Description
A quick and comforting 15-minute weeknight dinner featuring tender chicken in a rich, creamy coconut sauce served over fluffy jasmine rice. This one-pan meal is perfect for busy families and delivers big tropical flavor with minimal effort.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 2 cups water (for rice)
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk, shaken well
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or avocado oil)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
- Small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch.
- Combine the rinsed rice and water in a rice cooker or medium saucepan. If using a saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- While the rice cooks, season the bite-sized chicken pieces generously with salt and black pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, soy sauce, brown sugar, grated ginger, and minced garlic until the sugar is dissolved.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour the coconut sauce mixture into the same skillet and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Simmer for 1-2 minutes to allow the chicken to absorb the flavors.
- Serve the coconut chicken and sauce over the fluffy jasmine rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately.
Notes
[‘Shake the coconut milk can well before opening to ensure a consistent creamy texture.’, ‘Use fresh ginger for the best flavor; powdered ginger is less effective.’, ‘Do not overcrowd the pan when searing chicken to ensure a good crust.’, ‘Keep the heat at medium-low when simmering the sauce to prevent burning or separation.’, ‘Rinsing the rice is crucial for fluffy, non-sticky grains.’, ‘For a low-carb version, serve over cauliflower rice instead of jasmine rice.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl per serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 30
Keywords: coconut chicken, quick dinner, weeknight meals, one pan, healthy chicken, jasmine rice, gluten-free option, dairy-free, family friendly, tropical recipe