This coconut basil chicken brings big flavor with very little effort. Ready in 30 minutes, it’s an easy dinner that never gets boring.
I love this chicken recipe because it feels a little special without much extra work. The sauce hits that perfect balance of creamy, sweet, tangy, and spicy, which makes it very hard not to go back for seconds.
It’s one of our go-tos when we’re craving Thai-inspired food and don’t feel like ordering in. Fast enough for a weeknight, but also great when friends come over and you want something easy that still gets rave reviews.
Watch the recipe video
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO or follow along on YouTube.
More coconut dinners to try
If you love cooking with coconut milk as much as I do, there’s a lot more where this came from. Try my chicken meatballs with Thai coconut curry, Thai coconut salmon, shrimp with bright coconut sauce, or coconut curry dumpling soup.
Pro tip
You can use either full-fat or light coconut milk here. Full-fat gives you a richer, silkier sauce, while the light version keeps things low calorie but comes out a bit looser. If you go that route, add a little extra cornstarch to help it thicken.
Ingredients I like to keep on hand
This is exactly the kind of dinner I rely on when I did not make it to the store but still want something really good. Coconut milk, fish sauce, paprika, garlic powder, honey, chili crisp, and cornstarch are all easy pantry staples, so half the work is already done.
The fresh ingredients are simple too: chicken tenders, shallot, garlic, lime, and basil. I usually keep chicken in the freezer for nights like this, because once that’s covered, a fast dinner is never far off.
What to serve with it
Serve it with fluffy white rice to catch every bit of sauce. There’s enough to coat the chicken and still leave extra for spooning over the rice, which is exactly how I like it.
It also works well with quinoa or noodles if that’s what you have. Sometimes I pair it with fried rice loaded with eggs for something a little more filling. On the side, I like adding a refreshing cucumber salad or a more creamy Asian salad. For Thai-inspired greens, you can also use the dressing from this salad.
How to store leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Coconut Basil Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1.1 pounds chicken tenders - or chicken fillets cut into strips
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 4 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 shallot - diced
- 1 tsp chili crisp - more to taste
- 1 can (14 oz/400 ml) unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 tbsp fish sauce - or low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp water
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp honey
- ½ lime - juiced
- 1 cup basil leaves - or ½ cup Thai basil
Instructions
- Get your prep done: Dice the shallot and mince the garlic. Season the chicken tenders with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and turmeric.
- In a cup, whisk together the fish sauce, water, cornstarch, and honey until smooth.
- Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken tenders in a single layer and sear for 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a clean plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the shallot and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the chili crisp, coconut milk, and the fish sauce mixture. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, then bring to a gentle boil.
- Stir in the basil and lime juice. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 3 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve over rice. Enjoy!
Video
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