Who could say no to juicy chicken cooked in aromatic coconut sauce? This coconut caramel chicken is the perfect easy dinner served with steamed rice.
Ingredients needed
Full recipe + amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken thighs. Boneless + skinless.
- Garlic.
- Ginger.
- Coconut cream. Coconut milk can also be used.
- Soy sauce. Tamari or Coconut aminos an be substituted.
- Fish sauce.
- Brown sugar.
- Rice vinegar / Lemon or lime juice.
- Red chilli.
How to make coconut caramel chicken
- Cook the chicken: Cube boneless chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Season generously with salt then cook in a hot pan until golden brown on all sides. The chicken doesn’t have to be fully cooked at this stage. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Make the sauce: In the same pan, cook the garlic, ginger and red chilli (if using) for a minute then pour in the coconut cream and sugar. Bring to a simmer then add the soy sauce, fish sauce and rice vinegar. Lemon or lime juice can be substituted. Allow the sauce to simmer and reduce slightly then add the chicken and any of its resting juices back in. Cook for 7-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Serve: Serve the chicken and sauce over rice or noodles. Garnish with sliced spring onions, fresh cilantro/coriander and finely diced chillies.
Better-than-takeout recipes
Easy coconut caramel chicken
Who could say no to juicy chicken cooked in aromatic coconut sauce? This coconut caramel chicken is the perfect easy dinner served with steamed rice.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 379kcal
Ingredients
- 500 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs cubed
- 1 tsp salt
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 tsp garlic crushed
- 2 tsp ginger crushed
- 1-2 tsp red chillies finely chopped (to taste)
- 400 g (14oz) coconut cream / coconut milk
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup soy sauce (Tamari / Coconut Aminos can be substituted)
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar / lemon juice
To serve
- Rice / noodles
- fresh cilantro / coriander
- sliced spring / green onion
- finely chopped chillies
Instructions
- Cube the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Season generously with salt.
- Cook the chicken in a hot pan until golden brown on all sides. The chicken doesn't have to be fully cooked at this stage. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan you cooked the chicken in, add a splash of oil then cook the the garlic, ginger and red chilli (if using) for a minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the coconut cream and sugar. Bring to a simmer then add the soy sauce, fish sauce and rice vinegar.
- Allow the sauce to simmer and reduce slightly then add the chicken and any of its resting juices back in.
- Cook for 7-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Serve the chicken and sauce over rice or noodles. Garnish with sliced spring onions, fresh cilantro/coriander and finely diced chillies.
Nutrition
Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 2097mg | Potassium: 372mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg
Hi I made this for my brother in law as a birthday present.He is a real foodie,but because of Covid can’t find out or go on his usual winter getaway.He said it was as good as he had in Cambodia! I included a poem,translated from Vietnamese,about sisters and family.Thank you so much; he had a lovely birthday!
That’s so lovely, thanks Christine.
I believe in the 80/20 rule. you know, where 80 of all reward comes from 20 of the effort? Well, I believe your blog is that 20. I’ve added you to the list of sites that I frequent. Thank you for the in depth and detailed blog posts. Not many people are willing to do that anymore.
What an amazing comment. Thanks so much Brian! That means the world to me.