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This easy One-Skillet Coconut Lime Chicken with Rice and Vegetables is a complete meal requiring just around 45 minutes of total time. Ideal for those who love Thai food, this healthy dinner recipe brings fresh, tangy, savory flavors that are customary to Thai cuisine.
Imagine your protein, veggies, and carbs get cooked up in the dreamiest sauce for a flavorful wholesome balanced dinner that will keep you coming back for seconds…or thirds.
That’s what we’re getting into with this easy one-pot meal!
Tender chicken thighs, fresh veggies, and rice get swaddled in an aromatic creamy coconut milk sauce that’s infused with an array of citrusy ginger and garlic flavors. The end result is so tasty that you’ll want to put this easy recipe on repeat!
If you made my One-Skillet Ground Turkey Thai Curry, you’re already familiar with the concept here.
One skillet or pot does all of the heavy lifting, and the perfect budget-friendly meal is what results.
The way I see it, this easy coconut lime chicken recipe is perfect for meal prep, as it makes 4-5 servings, requires relatively little time, and turns out with incredible flavor!
The best part is the simple ingredients can be found at any grocery store, and there are plenty of options to customize the inputs.
Ingredient Notes:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: Chicken brings a boost of protein to the meal, which makes it extra hearty and filling. I like using boneless chicken thighs instead of boneless skinless chicken breasts because they remain tender throughout the cooking process.
No one needs to worry about the chicken staying tender when thighs are involved, but breasts have a tendency to dry out when overcooked.
Long Grain White Rice: Basmati rice or jasmine rice work great! This is our carbohydrate source for a balance of protein, fats and carbs. Note that you can adjust the amount of chicken and the amount of rice according to your macronutrient needs.
While brown rice works too, it requires much more cooking time. Just keep that in mind before proceeding with brown rice.
Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk: Brings creaminess and richness to the meal. Be sure to use full fat coconut milk from a can, not light coconut milk or coconut milk from a carton. It is what brings the silky texture to the sauce and the subtle coconut flavor. Canned coconut cream works too.
Chicken Broth: Because uncooked rice is being cooked into the meal, liquid in addition to coconut milk is required. I like using chicken bone broth for added nutrients, but any kind of chicken stock works.
Fresh Limes: Fresh lime zest and lime juice are responsible for a big punch of citrusy tang, which provides a lovely sour counterbalance to the otherwise rich recipe. You can adjust the amount of each to your personal taste.
Aromatics: Yellow onion, garlic, and fresh ginger provide a big backdrop of flavor to bring this savory meal to life. You can adjust the amount of all three. I like going heavy on all three.
Fresh Vegetables: I use red bell pepper, carrots, and zucchini. Pick any fresh vegetables that you love! Cauliflower, bok choy, green beans, snap peas, and broccoli are all great options.
Fish Sauce: Adds salty umami flavor to provide a classic Thai-inspired flavor. Replace it with soy sauce if you prefer.
Sea Salt: Add salt to your personal taste.
Avocado Oil: Used to sauté the vegetables. Olive oil works too.
Recipe Customizations:
- Swap out the chicken for your preferred protein.
- Mix up the vegetable selection.
- For extra flavor, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of red curry paste, green curry paste, or yellow curry powder.
- Finish off the meal with some chopped Thai basil leaves or fresh cilantro if you enjoy fresh herbs.
- Spice up the coconut lime sauce by adding red pepper flakes or a chopped thai chili or serrano.
- If you enjoy a touch of sweetness in your coconut milk sauces, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of brown sugar or pure maple syrup.
- For a low-carb option, swap out the white rice for 3-4 cups of cauliflower rice. Reduce the amount of broth to 1/2 cup. Cook for 10-15 minutes total with all of the vegetables already added in.
How to Make One-Skillet Coconut Lime Chicken with Rice:
Soak the uncooked white rice in a couple of inches of water for 15 minutes. While you are doing so, prepare the rest of the recipe. Once the rice has finished soaking, drain all of the water.
Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet with a deep lip over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion, stirring occasionally, until it has softened and has begun to turn golden brown, about 5 to 8 minutes.
If the onion starts darkening too quickly at any point, turn the heat down to medium heat.
Add the garlic and fresh ginger to the skillet and continue sauteeing for a minute or two, until the garlic is fragrant.
Transfer the chopped chicken thighs to the skillet and stir everything around well. Allow the chicken to brown for 2-3 minutes.
Scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon before pouring in the drained white rice, coconut milk, and broth.
Add in the lime zest, lime juice, fish sauce, ground turmeric, chopped red bell pepper and carrots (the remaining ingredients except for the chopped zucchini). Stir everything well and bring the mixture to a full boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and cook for 15 minutes at a gentle simmer.
Stir in the chopped zucchini and salt and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the zucchini reaches your desired level of doneness.
Note: I remove the skillet from the heat at this point and allow the residual heat to cook the zucchini so that it stays snappy.
Taste the coconut lime chicken and rice for flavor and add more sea salt, lime zest, or lime juice to your personal taste. In addition to the lime that is inside the recipe, I like serving the meal with fresh lime wedges so that people can self-administer the lime flavor.
Serve in big bowls, with chopped green onions (and/or fresh cilantro or basil) and enjoy!
Storage Options:
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: Transfer leftovers to a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe Tips
- To save prep time, chop the vegetables and chicken while the onion is sauteeing. Similarly, prepare most of the recipe while the rice is soaking.
- If using brown rice, add another ½ cup of chicken broth, and cook for 25 minutes before adding the vegetables. Then, allow the veggies (and the rest of the meal) to cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the vegetables reach your desired level of doneness and the rice is fully cooked.
The next time you’re in the mood for Thai takeout, consider whipping up this dreamy little number! This creamy coconut lime chicken boasts restaurant-quality flavor, keeping your weeknight meals fun and unique.
If you love one-skillet meals or one-pot meals as much as I do, try out some of my other favorites.
More One-Pot Meals:
- Jambalaya
- One-Pot Indian Chicken Biryani
- Sweet Potato Sloppy Joes
- One-Pot Mediterranean Chicken and Rice
- Marry Me Chickpeas
Coconut Lime Chicken with Rice and Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 cup white rice, soaked
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 to 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 (15-oz) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 ¼ cups chicken broth
- 2 limes, zested, to taste
- 3 Tbsp lime juice, to taste
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce, optional
- ¼ to ½ tsp ground turmeric, optional
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 medium-sized zucchini squash, chopped
- 1 tsp sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Soak the uncooked white rice in a couple of inches of water for 15 minutes. While you are doing so, prepare the rest of the recipe. Once the rice has finished soaking, drain all of the water.
- Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet with a deep lip over medium-high heat. Saute the onion, stirring occasionally, until it has softened and has begun to turn golden brown, about 5 to 8 minutes. If the onion starts darkening too quickly at any point, turn the heat down to medium heat.
- Add the garlic and fresh ginger to the skillet and continue sauteeing for a minute or two, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Transfer the chopped chicken thighs to the skillet and stir everything around well. Allow the chicken to brown for 2-3 minutes.
- Scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon before pouring in the drained white rice, coconut milk, and broth. Add in the lime zest, lime juice, fish sauce, ground turmeric, chopped red bell pepper and carrots (the remaining ingredients except for the chopped zucchini). Stir everything well and bring the mixture to a full boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and cook for 15 minutes at a gentle simmer.
- Stir in the chopped zucchini and salt and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the zucchini reaches your desired level of doneness. Note: I remove the skillet from the heat at this point and allow the residual heat to cook the zucchini so that it stays snappy.
- Taste the coconut lime chicken and rice for flavor and add more sea salt, lime zest, or lime juice to your personal taste. In addition to the lime that is inside the recipe, I like serving the meal with fresh lime wedges so that people can self-administer the lime flavor. Serve in big bowls, with chopped green onions (and/or fresh cilantro or basil) and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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