One-Skillet Thai Coconut-Lime Chicken

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Seared chicken thighs simmered in a glossy coconut milk pan sauce built on red curry paste, fish sauce, brown sugar and a hard squeeze of lime, then finished with a fistful of torn basil. It comes together in one skillet in about 35 minutes and tastes like the $20 version you'd order out — spoon it over jasmine rice so nothing goes to waste.

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (6-8 thighs)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp neutral oil, such as canola or avocado

• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste (Maesri or Mae Ploy; use 2 tbsp if using Thai Kitchen)
• 1 14 oz can full-fat coconut milk (Chaokoh or Aroy-D), unshaken
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 1/2 limes)
• 1 cup Thai basil or Italian basil leaves, lightly packed

• 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1 cup snap peas or green beans, trimmed (optional)
• 1 red Fresno chile or jalapeño, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Rinse the jasmine rice in a few changes of cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Combine with 2 1/4 cups water and a pinch of salt in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then cover and cook over the lowest heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it steam, covered, for 10 minutes while you cook the chicken.
2. Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels and season all over with the salt and pepper. Dry chicken is the difference between a sear and a steam.
3. Heat the oil in a 12-inch stainless or cast-iron skillet over medium-high until it shimmers, about 2 minutes. Add the thighs smooth-side down in a single layer, working in two batches if needed, and sear undisturbed for 5 to 6 minutes until deeply golden. Flip and sear 3 minutes more, then transfer to a plate. The chicken will not be fully cooked yet.
4. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat. Lower the heat to medium, add the shallot, garlic and ginger, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and just softened, scraping up the browned bits.
5. Open the can of coconut milk without shaking it and scoop the thick cream off the top into the skillet. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes — the paste will darken slightly and orange oil will separate out. This step is what makes the sauce taste cooked rather than raw.
6. Stir in the remaining coconut milk, the chicken broth, fish sauce, brown sugar and lime zest. Bring to a gentle simmer.
7. Return the chicken and any resting juices to the skillet, nestling the thighs into the sauce. Simmer uncovered over medium-low, turning the chicken once, for 12 to 15 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by about a quarter and the chicken registers 175°F at the thickest point.
8. If using snap peas or green beans, add them for the last 4 minutes of simmering so they stay crisp.
9. Turn off the heat. Stir in the lime juice, then tear in the basil leaves and fold just until wilted, about 30 seconds. Taste the sauce: it should hit salty, sweet, sour and rich all at once. Add more fish sauce for depth, lime for lift, or a pinch of sugar to round out the heat.
10. Fluff the rice and divide among four bowls. Spoon over the chicken with plenty of sauce and top with sliced chile and a few reserved basil leaves. Serve with lime wedges.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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