Coconut Milk Chicken

Make Coconut Milk Chicken tonight: Coconut Milk Chicken in a creamy, tangy coconut sauce, ready in 40 minutes.

Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 green onions, chopped (white and green parts separated)
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger (or 3/4 tsp ground)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp ground)
• 1 13.5 oz. can quality coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup Asian sweet chili sauce (like Mae Ploy)
• 3-4 tablespoons honey (start with 3)
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce (more or less to taste)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• sliced fresno or jalapeno peppers
• chopped cilantro
• sliced green onions

Instructions

Step 1: Whisk the Coconut Sauce

Whisk together the coconut sauce ingredients — coconut milk, cornstarch, Asian sweet chili sauce, honey, lime juice, reduced-sodium soy, Asian chili sauce and dried basil — in a medium matte-grey ceramic mixing bowl until smooth, pale beige and slightly glossy. Taste and balance sweet, salty and tangy now because this is the sauce’s final flavor profile; the cornstarch should dissolve leaving a silky, slightly thick batter-like consistency. Set the bowl aside covered lightly while you prep the chicken.

Step 2: Butterfly and Flatten the Chicken

Slice each large chicken breast in half through the equator so you have four fillets. Cover each fillet with a sheet of plastic wrap and pound gently to an even thickness — you want consistent, broad fillets that will brown evenly. Pat each piece dry with paper towel so the seasoned flour will cling.

Step 3: Season and Dredge

In a shallow dish combine the flour with salt, ground ginger, garlic powder, ground coriander, turmeric and pepper. Dredge each pounded fillet in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess so each breast retains a thin, even coating. Transfer the dusted fillets to a dry plate or parchment-lined board so they rest briefly before cooking.

Step 4: Brown the Chicken

Melt butter with olive oil in a hot skillet and cook the fillets until a deep golden-brown crust forms and the centers are cooked through; transfer the finished fillets to a clean plate and leave any fond in the pan. The chicken should read as moist, taut, with a crisp, evenly browned exterior and small caramelized flecks from the pan.

Step 5: Build the Aromatics

Lower the heat and, in the same pan, add a small drizzle of olive oil if the pan looks dry. Add the white parts of the green onions and cook briefly until softened, then add minced garlic and freshly grated ginger and cook just 30 seconds — the aromatics should be glossy, slightly fragrant and not browned.

Step 6: Finish with the Coconut Sauce

Reduce heat to low and stir the pre-mixed coconut sauce into the pan, scraping up the brown bits. Simmer gently until the sauce becomes glossy and slightly thickened, clinging to the back of a spoon — the sauce should be velvety, beige with tiny specks of spice, and taste-adjusted with more honey for sweetness or lime for brightness.

Step 7: Warm the Chicken and Garnish

Nestle the browned fillets back into the warmed coconut sauce to heat through and coat the chicken in a shimmering glaze. Transfer to the same matte-grey shallow serving bowl you used earlier and garnish with sliced green onion tops, chopped cilantro (or basil), thin red chile slices and a lime wedge. Serve over rice if desired, the contrast between the off-white painted pine surface and the warm beige sauce making the textures and colors pop.

Notes

• Pound chicken to an even thickness for uniform cooking.
• Taste and adjust the coconut sauce before heating - more honey or lime as needed.
• Use full-fat coconut milk for a creamier texture.
• Reheat gently on low and add a splash of water or coconut milk to loosen the sauce.
• For gluten-free, swap flour for rice flour or cornstarch when dredging.
• Leftovers work well shredded into bowls or soups.