One-Pan Coconut Lime Chicken and Rice

A hearty one-pan meal is the perfect solution for those days where you don’t have a ton of time to make dinner. And this One-Pan Coconut Lime Chicken and Rice is the ultimate one-pan meal! It’s made with tender, crispy chicken thighs cooked upon a bed of fragrant, creamy coconut rice and it only gets better with time- which means, it’s perfect for preparing ahead of time!

While I love developing my own recipes, there is something special about stumbling upon a recipe that someone else absolutely perfected – and that’s exactly what happened with this one! This recipe comes from my good friend, Alex’s (@thedefineddish) brand new cookbook, DINNER TONIGHT. As soon as I got my hands on the book and started flipping through the recipe, this One-Pan Coconut Lime Chicken and Rice immediately caught my eye. I made it that night, and you guys… it’s unreal! So much so, that I had to recreate it and share it with you!

This recipe is so simple and easy and is the perfect one-pan meal. First, you cook the chicken, and then, the rice toasts in the chicken juices and soaks in all of that extra flavor. I mean, is there anything better than that?! Then, add in the creamy coconut milk, hearty chicken broth, spices, and Thai chilis… it’s truly the best rice I’ve EVER had. Alex knocked it out of the park with this one. Run to your kitchen and make it ASAP, because you are absolutely going to love it!

What You Need to Make This Savory Coconut Chicken and Rice

• Chicken Thighs: There is nothing more comforting than crispy chicken thighs. Be sure to leave the skin on, as the crispy skin is part of what makes this chicken so delicious.
• Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper: A little salt and pepper goes along way to bring out this chicken’s delicious flavor!
• Lime: Both the juice and zest of one lime will be used, in this recipe.
• Avocado Oil: To cook the chicken, I like to choose a better-for-you oil such as avocado oil.
• Shallot: Shallots may be small, but they’re packed with flavor!

• Garlic: I always recommend using fresh garlic, whenever possible. The flavor is truly unbeatable!
• Ginger: Fresh ginger packs a punch to any recipe, including this one. You can use either ground or fresh ginger- both work just as well.
• Thai Chilies or Serrano Peppers: The chilis give this chicken and rice the perfect spicy kick! While I love using Thai chilis, they can be harder to find, so serrano peppers also work well.
• Jasmine Rice: While any rice works well in this recipe, I like using a longer-grain rice like jasmine rice.
• Green Onions: Since the green onions will be cooked, you can use both the greens and whites of the green onions.
• Chicken Broth: When soaked into the rice, the chicken broth adds a rich and delicious flavor.
• Full-Fat Coconut Milk: To make the rice nice and creamy, and to give it that coconut-y flavor, a can of coconut milk is an essential ingredient.
• Fish Sauce: Fish sauce adds a tangy flavor to this rice and is the perfect finishing touch!
• Cilantro: This is optional, but I love to garnish this dish with a bit of chopped cilantro!

How to Make This Cozy and Comforting Chicken and Rice

To make this chicken, start by preheating your oven to 350 F. Next, prepare the chicken. Pat it dry with a paper towel, then rub it with the sea salt, black pepper, and zest. Set the chicken aside, then heat a pan, on the stove, over medium heat, and add in the oil. Once the oil is hot, place the chicken in the pan, skin-side down, and leave it undisturbed for 6-7 minutes, until golden and crispy.

Once the chicken is done cooking, transfer it to a plate and set it aside. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and then, in the same skillet, add in the chopped shallot, garlic, ginger, and chilies, and sauté them until they’re tender – about one minute. Then, add in the rice and green onions, stirring and toasting the rice until it’s fragrant. This should take approximately 2-3 minutes.

Add in the lime juice, chicken broth, coconut milk, and fish sauce, and bring the rice to a gentle simmer. Then, add the chicken back into the pan, skin-side up, and nestle them into the rice.

Cover the skillet, transfer it to the oven, and bake it for 25 minutes. Then, remove the cover and allow it to cook for an additional 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crispy. Once it’s done, use a fork to fluff the rice, then serve and enjoy!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim

Home | Recipe | Dinner

4.70 from 10 votes

One-Pan Coconut Lime Chicken and Rice

• Dairy Free
• Gluten Free
• Nut Free
• Refined Sugar Free

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

A hearty one-pan meal is the perfect solution for those days where you don't have a ton of time to make dinner. And this One-Pan Coconut Lime Chicken and Rice is the ultimate one-pan meal! It's made with tender, crispy chicken thighs cooked upon a bed of fragrant, creamy coconut rice and it only gets better with time- which means, it's perfect for preparing ahead of time!

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Servings: 4 Servings

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Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• ▢ 1 Pound Chicken Thighs, skin on
• ▢ 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ▢ ½ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
• ▢ 1 Lime, zested
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons Avocado Oil

For the Rice:

• ▢ ½ Cup Shallot, chopped
• ▢ 3 Cloves Garlic, mashed
• ▢ 1 Inch Ginger, grated – this is also equivalent to 2 teaspoons of ground ginger
• ▢ 1-2 Thai Chilies or Serrano Peppers, thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 Cup Jasmine Rice, rinsed
• ▢ 4 Green Onions, sliced
• ▢ 1 Lime, juiced
• ▢ ½ Cup Chicken Broth
• ▢ 1 Cup Full-Fat Coconut Milk
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce
• ▢ ¼ Cup Cilantro, chopped

Instructions 

1. To make this chicken, start by preheating your oven to 350 F.
2. Next, prepare the chicken. Pat it dry with a paper towel, then rub it with the sea salt, black pepper, and zest.
3. Set the chicken aside, then heat a pan, on the stove, over medium heat, and add in the oil.
4. Once the oil is hot, place the chicken in the pan, skin-side down, and leave it undisturbed for 6-7 minutes, until golden and crispy.
5. Once the chicken is done cooking, transfer it to a plate and set it aside.
6. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and then, in the same skillet, add in the chopped shallot, garlic, ginger, and chilies, and sauté them until they're tender – about one minute.
7. Then, add in the rice and green onions, stirring and toasting the rice until it's fragrant. This should take approximately 2-3 minutes.
8. Add in the lime juice, chicken broth, coconut milk, and fish sauce, and bring the rice to a gentle simmer.
9. Then, add the chicken back into the pan, skin-side up, and nestle them into the rice.
10. Cover the skillet, transfer it to the oven, and bake it for 25 minutes.
11. Then, remove the cover and allow it to cook for an additional 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crispy.
12. Once it's done, use a fork to fluff the rice, then serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Hide Nutrition

Calories: 635kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 25gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 1148mgPotassium: 624mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 310IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 4mg