Thai Coconut Lime Chicken

Name: Thai Coconut Lime Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp avocado oil (or oil of choice); 1 cup red onion (about half an onion); 3 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes (about 1.5 lbs); 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced ((omit for AIP)); 4-6 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated; 1/2 tsp sea salt; 1 13.5 oz can of coconut cream; 1 tbsp coconut aminos; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 1/2 tbsp lime juice; 1 tsp lime zest; 1/4 cup chicken bone broth or stock; 1 tbsp tapioca starch ((or arrowroot starch, cornstarch for non Paleo)); 2 tbsp fresh cilantro , chopped; 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped ((or Thai basil if you have it)); chili flakes ((optional-to taste, omit for AIP)); lime wedges for serving; serve with cauliflower rice ((or white rice for non-Paleo/AIP))

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If you're craving Thai food this Thai coconut lime chicken recipe will hit the spot. It's a comforting dish full of rich Thai flavors and made with tender pieces of chicken, a delicious sauce, red peppers, and zesty lime. It's the perfect dish for a quick weeknight meal. It comes together in about 30 minutes and it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, and AIP-compliant (with a couple of small tweaks).

If you like this recipe may also like my Thai Glass Noodle Soup, Creamy Shrimp Vegetable Skillet, Moroccan Chicken Stew, Easy Lemon Chicken Piccata, Chicken Florentine, and Cauliflower Chicken Fried Rice with Basil.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This is a very versatile recipe and substitutions are relatively flexible.

It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, Paleo and AIP (with a couple of small tweaks).
It’s fast- ready in 30 minutes.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Avocado Oil- I like avocado oil because it has a high smoke point. Coconut oil is a good choice too. However, use whatever oil you have and what works best for you.

Red Onion- I think red onions work best for this recipe but you can also use yellow or white onions.
Boneless Skinless Chicken Beasts- You'll need about 3 medium or 2 large chicken breasts. Boneless skinless chicken thighs would work too. Try to go with organic and/or pasture-raised when possible.
Red Bell Pepper- These are completely optional (omit for AIP). I don’t think these are typically included in Thai coconut lime chicken dishes but I added them because they add a beautiful color pop without the spice of red chili peppers and they add a ton of flavor. Include them if you can because they are wonderful in this dish.

Garlic Cloves- Use fresh if possible. You can use garlic powder if you must. You’ll need about ½ tsp garlic powder in place of ~4 cloves. Use a little more if you feel the need. Taste as you go.
Fresh Ginger- Again, you could use dried ginger in a pinch but try to use fresh if possible. It makes a huge impact on the overall flavor of the dish. If using dried use ¼ tsp in place of the 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
Sea Salt- Really any salt will work for this.

Coconut Cream- I prefer coconut cream to coconut milk for this just because it’s thicker and creamier. Let’s Do Organic is one brand of AIP complaint coconut cream (no guar gum). Trader Joe’s also has a compliant product. That being said, full fat coconut milk works fine too. If using full-fat coconut milk, you can also just use the thick stuff at the top of the can (the coconut cream) and discard the thin liquid that’s in the bottom. If you choose to not skim the thick stuff off the top of the can, you may want to use a little bit more tapioca starch (or thickener of choice) to thicken the sauce a bit.
Coconut Aminos- Try to use coconut aminos if you can because they taste awesome and they’re Paleo/AIP friendly. However, you can sub in soy sauce if needed. Since soy sauce is saltier than coconut aminos, I’d suggest using about ½-3/4 tbsp soy sauce and taste as you go.
Fish Sauce- If you don’t have fish sauce or don't like it, you could add a little more salt or soy sauce to taste.

Fresh Lime Juice- Try to use fresh. The stuff out of a bottle or plastic shaped lime is not the same. You can play around with how much lime juice you want and some people like more than others.
Lime Zest- You’ll need the zest from about 1 lime. Just use a grater or zester to grate the lime peel. Don’t skip this part! The zest adds so much flavor.
Chicken Bone Broth or Chicken Stock- This is mixed with the tapioca starch to make a slurry which will thicken the sauce. If you don’t have broth, you can just use a little water. Use a little less than ¼ cup to minimize diluting the flavor of the sauce. You really just need enough to mix with the 1 tbsp of tapioca starch, so maybe 2-3 tbsp of water. Bonafide Provisions has an AIP compliant bone broth. Trader Joe’s also sells compliant broth.

Tapioca Starch - Arrowroot starch is a good alternative in equal amounts if you’re Paleo/AIP. If not Paleo/AIP, cornstarch is fine. Generally you’ll need about half the amount of cornstarch compared to tapioca starch.
Fresh Cilantro- Add this along with the basil to the finished dish. If you’re not a cilantro fan, then skip it or maybe try fresh mint.
Fresh Basil- Ideally you would use Thai basil but I know it’s not always easy to find so, I regular Basil is fine too. In particular, it tastes really good in this dish when combined with cilantro.

Chili Flakes or Sliced Red Chili peppers- These are optional- add one or both for a little extra spice. (omit for AIP)
Lime Wedges- Add these to the finished dish as a garnish.
Rice- Serve with whatever rice you choose. Cauliflower rice is good for Paleo/AIP and low carb but you may prefer white rice, basmati rice, jasmine rice, brown rice, etc.

Step by Step Instructions

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 1-2 minutes until translucent.

Add the chicken pieces to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes until nearly cooked through.

Add the bell peppers, garlic, ginger, and sea salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the coconut cream, coconut aminos, fish sauce, lime zest, and lime juice. Adjust heat down to medium.

In a small bowl, mix together the broth and tapioca starch to form a slurry. Add it to the pan and mix it in. Allow to simmer 1-2 minutes more to thicken. For a thicker sauce, use a little bit of extra tapioca starch/arrowroot starch. For a thinner sauce, use a little less tapioca starch or if you've already added it, just add a bit of broth to thin the sauce.

Top with fresh basil and cilantro. Garnish with lime wedges and serve over rice or cauliflower rice (or rice of choice). Sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired.

Recipe FAQ’s

How do I store this?

This will keep in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.

Can I Make it Ahead of Time

This of course tastes best fresh but it does hold up pretty well in the fridge and reheats nicely. Alternatively, as mentioned below, you can pre-cut everything the day before to speed up the process.

Can I Freeze it?

Yes, this will freeze well for up to about 3 months- possibly longer. Use a freezer-safe container.

Tips

For best results, don’t skimp on the fresh herbs. While you can sub in garlic powder for fresh garlic, dried ginger for fresh, dried basil for fresh, etc., I don’t recommend doing that if you can help it. Fresh herbs make this dish taste light and amazing, plus the flavor is much more in-depth with fresh herbs.
Don't be afraid to add a little extra garlic, ginger, coconut aminos, basil, cilantro, etc, to fit your taste preferences. This dish has wiggle room to explore different flavor combinations.
Cut up the chicken, bell peppers, garlic, onions etc. up to a day ahead of time to throw it together even fast at dinner time.

Variations

Try this with different vegetable combinations to switch it up- bok choy, snow peas, and shiitake mushrooms are good choices. *Note, snow peas are not AIP compliant.

Conclusion

I hope you love this creamy coconut lime chicken recipe. If you tried it, leave a comment below and let me know what you thought!