Name: Easy Coconut-Lime Grilled Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (175g); 2 1/2 tablespoons Squid brand Thai fish sauce (or sub other premium brand) (37g); 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (2g); 1 teaspoon coriander powder (4g); 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon curry powder (any curry powder works) (1g); 1 tablespoon honey (15g) (sub brown sugar); 2-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced; 1 garlic clove, minced; 2 lemongrass stalks, smashed and finely chopped (light part only); 1 scallion, diced (green part only); 1/2 to 1 whole chili, sliced (seeds removed for less spicy option); zest of one lime; 4 fresh cilantro sprigs, finely minced (optional, but recommended); 1 small or medium white onion, halved (for grilling with chicken); salt to taste (if needed); 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (750 to 1kg); coconut oil for cooking (sub other vegetable oil)

Jump to Recipe

This is such an easy chicken dinner recipe to make as long as you plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time for it to marinate. All of our favorite Thai flavors of lemongrass, coconut, and lime zest infuse and perfume tender chicken thighs that are grilled until just charred and juicy. But you can just as easily pan-sear this coconut chicken in a regular skillet. This chicken practically makes itself. All you have to do is mix up a quick marinade, allow the flavors all time to meld together, and then grill the chicken for 12 to 15 minutes and dinner is done. Add coconut-lime rice or a salad and you're all set for a healthy, wholesome dinner any night of the week.

coconut rice just cooked and not yet stirred with lime leaves, shallots, and bright red sliced peppers

coconut lime chicken grilled beautifully and sitting atop a bed of fragrant coconut rice

How to Grill Marinated Chicken -- a Few Handy Tips

Grilling chicken on an outdoor barbecue grill, or indoor grill pan is really easy. Use the below tips and techniques to help get juicy tender chicken every time.

Use a well-seasoned cast-iron grill pan or another heavy-gauged grill pan. A heavy-bottomed pan with good even heat distribution helps evenly and quickly cook chicken and get good grill marks on the meat. Be sure to brush oil on the pan or barbecue grill before adding the chicken so it doesn't stick.
Pat dry marinated chicken before grilling them. After the chicken has marinated, let it come up to almost room temperature before cooking, and be sure to remove any excess marinade so that it doesn't burn up on the grill and cause unwanted flames and smoke that can give the chicken a bad flavor.
Get the grill pan smoking hot. Allow the pan to get smoking hot, then brush a little oil all over it, and add the chicken directly to the grill pan or barbecue grill.
Don't move the chicken after it hits the grill pan/bbq grill. Once you place the chicken onto the grill pan (or BBQ grill) don't move the pieces around. Let them have constant contact with the griddle so they get good char marks and the meat has time to cook enough to naturally release when it's time to flip them. All meat will release by itself after it's cooked long enough on one side at the appropriate temperature. Oftentimes people try to flip it before it's had time to cook, firm up and release naturally and this is when you leave shreds of meat on the grate or griddle and lose the nice char or grill marks.
Use a timer for a little extra help. Setting a timer as soon as your chicken hits the grill pan or barbecue really helps you keep track of how long they need to cook. It's an easy way to not have to think as much about when the chicken is going to need to be flipped or be finished cooking. Chicken thighs typically take anywhere from 7 to 10 minutes per side (a total of 14 to 20 minutes total) to cook depending on their size and thickness. To be sure they're cooked through, you may use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest piece and when it registers 165°F/74°C they are fully cooked. Check the chicken periodically to make sure the flame or temperature of the pan is adjusted properly. Setting a timer isn't foolproof, but it really does help especially if you don't own a meat thermometer.

grilled coconut lemongrass lime chicken ingredients displayed on a cutting board

Coconut Grilled Chicken Ingredients

To get the most out of this recipe, you'll need to plan ahead and marinate the chicken for at least 24 hours (and up to 48 hours) ahead of time, but the actual work involved in the preparation and cooking totals just about 25 minutes making this a really easy way to get a healthy dinner on the table. When you get the marinade all whisked together, don't be afraid to adjust the seasonings and spices to fit your preferences. If you want less or more curry or coriander powder, honey, or fish sauce for instance, use it. Just be sure to adjust the seasonings before you add the raw chicken.

For the Marinade

1 cup full-fat coconut milk (175g)
2 ½ tablespoons Squid brand Thai fish sauce (or sub other premium brand) (37g)
½ teaspoon turmeric powder (2g)
1 teaspoon coriander powder (4g)
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon curry powder (any curry powder works) (1g)
1 tablespoon honey (15g) (sub brown sugar)
2-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 lemongrass stalks, smashed and finely chopped (light part only)
1 scallion, diced (green part only)
½ to 1 whole chili, sliced (seeds removed for less spicy option)
zest of one lime
4 fresh cilantro sprigs, finely minced (optional, but recommended)
1 small or medium white onion, halved (for grilling with chicken)
salt to taste (if needed)

For the Chicken

1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (750 to 1kg)
coconut oil for cooking (sub other vegetable oil)

a mix of curry powder, turmeric, and cumin powder added to a mixing bowl

a mix of curry powder, turmeric, and cumin powder added to a mixing bowl and stirred well to combine

cocconut lime seasonings in a bowl with honey added

a large mixing bowl with coconut lime lemongrass marinade covering two large boneless chicken thighs and a halved onion after being refrigerated overnight

grilling one large boneless chicken thigh with two onion halves (flat side down) on a grill pan

How to Make Thai-Style Coconut Lime Lemongrass Grilled Chicken

This is an extra delicious way to prepare chicken thighs, and if you want less char than you see in the photos, simply preheat your pan/skillet to medium-high heat instead of high heat. And when you add the chicken reduce the heat to medium to finish cooking. Also, if you're opting to use chicken breast, go for it. Just be sure to not overcook them so they stay nice and juicy. You may even want to slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally before marinating them so that they cook more quickly and retain more moisture.

Marinate the meat. Add all of the marinade ingredients to a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine, taste, and adjust seasonings if needed. Add the chicken, cover, and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 24 hours (and up to 48 hours if desired). *You may place it into the freezer at this point and defrost and grill at a later date.
Clean and pat dry the chicken. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat it completely dry. If you don't remove all of the marinade, it can burn up while cooking before the chicken is cooked through (because of the honey in the marinade). There will be plenty of flavor in the chicken though so don't worry.
Grill or Pan-sear the chicken. Heat a cast-iron grill pan or skillet over high heat (or prepare an outdoor BBQ grill). Brush the pan with oil and when it just starts to smoke, add the chicken and onion halves in a single layer, reduce the heat to medium, and do not move the chicken until the bottoms turn golden brown (after approximately 6 to 7 minutes of cooking). Flip the chicken and onions over, and continue cooking for about 7 to 10 more minutes, or until golden brown with slightly crispy edges and cooked through (and thermometer registers 165°F/74°C). Remove chicken to a platter and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing or serving Enjoy!

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What to Serve with Thai-Style Coconut Lime Lemongrass Grilled Chicken

We like to serve coconut lime chicken with simple steamed rice (or fragrant coconut-lime rice which we'll be posting the recipe for soon), but It works equally well with a cucumber tomato salad or your favorite mixed greens. Pan-seared vegetables or pork and glass noodle spring rolls are always a good idea too -- here of our favorites to get you started.