Coconut Lime Chicken

This super speedy recipe for coconut lime chicken is packed with tropical flavors for a kicked up version of your chicken dinner!

Well, this is a winner, winner, chicken dinner if ever there was one!

It’s amazing what some coconut milk and a cheery lime can do to dramatically transform a plain piece of pan-fried chicken into a tropical feast…all in about 20 minutes!

What is coconut milk?

Even though it looks like a glass of regular old milk, coconut milk is made by pureeing up the insides of a coconut, adding water and then straining it so that it is nice and smooth.

It has a mild coconut flavor (which is why we also add coconut flakes to this recipe) and makes a fabulous, slightly creamy sauce.

Now, you are also going to find “light” coconut milk next to the regular coconut milk (which is usually in the International Foods aisle of your supermarket) which is regular coconut milk with more water. I like to go for the regular kind, which has a whole lot less unpronounceable things on the label.

We are going to sear our lovely chicken breasts in a teeny bit of olive oil for a couple of moments on each side, and then we are going to let it finish in a simmering bath of coconut milk.

When the chicken is done cooking, you are going to add one lime’s worth of lime juice, and can we just discuss this citrus juicer for a sec?

You have probably spotted this baby behind the bar at your favorite watering hole, and that is because this is the 100% best way to squoosh the juice out of lemons and limes without the seeds getting in the way.

It was the very first kitchen item I had to buy for the Southern daughter when we landed down here in the Carolinas, because AMAZINGLY she didn’t have one. Sigh.

Anyway, at this point you are finished with your lovely coconut lime chicken, unless you want to thicken up the sauce a little bit, and here is when we need to talk about the wonder that is Wondra flour.

What is the different between Wondra flour and regular flour?

Wondra is what they call “instant flour,” which is flour that has been ground super duper finely and then cooked and dried.

For you and me, that translates to a powdery light flour that is guaranteed to melt into any sauce you want to thicken up a little. It is magical, and my pantry is never, ever without it.

So if you want a thicker sauce, simply whisk in a couple tablespoons of Wondra, let it all simmer for 5 more minutes and there you are!

Oh, and pro tip for you Whole 30-ers out there: if you leave out the flour part this recipe is totally compliant!

We like to serve this up with some sesame lime rice underneath the chicken and some kind of veggie on the side – roasted asparagus, sautéed carrots or spinach would be perfect.

Like I said…winner winner, glorious tropical flavored chicken dinner!

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Looking for more easy skillet chicken dinners? Give these a try!

Chicken in Buttered White Wine Pan Sauce

Easy Creamy Chicken Piccata

Chicken with Bacon Mustard Sauce