Coconut Lime Chicken

 

I love dishes so wonderful you feel like your taste buds won the lottery.  But, stickler that I am, the dishes also have to be healthy and make my ever so humble guests hold up their plates and whine, “Please, sir.  May I have some more?” But unlike the hardhearted characters of Oliver!, I happily fill their greedy gullets and put another spot of wine in their glasses.  

 

With this recipe, your guests will be beggin’ you for an autograph!

 

I’m telling you, lads and lassies, if you pass up this dish, you’ve passed up a mortal’s taste of heaven!  Best of all, puttin’ the sauce together is a snap and can be done a day ahead, covered and stored in the frig.

 

Now stop hesitating and let’s get on with it!

 

Coconut Lime Chicken

 

1 cup whole fat coconut milk

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup white wine (for deglazing the pan)

Zest and juice from one lime

1 cup red onion, diced

3 tablespoons of pickled jalapenos, diced

½ teaspoon grated ginger (I used fresh ginger, of course)

1-2 teaspoons of corn starch or rice flour (I used rice flour)

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

chopped fresh cilantro or chimichurri (see recipe below) 

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Getting’ It Together

Blend all ingredients except chicken, wine, and cilantro.

 

Heat a slosh of olive oil in a pan and lightly brown both sides of the chicken thighs. Put them aside. Pour off any excess oil.

 

Note:  Don’t worry that the chicken is not fully cooked. It will be chopped, added to the sauce and cooked until it is done. Leaving it undercooked means more juices will flavor the sauce.

 

Now splash in a cup of white wine to deglaze the pan, and add the brown bits to the sauce.

 

Put the sauce in a large pan and cook until thickened, less than five minutes.

 

Cut the thighs into bite-sized pieces and add to the sauce. 

 

Cook until the chicken is done.

 

Sprinkle cilantro, or chimichurri on top and serve over rice or butternut squash squares, or sweet potatoes.  I served on halves of baked sweet potato.

 

Chimichurri Recipe  (This recipe is good place to start, but I make it differently every time I make it!)

 

1cup diced sweet onion

 

 3 garlic cloves thin sliced

 

½ cup seasoned rice vinegar

 

2-3 packed cups cilantro

 

a few slices of pickled jalapeños to taste

 

Salt to taste

 

Put everything in a blender and blend to the desired consistency.  Add a bit more vinegar if needed.

I served the Coconut Lime Chicken with a side of fresh Brussel sprouts, tossed with some shreds of carrots and cherry tomatoes, cooked altogether in chicken broth.

Now wasn’t that delicious and deliciously easy?  Didn’t your guests sing your praises?  Aren’t you glad you didn’t spend another hundred bucks in a restaurant tonight?

 

Well, I’m always happy to help. Kompai! Cheers! Cin-cin! Prost!

 

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