Eat In Recipe: Lime & Coconut Chicken

Seriously…I can’t read the name of this recipe without the lyrics going through my head, “You put the lime in the coconut and drink it all up…”  Can you?  But I just love lime & coconut together…my favorite new drink concoction is a lime-coconut Sprite.  Sooooo good!  The star flavors of this recipe are the lime, coconut, & curry.  I just love curry, too! 

The chicken is butterflied and then pounded thin…something I regularly do for a lot of my chicken recipes because I just love how they cook evenly, turn out tender & juicy, and provide nice serving sizes.  Want to see my secret weapon for pounding chicken? 

Don’t be afraid of the cayenne or chili…this wasn’t spicy.  They just provide a little hint of a kick.  Little Diner loved this chicken and kept saying, “This chicken is sooo yummy!”, but the other kids just thought it was okay.  Guess Little Diner & I will have to stick together!  I loved this recipe, but I can’t believe I forgot the sauce in the pictures…it adds an extra layer of flavor. Don’t forget it!

Lime & Coconut Chicken from Chaos in the Kitchen
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 T. oil
zest of 1 lime
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
2 T. soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 T. sugar
2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 c. coconut milk
pinch cayenne
1 small fresh hot chili, such as Thai or Serrano, minced (optional)
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
Fresh limes, cut into wedges

1. Trim fat from chicken breasts.  Starting on thick side of the breasts slice the chicken breasts almost in half, then open each like a book.
2. Place each open breast between two pieces of plastic wrap, wax paper or inside a large, open, Ziploc bag and lightly pound out each breast into even thickness.
3. Mix all remaining ingredients except fresh cilantro and limes.
4. Add chicken and marinade to a large bowl or Ziploc bag and chill in the refrigerator for up to two hours.
5. When ready to cook, pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a rolling boil.  Boil continuously for at least 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. In a heavy skillet or grill pan, heat a splash of oil over high heat.  Cook the chicken in batches to prevent crowding the pan.
7. Cook the chicken for a couple minutes on each side, until golden.
8. Keep cooked chicken on a plate in a warm oven or under foil while cooking the remaining chicken.
9. Sprinkle with fresh lime juice and cilantro. Serve with sauce.

Average Fork Rating:  3.8
Mrs. Diner:  4.5
Amazing Diner:  3.5
Sweet Diner:  3
Little Diner:  4