
3. Step 3: In the same skillet, add garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, and turmeric. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Step 4: Add coconut milk, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice to the skillet. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
5. Step 5: Add the cornstarch mixture to the skillet and stir until the sauce thickens. Return the chicken to the skillet and coat in the sauce. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.
6. Step 6: Serve the coconut chicken over rice or noodles and garnish with your favorite toppings.

Notes

• Chef tip: To make this recipe gluten-free, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
• Best substitution: If you don't have coconut milk, you can use chicken broth and a can of coconut cream instead.
• Make-ahead: You can marinate the chicken in the sauce for up to 24 hours before cooking for extra flavor.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
• Troubleshooting: If your sauce is too thick, thin it out with a little bit of water or chicken broth.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken and sauce separately for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Stir halfway through.
• Make ahead: You can make the sauce up to 2 days ahead of time. Store in the fridge and reheat before adding the chicken.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 350
• Protein: 28g
• Fat: 18g
• Carbs: 15g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 6g
• Sodium: 1200mg
• Cholesterol: 60mg
• Sat. Fat: 10g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Easy Coconut Chicken in a Flavorful Thai-Inspired Sauce FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Easy Coconut Chicken in a Flavorful Thai-Inspired Sauce and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!