Description
This Easy Coconut Milk Chicken Recipe offers a flavorful and creamy dish featuring tender boneless chicken breasts marinated in a spiced coconut milk mixture. The chicken is cooked either in an Instant Pot for a quick pressure-cooked meal or on the stovetop for a seared finish, with a luscious sauce thickened perfectly to coat every bite. Garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges, it makes a delicious, versatile main dish that pairs wonderfully with rice, cauliflower rice, or vegetables.
Ingredients
Marinade and Chicken
- 1 (13 ounce) can coconut milk (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 to 4 Tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
- 1 Tablespoon honey or coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika or smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
For Cooking
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil or coconut oil (for stovetop cooking)
- Optional slurry to thicken sauce – 1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch and 1/2 Tablespoon water mixed together
For Garnishing and Serving
- Cilantro and/or green onion
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade and marinate chicken: In a small bowl, whisk together coconut milk, lime juice, cumin, garlic, honey or coconut sugar, paprika, turmeric, curry powder, ginger, black pepper, and kosher salt. Place the chicken breasts in a shallow baking dish or resealable plastic bag, pour the marinade over them, and refrigerate for 3 hours or up to 24 hours to develop flavor.
- Instant Pot cooking setup: Place the marinated chicken on a cooking trivet inside the Instant Pot. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Close the lid, set the valve to the sealing position.
- Pressure cook the chicken: Select the HIGH (MANUAL) pressure cook setting and cook for 10 minutes (increase to 12-13 minutes if chicken breasts are thicker). After cooking, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes before opening the lid carefully.
- Rest and thicken sauce: Remove chicken and let rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, make a slurry by mixing cornstarch and water, then press the sauté button on the Instant Pot. Add the slurry to the sauce, stir well and allow it to simmer for 30 seconds to 1 minute until thickened. Switch the Instant Pot to WARM mode.
- Shred chicken and combine with sauce: When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the Instant Pot, toss with the sauce, and simmer on warm for 5-10 minutes to meld flavors and thicken the sauce further.
- Serve and garnish: Garnish with cilantro or green onions and serve with lime wedges. Ideal accompaniments include rice, cauliflower rice, or your choice of vegetables. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Stovetop cooking - heat pan: Heat a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat and add the avocado or coconut oil. Allow it to heat until it sizzles.
- Sear chicken breasts: Remove chicken from marinade (do not overly coat), sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sear in the hot pan for 2-3 minutes per side until browned. Remove chicken from pan.
- Cook sauce on stovetop: Add the leftover marinade to the pan and bring to a gentle boil while scraping up browned bits from the pan for about 2 minutes.
- Simmer chicken in sauce: Return the chicken breasts to the pan, partially cover, and cook on medium-low to medium heat for 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Remove chicken and rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice or shred and finish: Slice or shred the rested chicken, return to the sauce in the pan, and simmer on low for 5-8 minutes to fully coat and infuse the chicken with flavor.
- Serve and store: Garnish with cilantro and lime slices. Serve with rice, cauliflower rice, or vegetables. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- For a smoky flavor, use smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika.
- Adjust the amount of ginger according to taste; fresh grated ginger adds more brightness.
- Marinate for at least 3 hours, but no longer than 24 hours to avoid overpowering the chicken texture.
- The cornstarch slurry is optional but recommended for a thicker, more coating sauce.
- Ensure chicken breasts are fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for safety.
- If you prefer not to shred, you can slice the cooked chicken before serving.
- Leftover dish keeps well refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be reheated gently.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 3 hours marinating time)
- Cook Time: 25 minutes (Instant Pot: 10 minutes pressure cook + 10 minutes natural release + sauce thickening; Stovetop: approx. 25 minutes including searing and simmering)
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Fusion/Asian-inspired
