This Skillet Coconut Chicken and Rice is the perfect easy cast iron skillet dinner! It’s got juicy chicken thighs, fragrant rice, and fresh herbs. A one-pan meal the whole family will love!
Do you love a good cast iron skillet meal?
The cast iron skillet is a tool I use over and over again in my kitchen. Many of my favorite recipes and meals are prepared using my cast iron skillets. I actually own five of them. I use a small one for toasting nuts, a slightly larger size that I use to cook eggs, a regular size skillet for dinners, an extra large size that is used only for desserts and sweets, and a flat skillet that is great for toasting sandwiches.
One reason I love these pans so much is that they are virtually indestructible when cared for properly. A cast iron skillet that has been seasoned and maintained cooks beautifully. These pans distribute heat evenly and I swear that food prepared in them just tastes…better. I am a huge fan of one-pan meals (because who likes washing huge stacks of dishes?). The cast iron skillet is PERFECT for one-pan dishes like this Skillet Coconut Chicken and Rice!
Why chicken thighs?
My favorite meals are ones that are rustic, healthy, and hearty. One of the best ingredients to create this type of meal is chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are juicy, flavorful, meaty, and less expensive than chicken breasts making them an economical choice for families!
Marinating the chicken thighs in spices for 30 minutes or so helps to tenderize the meat and infuse them with flavor before cooking.
- Simply place 1 – 1/2 pounds (4-5 pieces) of boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a bowl.
- In a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, the juice of 1 lime (3-4 tablespoons), 2 teaspoons curry powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes, and 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper. Stir until completely combined.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken thighs and toss until completely coated.
- Place the bowl in the fridge and allow the chicken to marinade for 30 minutes before cooking.
- While the chicken is marinating, mince 4 cloves of garlic and 1 onion.
Sauté The Coconut Chicken
After the chicken has marinated for a bit, it’s time to sauté it using the cast iron skillet. Searing the chicken will lock in the juices and make it nice and flavorful.
- Heat an 8-10 inch cast iron skillet to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.
- Once the oil is melted and the skillet is hot, place the chicken thighs in there and sauté for 5 minutes on the first side.
- Turn the chicken thighs over and sauté for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and place it on a plate (the chicken is not fully cooked at this point). Be sure to keep the oil and fat from the chicken in the pan as this provides great flavor!
- Once the chicken is removed from the pan add the minced garlic and onions. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
- Pour 1 cup of rice (long-grain white rice works great) into the skillet and toast for 1-2 minutes with the garlic and onions, stirring often.
Now everything starts to come together and the skillet coconut chicken takes shape!
- Pour 2 1/2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth into the skillet along with a heaping 1/2 cup of coconut milk. Stir the liquids into the rice and bring to a low boil.
- Return the chicken to the skillet along with 1 cup of frozen peas.
- Stir everything around until all of the rice is submerged in the liquids. Cover and cook on a low boil (medium-low) for 25 minutes or so.
It’s important that the chicken and rice cook on a low boil to ensure that everything cooks through, but that the dish doesn’t burn. The rice may stick to the bottom of the pan a bit, but this actually provides a great flavor and a little crispy texture to the dish.
By 25-30 minutes the rice should be plump and tender, the liquids should be absorbed, and the chicken fully cooked through (feel free to cut into a piece just to make sure)!
How will you top your chicken and rice?
Of course, this coconut chicken is delicious as-is, but a few garnishes will take it over the top!
Grate the zest of 1 lime over the top using a microplane or small zester. Then cut the lime into wedges and squeeze over the dish.
Top the whole thing with a handful of chopped cilantro to make it nice and fresh.
Dinner doesn’t get any better than this! A hearty meal that the whole family can enjoy and no mountain of dishes to tackle at the end of it!
Ingredients
- 1-1 1/2 lbs (4-5 pieces) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3-4 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp red chili flakes
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 onion
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup frozen peas
- zest of 1 lime
- 1 cup cilantro
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in a bowl.
- In a small bowl combine the olive oil, lime juice, curry powder, garam masala, garlic powder, brown sugar, red chili flakes, salt and pepper. Stir until completely combined.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken thighs. Toss to coat.
- Place the chicken thighs in the fridge for 30 minutes to marinate.
- Mince 4 cloves of garlic and 1 onion.
- Heat an 8-10 inch cast iron skillet to medium. Add 1 tbsp of coconut oil.
- Place the chicken thighs in the heated skillet and sauté for 5 minutes. Flip and sauté for another 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside (the chicken is not fully cooked at this point).
- Add the minced garlic and onions to the skillet and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
- Add 1 cup of rice to the skillet and sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the chicken broth and coconut milk to the rice and stir until completely combined.
- Return the chicken to the skillet along with 1 cup of frozen peas.
- Bring to a low boil, cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes. At the end of the cooking time the rice should be plump and tender, the liquids absorbed, and the chicken fully cooked.
- Zest 1 lime over the dish and then cut lime into wedges. Squeeze lime over the top before serving.
- Chop 1 cup of cilantro and sprinkle over the top before serving.
Notes
Home Chef Tip: Make sure that the chicken and rice cook on a low boil to ensure that all of the ingredients cook evenly, but the dish doesn't burn.
We hope you enjoy this Skillet Coconut Chicken and Rice from SoFabFood Home Chef, Christine from The Rustic Foodie, as much as we do. If you love this budget-friendly comfort food, you can find more like it by visiting our Chicken Section. For daily recipe inspiration, subscribe to our newsletter, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!
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