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This Creamy coconut Lime chicken is tender, juicy, and full of bright lime and cilantro flavor. The sauce is made with coconut milk instead of heavy cream, so it stays light but still feels rich. It comes together in one pan in just 30 minutes. Serve it over rice, noodles, or cauliflower rice for a low carb option.
This one started as a way to use up the thawed chicken breast sitting in my fridge. My thought was to initially use lemons but of course I had lime instead and thus the idea struck. With some coconut milk in the pantry and chicken in the fridge, I just went for it.
My kids were skeptical about the cilantro at first because they don’t like the strong taste of it, but the lime and coconut milk together won them over. Now it is one of those meals I make when I want something that feels a little different from our usual dinner rotation but still comes together fast on a busy night.
Recipe Overview
Key Ingredients
Below is a list of ingredients you will need and can be improvised. Full measurements are listed further down below in the recipe card.
- Chicken breasts: Boneless and skinless work best. Slice thick pieces in half so they cook evenly.
- Coconut milk: Use the canned kind for the creamiest sauce. Lite coconut milk works too if you want fewer calories.
- Lime juice: Adds brightness to the sauce. Start with less if you are sensitive to acidity and add more to taste.
- Fresh cilantro: Stir some in and save some for topping. It adds fresh flavor at the end.
- Coconut sugar: Balances out the lime and adds a touch of sweetness. Honey works too.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the sear: Browning the chicken first adds a lot of flavor. Do not skip straight to simmering it in the sauce.
- Using too much lime juice: Too much lime can make the sauce taste too tangy. Start with less and add more to taste.
- Not whisking the sauce well: If the coconut milk and flour are not fully combined before adding them to the pan, the sauce can turn out lumpy.
- Using the wrong coconut milk: Canned coconut milk gives the best creamy texture. The drinking kind from a carton is too thin and will not thicken the same way.
- Cooking over high heat: High heat can dry out the chicken and cause the sauce to separate. Medium heat works best for this recipe.
- Overcrowding the pan: If the chicken pieces are too close together, they will steam instead of sear. Cook in batches if needed.
How To Make Coconut Lime Chicken
Season the chicken: Pat the chicken dry, then season both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, coriander, and coconut sugar.
Sear the chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side until lightly browned. Set it aside on a plate.
Make the coconut sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, lime juice, and flour until smooth. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Build the sauce in the pan: Pour the chicken broth into the same skillet and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the coconut milk mixture.
Finish cooking the chicken: Return the chicken to the pan. Let it simmer in the sauce for 6 to 8 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened.
Garnish and serve: Top with fresh cilantro and chopped green onion before serving.
Recipe notes and tips
- Sauce too tangy? Some find the lime in this recipe to be too strong. Start with the juice of one lime instead of two and add more at the end if you want it tangier.
- Don’t skip browning the chicken. This builds flavor before the sauce goes in. A few minutes per side is all you need.
- Whisk the coconut milk and flour well. This keeps the sauce smooth and prevents lumps once it hits the hot pan.
- Use canned coconut milk, not the drinking kind. Canned coconut milk is thicker and gives the sauce its creamy texture. The drinking kind found in cartons will not thicken the same way.
Common Questions
This usually means too much lime juice was used. Start with one lime and add more slowly until it tastes right to you.
Yes. If you do not have coconut milk, swap it with any milk you have on hand or heavy cream. If using light milk that’s not creamy, you may need to add a bit of cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
You do not have to use chicken if you want to use another type of protein. You may swap it with salmon or shrimp.
Yes. Boneless thighs work great and stay extra juicy. Cook time may need a couple extra minutes.
Yes, this recipe is already dairy free since it uses coconut milk instead of cream.
More chicken recipes
- Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Skillet
- Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Tandoori Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Baked BBQ Chicken Breast
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItStoring and Reheating
- To store, place leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Store in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- To reheat, I recommend just using your microwave and reheat at 30-60 seconds intervals until heated through.
Thank you so much for being here and for cooking along with me. If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and ⭐️ rating below.
Creamy Coconut Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 4 total chicken breasts
- Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, or honey
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour, or any other flour
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped, plus more for topping
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, or any other oil
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 limes, or lemon
- 2/3 cup chicken broth
- 1-2 green onion chopped, for garnish
- Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Season the 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts with Kosher salt and ground pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed, and 1 tablespoon coconut sugar, and rub it on both sides.
- Heat the 2 tablespoons coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. Set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk the 1 cup coconut milk, lime juice from 2 limes, and 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour until well combined. Season with a pinch of Kosher salt and ground pepper.
- Add the 2/3 cup chicken broth to the pan and stir through the bottom to get all those delicious brown bits unstuck. Then add the coconut mixture.
- The sauce will start to thicken pretty quickly; return the chicken to the pan and continue to cook into the sauce for 6-8 minutes more, or until fully cooked through and hot.
- Once the chicken is done, garnish with 1/4 cup cilantro chopped (chopped).
- Sprinkle everything with salt, pepper, extra chopped cilantro, and 1-2 green onion chopped, and enjoy!
Notes
- 2 lbs of chicken breast will be equal to 4 large chicken breasts or 6 medium-sized. If you slice any of the chicken breasts, they are too thick, you may slice them lengthwise for a thinner and smaller piece.
- Chicken breast used, you can use boneless chicken thighs or any other protein like salmon or shrimp.
- Coconut sugar balances out the taste, you can skip it or use cane sugar or honey.
- Chicken broth can be replaced with vegetable broth or simply use water
- Coconut milk can be in cans, but make sure you use the liquid kind, not the cream. This ups the number of calories. To cut this down, you may use 2% milk but it won’t be as creamy.
- Store leftovers in a container in the fridge for 3-4 days
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hello! From the UK so just checking do you mean coconut milk as in the type you can put in a coffee? Thanks!
Hi Kirsty. It is the coconut milk that is in cans. The one you drink with coffee will still work but it won’t be as thick.
My kids are fussy plain food, eaters. They loved this dish.
Perfect! So glad they loved it. Thanks James
Chicken was nice and tender, but way too much lime. I even tried to neutralize the sauce with baking soda, but still too acidic.
I enjoyed the taste even more when I added some garam masala. I also liked it with coconut creme. Good recipe, my family enjoyed it with soba noodles and asked for a repeat. Thank you