If you love Thai food, this Thai Coconut Chicken is for you! The chicken is marinated in coconut milk loaded with Thai flavours which adds flavour and richness to the chicken.
Served with a Peanut Coconut Sauce to really drive home the coconut flavour, this Thai Chicken is fantastic for the BBQ, stovetop or roasting. Serve this with a side of jasmine rice or Thai Fried Rice!
Thai Coconut Chicken
If you’re new to coconut marinades, you’re going to really love this Coconut Chicken recipe! Coconut milk is a brilliant marinade – it’s a flavour carrier, infusing the chicken with all the tasty flavours you’ve mixed into the marinade.
But not only that, it also adds richness into the chicken, which most marinades do not do. Coconut milk has a fair amount of fat in it which infuses into the chicken.
So this Thai Chicken is not only injected with terrific Thai flavours, it’s tenderised and infused with what I describe as “butteriness” from the coconut milk. It’s absolutely divine!
Thai Coconut Chicken Marinade
While this Thai Coconut Chicken may not be strictly authentic Thai, the marinade is loaded with authentic Thai ingredients that are found in classic Thai recipes, like homemade Thai Red Curry and Thai Green Curry Pastes.
- Garlic and ginger
- Chilli
- Lemongrass (fresh or convenience paste)
- Spices: coriander, turmeric, curry
- Sugar
- Fish Sauce
- Coconut milk
It also just dawned on me that the ingredients in the Thai coconut marinade is like a mash up between this incredible Southern Thai Tumeric Chicken and Gai Yang, the popular Thai grilled chicken which is a street food favourite.
Coconut Peanut Sauce for Coconut Chicken
The coconut flavour from coconut marinades is actually quite subtle, like in this western style Coconut Marinated Chicken.
So what I like to do is serve it with a Coconut Peanut Sauce, just to really drive home the coconut flavour. It’s simple to make but tastes thoroughly authentic Thai, made with just a handful of ingredients:
- Coconut milk
- Peanut butter
- Hoisin Sauce
- lime juice
- Garlic
- Chilli paste
Also, it’s quite a neat way to use up a whole can of coconut milk in this recipe – because despite good intentions, I never seem to use up leftover coconut milk!
Here are some suggestions for things to serve on the side to complete your Thai dinner menu:
- plain steamed jasmine rice, a fluffy coconut rice (trust me, it’s not coconut overload!) or make a fresh lime rice using this Lemon Rice recipe (switch lime for lemon);
- a side of Thai Fried Rice (minus the chicken, maybe add some chopped veg);
- leafy greens or a garden salad tossed with the dressing in this Thai Chicken Salad or Thai Beef Salad; or
- serve with plain slices of tomato and cucumber (pictured) -this is a very common way vegetables are added to a meal in Thailand.
And if you love Thai food, be sure to have a browse of my entire Thai food collection which includes all your Thai takeout favourites! – Nagi xx
Serve these on the side!
- Steamed Jasmine rice, Thai Fried Rice, Pineapple Fried Rice or Coconut Rice
- Crunchy Asian Slaw on the side – great all rounder Asian salad that goes with all Asian foods
- Asian Sesame Dressing for any fresh salad or steamed vegetables
- Asian Mushroom Ramen Noodles – another great all rounder!
If you love cooking with coconut milk, you’ll love these!
- Easy Coconut Curry
- An amazing easy Thai Coconut Noodle Soup
- Salmon in Coconut Lime Sauce
- Coconut Pot Roasted Chicken
- Coconut Marinated Chicken
- Thai Coconut Chicken
- Thai Green Curry and Red Curry
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Thai Coconut Chicken recipe video! IMPORTANT: The video says Cumin instead of Curry Powder, the VIDEO is WRONG! It should be curry powder. The recipe is right. Sorreee!!! 🙈
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Thai Coconut Marinated Chicken
Ingredients
Marinade (Note 1):
- 1 tsp garlic , minced
- 1 tsp ginger , minced
- 1 tsp chilli , finely chopped (or paste is fine), adjust quantity to taste (Note 2)
- 1 lemongrass (OR paste) , white part only, finely chopped(Note 3)
- 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 3/4 tsp tumeric powder
- 1/2 tsp curry powder (any is fine)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 1/2 tbsp fish sauce (sub soy)
- 3/4 cup coconut milk (full fat please!)
Chicken:
- 750 g - 1 kg / 1.5 - 2 lb chicken thigh fillets , skinless and boneless (Note 4)
- Oil for cooking
Coconut Peanut Sauce:
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 tbsp peanut butter, smooth
- 2 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1/2 tsp chilli paste or fresh chilli , adjust to taste
Garnish (optional):
- Finely chopped coriander / cilantro and more chilli , for garnish
- Lime wedges (highly recommended)
Instructions
- Mix marinade in a large bowl. Add chicken and mix. Cover with cling wrap and marinate in the fridge for 24 - 48 hours (can't skip marinating for this recipe).
- Brush BBQ with oil, or heat 1 tbsp in a skillet (I used a skillet). Use Medium heat - or Medium Low if your stove/BBQ runs hot (otherwise marinade may burn).
- Remove chicken from marinade, shaking off excess. Cook the first side for around 5 minutes or until caramelised and golden. Turn then cook the other side for 4 minutes until caramelised.
- BAKING: See Note 4.
- Transfer chicken to serving plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with coriander / chilli if desired, and serve with lime wedges and Sauce.
Sauce:
- Place ingredients in a bowl and mix a bit. Microwave for 30 seconds, then mix until smooth. Bring to room temperature or serve warm (it thickens a bit when cooled).
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Currently overseas with friends in Fiji. As usual when I’m away, Dozer is on his own holiday with the golden retriever boarder.
His second favourite person in the whole world (only after me – I think 🤔), he has much more respect for her than me. She’s also great for getting dogs in shape – it’s like a Biggest Loser Boot Camp. Not that Dozer needs to lose weight now. But when I (accidentally) made him a bit tubby when he was younger, I boarded him with her and when I got back, he was a lean, mean, fighting machine!!! Ba ha ha!!!
Hi Nagi, could the excess marinade be turned into a sauce here?
I’m about to marinate this and cook for tomorrow..Can I use ground cayenne pepper instead of chilli paste as we don’t usually cook with chilli thanks Denise
Hi Denise, just sub in 1/4 of a teaspoon 🙂 N x
Thanks Nagi x ps would love a recipe with Masaman Chicken if you have one up your sleeve 😊
Should there be salt in the marinade?
Hi Tammy – the salt comes from the fish sauce here 🙂 N x
This was amazing! My whole family loved it. I wonder if you would know the nutritional information without the sauce? I am tracking my macros and didn’t have the peanut sauce (although my husband said it was just as good as the chicken).