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Creamy Coconut Chicken and Rice

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Coconut Chicken is a delicious asian-inspired recipe. This tender chicken is covered in a creamy coconut sauce and is perfect served over rice.

Coconut Chicken

Coconut Chicken Ingredients

To make this asian chicken recipe, you will need the following ingredients (see the recipe card below for exact amounts):

  • Coconut milk – use a good can of coconut milk, if it separated, pour everything into a blender and blend till smooth and combined
  • Asian sweet chili sauce – any brand is fine, I like to use P.F. Chang’s Sweet Chili Sauce
  • Lime juice
  • Honey
  • Cornstarch – to thicken the sauce
  • Soy sauce
  • Fish sauce  – doesn’t make the sauce taste fishy, just gives it that great umami flavor
  • Chicken breast – or thighs
  • All purpose flour
  • Salt
  • Paprika
  • Turmeric
  • Coriander
  • Black pepper
  • Olive oil
  • Green onion
  • Ginger
  • Garlic – use fresh or buy pre-minced
  • Cilantro
  • Red pepper flakes
  • White rice
Coconut Chicken Recipe Ingredients Labeled

How to Make Coconut Chicken

  1. Place water and rice in a saucepan over medium high heat. Once the water is bubbling gently, turn heat to low and cover with lid. Cook for 13 minutes. Do not stir, do not remove lid. Once the water is absorbed, remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork.
  2. While the rice is cooking, combine all the ingredients for the sauce and whisk until well combined.
  3. In a shallow dish combine the flour, salt, paprika, turmeric, coriander, and pepper. 
  4. Heat the oil in a large saute pan.  Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and place in the hot oil.  Cook each side for 3 to 4 minutes, then remove from the oil and keep warm. (3 minutes if pounded thin, 4 if thicker.  It will cook more in the sauce.)
  5. Add the white part of the onions, grated ginger and the garlic to the oil and sauté for 3 minutes, then add the sauce and cook until it begins to simmer.  Continue to simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.
  6. Add the chicken into the sauce and simmer for another 5 minutes. 
  7. Spoon a little chili sauce over the chicken if desired.  Garnish with green onion slices, cilantro, and red pepper flakes. Serve over rice.
Collage of Coconut Chicken Recipe Steps

Recipe Tips

  • If you like it sweeter, add a bit more honey.  Like it spicy, add more pepper flakes.  Tangier, add more lime juice.
  • You may wish to pound the cutlets until they are the same thickness so they will cook evenly.

Storage Instructions

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

More Amazing Asian Recipes

Creamy Coconut Chicken and Rice

Coconut Chicken is a delicious asian-inspired recipe. This tender chicken is covered in a creamy coconut sauce and is perfect served over rice.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish Recipes
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4
Calories 810 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Coconut Sauce:

  • 13.5 ounce can coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup Asian sweet chili sauce
  • 1/4 cup lime juice freshly squeezed
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce

For the Chicken:

  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 chicken breast cutlets
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 green onion sliced (white and green parts separated)
  • 1 tablespoon ginger freshly grated
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • Asian sweet chili sauce for serving
  • cilantro for garnish
  • red pepper flakes for garnish

For the Rice:

  • 1 cup white rice
  • 1 1/2 cups water

Instructions
 

  • Place water and rice in a saucepan over medium high heat. Once the water is bubbling gently, turn heat to low and cover with lid. Cook for 13 minutes. Do not stir or remove the lid. Once the water is absorbed, remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork.
  • While the rice is cooking, combine all the ingredients for the sauce and whisk until well combined.
  • In a shallow dish combine the flour, salt, paprika, turmeric, coriander, and pepper.
  • Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and place in the hot oil. Cook each side for 3 to 4 minutes, then remove from the oil and keep warm. (3 minutes if pounded thin, 4 if thicker. It will cook more in the sauce.)
  • Add the white part of the onions, grated ginger and the garlic to the oil and saute for 3 minutes then add the sauce and cook until it begins to simmer. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.
  • Add the chicken into the sauce and simmer for another 5 minutes.
  • Spoon a little chili sauce over the chicken if desired. Then garnish with green onion slices, cilantro, and red pepper flakes. Serve over rice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 810kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 44gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 23gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 1567mgPotassium: 1047mgFiber: 4gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 367IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 4mg

The nutrition information is calculated using online nutrition calculators and may not be accurate. It is provided as a general guide only.

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The recipe and photos contained herein are the property of Emily Enchanted© and may not be copied.

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)
Recipe Rating