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Coconut Lime Chicken and Rice

Coconut lime chicken and rice made as a one-pot meal with tender chicken thighs nestled in fragrant coconut-lime rice. The broth simmers until slightly thickened and golden, with fresh lime wedges and cilantro on top.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
rest 5 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs and seasoning
  • 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs Use thighs for best tenderness.
  • 0.25 Salt and black pepper to taste
Rice and aromatics
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 3 clove garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
Coconut lime sauce
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp lime zest
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce Choose fish sauce for deeper savoriness or soy sauce to keep it pantry-friendly.
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp oil
Serving
  • 0.25 Fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving Garnish generously right before serving.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Season the boneless chicken thighs with salt and black pepper to taste, then sear in oil in a large skillet over high heat for 4–5 minutes per side until golden; remove and set aside.
Toast rice and aromatics
  1. In the same pan, sauté garlic cloves, minced and fresh ginger, grated for 1 minute, then add long-grain white rice and toast for 2 minutes.
Simmer coconut-lime rice
  1. Add coconut milk, chicken broth, lime juice, lime zest, fish sauce or soy sauce, and sugar; stir and bring to a simmer.
Cook until tender
  1. Nestle the boneless chicken thighs into the rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 18–20 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
Rest and finish
  1. Rest the pot for 5 minutes, then fluff the rice gently so the thighs stay nestled.
Serve
  1. Serve garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep the lid on during the 18–20 minute low cook so the rice steams evenly and the broth thickens naturally. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; freeze cooked portions for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a dairy-free option, keep it as written since this recipe is naturally dairy-free.