Coconut Lime Chicken Skillet Recipe
This Coconut Lime Chicken Skillet recipe features tender chicken cutlets cooked to golden perfection in a creamy, flavorful sauce made with coconut cream, lime juice, and aromatic spices. Sautéed onions, garlic, and ginger add depth, while fresh cilantro and a hint of red pepper flakes bring brightness and heat. Perfect for an easy, tropical-inspired dinner served over rice or roasted vegetables.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Fusion - Tropical/Asian-inspired
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise to have 4 flatter cutlets
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more for garnish
Sauté and Sauce
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1.5 cups canned full-fat coconut cream
- 1/4 cup lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the skillet and season chicken: Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large cast iron skillet, allowing about 4-5 minutes for the pan to fully heat. Meanwhile, season the chicken cutlets thoroughly with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Sear the chicken cutlets: Place the chicken cutlets in the hot skillet and cook undisturbed for about 4 minutes until a brown crust forms. Flip them and cook another 4 minutes on the other side until browned and mostly cooked through.
- Sauté aromatics: Transfer the chicken cutlets to a plate. Add diced onion, minced garlic, and minced ginger to the skillet. Add an additional tablespoon of oil if necessary. Sauté the mixture until the onions turn browned and caramelized, about 10 minutes.
- Deglaze skillet: Pour the chicken broth into the skillet and scrape up all the browned bits stuck to the bottom, incorporating this flavorful residue into the sauce base.
- Add coconut cream and spices: Stir in the coconut cream, lime juice, dried basil, and coriander with the onion and broth mixture, continuing to scrape the bottom of the pan to lift any remaining browned bits.
- Simmer sauce: Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes to allow it to reduce and thicken.
- Finish sauce and return chicken: Stir in chopped cilantro and red pepper flakes if using. Nestle the chicken cutlets back into the sauce, cover the skillet, and simmer for an additional 5 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.
- Season and serve: Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Remove from heat and serve the chicken and sauce over basmati rice, cauliflower rice, shredded cabbage, or alongside roasted vegetables like broccoli or green beans. Garnish with extra chopped cilantro, red pepper flakes, and lime wedges for a fresh finish.
Notes
- Using a cast iron skillet helps develop a nice crust on the chicken and enables good deglazing for the sauce.
- Full-fat coconut cream delivers a rich, creamy texture and authentic flavor to the sauce.
- You can adjust the heat by adding or omitting red pepper flakes according to taste.
- This dish pairs beautifully with fragrant basmati rice, but cauliflower rice or roasted vegetables create lower-carb alternatives.
- Allowing the sauce to reduce properly intensifies the flavors and thickens the consistency.
Keywords: coconut lime chicken, skillet chicken, creamy chicken recipe, coconut cream sauce, quick weeknight dinner, gluten free chicken, tropical chicken recipe
Find it online: https://chefmilacook.com/coconut-lime-chicken-skillet-recipe/
