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Coconut Lime Chicken

Coconut lime chicken with tender, golden-seared thighs simmered in a creamy coconut lime sauce until silky and golden. Thai-inspired coconut milk chicken with bright lime juice, lime zest, and fresh cilantro—an easy one-pan weeknight dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and seasoning
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp turmeric
Coconut lime sauce
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp lime zest
  • 1 fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season the chicken
  1. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and turmeric, coating all sides evenly.
Sear the skin
  1. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then sear chicken skin-side down for 6-7 minutes until golden and crispy.
  2. Flip the chicken and sear for 3 more minutes, then remove to a plate.
Build the aromatics
  1. In the same skillet, cook the diced onion for 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.
  2. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Simmer in coconut lime sauce
  1. Pour in the full-fat coconut milk and chicken broth, then stir in soy sauce and bring the mixture to a simmer.
  2. Return the chicken skin-side up, cover, and simmer over medium-low for 18-20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in the lime juice and lime zest, then garnish with fresh cilantro and serve over jasmine rice with lime wedges.

Notes

For the best sauce texture, keep the simmer medium-low once it starts bubbling so the coconut milk thickens into a silky golden sheen without separating. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat. Freezing is not recommended for the creamiest texture. For a dairy-free swap, use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce if needed.