This Thai Chicken with Coconut Cream are what dreams are made of! It’s ultra creamy, packed full of flavour in every single bite and perfect for those busy weeknights (it’s so simple to make!)
If you’re looking for an easy chicken dinner that the whole family will love (and literally lick off of their plates) then this one is THE winner. It’s made with coconut cream and Thai flavours that will seriously take your tastebuds on an unforgettable ride. Or shall we say trip without having to get on an airplane! You can use this sauce/marinade on anything from chicken thighs (as I did in this recipe) to chicken wings, drumsticks and breasts. Heck, it’ll even be delicious slathered allll over a whole entire chicken. The best part about this recipe is that it’s perfect for a Low Carb, Keto or Paleo Diet and just so happens to also be Gluten Free. Buuuuuut I promise, EVERYONE is going to love it just the same!
When this Thai Chicken with Coconut Cream is on the menu, it’s not hard to close your eyes and envision yourself sitting under the hot Thailand sun. Now, can you picture yourself under the hot Thailand sun while licking every last drop of this vibrant creamy orange sauce off the plate in front of you? Because I can almost guarantee that it’s going to happen (judging from the reactions of literally every single person in my entire family…). This Coconut Curry Thai Chicken dinner is packed full of flavours from the Thai red curry paste, sriracha, fresh squeezed lime juice, ginger, garlic and cilantro. It has the perfect amount of heat and goes well with so many different side dishes. It’ll surely impress everyone you serve it to and is more than deserving of a spot in your recipe box forever.
Move over KFC, cause this one is seriously finger lickin’ good!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THAI CURRY CHICKEN
Some of these ingredients might seem a little on the exoctic side. But trust me, they’re not at all hard to come by! You can easily find them at any grocery store and they’re the perfect combination for this simple Thai chicken dinner recipe. Let’s discuss them in a little bit more detail down below:
- Chicken Thighs: For this recipe, I used bone-in skin-on Chicken Thighs. I love their meatyness and the way the skin crisps up in the oven. However, as stated earlier, you can use any kind of chicken you prefer or have on hand. The delicious Thai curry sauce would be great on anything from drumsticks, wings, breasts and even a whole chicken. But keep in mind that If you do use a different cut, you’ll likely have to adjust the cooking time accordingly. PRO TIP: Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. The chicken is done when it registers 165°F without touching any bone.
- Coconut Cream: One of the definite stars of the show in this recipe. Adds a touch of natural sweetness and makes the dish extra creamy, flavourful and delicious. Coconut cream is a thicker version of coconut milk. You can either buy it in cans on it’s own as shown in the photo above (check in the Asian or Thai section of the grocery store). Or you can chill a can of coconut milk and this thick layer of cream will float to the top and be easy to scrape out with a spoon.
- Red Curry Paste: Another star of the show in this Thai Chicken Recipe. It’s a serious flavour bomb all on its own and IMHO, a must have ingredient in any cook’s kitchen. It adds a strong, bold, moderately spicy bite to the dish and is normally made with flavours such as lemongrass and chilies. Although I wouldn’t consider the heat from the red curry paste overpowering in any way, if you want your chicken dish to be a bit on the milder side, try using yellow or green curry paste instead.
- Lime: Adds acidity and a fresh, zesty tang to the dish. Fresh lime juice works best in this recipe.
- Garlic: Adds freshness to the dish and brings the rest of the flavours together. Fresh minced garlic works best in this recipe. However, if all you have on hand is garlic powder, use ___ instead of the ____ fresh cloves.
- Ginger: Adds a fresh, almost spicy bite to the dish. Fresh minced ginger is best in this recipe for it’s pungent and powerful flavour. However, if all you have on hand is ground ginger, use ___ instead of ____.
- Onion: Adds flavour to the sauce/marinade for these Thai Coconut Chicken Thighs. You can use red or even green onion instead, if you prefer.
- Sriracha: Adds some heat and a bit of a kick to the dish. Use more for extra spicy or omit completely for none at all. You can use Sambal Oelek instead, if you prefer. You can also throw in some chopped Thai chilies if you’re reaaally big on the heat!
- Sweetener: Balances out the flavours of the rest of the ingredients and cuts through some of the heat preventing the dish from being overly spicy. I used sweetener because I’m currently following a Keto diet and wanted to make this dish Keto friendly. However, if you’re not, feel free to use regular sugar or brown sugar instead.
- Cilantro: Adds a herby freshness and pop of colour to the dish. Therefore, fresh is best in this recipe. If you don’t have any cilantro on hand, you can use Thai basil or fresh chopped parsley instead.
- Salt/Pepper: Balances out the flavours from the rest of the ingredients and makes the whole recipe pop!
HOW TO MAKE THAI CHICKEN WITH COCONUT CREAM (KEY TIPS)
You can find full instructions for how to make this creamy Thai curry chicken in the recipe card down below, but here are a few quick tips to keep in mind for this recipe:
- I know some people swear by marinating chicken and while it does make a difference in some recipes, rest assured this Thai Chicken recipe will be super flavourful even with absolutely no marinating time. However, if you want to and have the time, you can always let the chicken sit in the marinade for up to 24 hours. EXTRA TIP: Make sure you combine the marinade ingredients well before pouring them onto the chicken. You want all the flavours to be as evenly distributed as possible. EXTRA EXTRA TIP: This Thai Chicken with Coconut Cream is super saucy! Use alllll the sauce to cook the chicken and then make sure you don’t leave any behind in the pan after cooking. Spoon some over the top of each piece when serving.
- Use a microplane grater for the onions, ginger and garlic for best results. If you don’t have one, make sure to chop these ingredients verrrrry finely.
- Use a big enough baking dish to fit the chicken without overcrowding. It’s okay if they are touching a little bit but they shouldn’t be overlapping or on top of each other. You want the chicken to cook nicely and evenly and baaaathe in all that delicious sauce while cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. It should register at least 165°F without touching any bone. However, don’t worry if you overcook it a little bit. Thanks to the sauce, this chicken stays moist and the chicken will fall right off the bone as long as the inside is cooked properly.
- For crispier skin, broil the chicken on high in the last 5 minutes of cooking. However, if kept under the broiler too long, the sauce and coconut cream will begin to burn so keep an eye.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Sooo the thick creamy coconut sauce is a big part of the dish. The chicken literally bakes in the sauce which is a huge contributing factor to the big burst of flavour you get in every bite. Yes, it’s possible to grill the chicken instead of bake it. However, I have a few suggestions.
First of all, marinate the chicken for at least 8 hours or up to overnight in half the sauce. Then, when it comes time to grill, baste it with the remaining half of the sauce as it’s grilling. Then heat some up for serving over top of the chicken when it’s done cooking.
Grill it on medium low heat as you don’t want the marinade to burn. Keep turning the chicken and check for doneness with an instant meat thermometer. It’ll register at least 165°F without touching the bone when done. Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
Flavour, flavour and more flavour! Thai curry is known for its array of different flavours that, simply put, just work so well together! It’s literally bursting with loads of flavour from the large number of aromatics used such as ginger, garlic, onions, curry paste, herbs and coconut cream. When I tell you that you’re going to want to drink this coconut curry sauce, you may as well get your glass ready because I. AM. NOT. LYING. It’s so freaking gooood!!!
This Thai Baked Chicken goes great with so many different side dishes! Of course, any Thai inspired dish would pair beautifully. Or try this creamy coleslaw, this pan seared bok choy or this crispy garlic broccoli.
THAI CHICKEN WITH COCONUT CREAM
This Thai Chicken with Coconut Cream are what dreams are made of! It’s ultra creamy, packed full of flavour in every single bite and perfect for those busy weeknights (it’s so simple to make!)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Bone-in, skin-on Chicken Thighs*
- 1 14 oz can Coconut Cream
- 2 tbsp Onion, grated or finely minced
- 2 Cloves Garlic, grated or finely minced
- 1 tbsp Ginger, grated or finely minced
- 1 tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste
- 1 tbsp Sugar Free Sweetener (such as Monk Fruit*)
- 1 tsp Sriracha or Sambal Oelek
- Juice of 1 Lime
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- 2 tbsp Cilantro or Thai Basil, chopped, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients, except for the chicken.
- Pat the chicken dry with a clean paper towel then arrange it in a large baking dish.
- Pour the sauce over top, making sure each piece is completely coated. You can turn the pieces around with tongs if you need to.
- Bake, uncovered, for 45-55 minutes or until the chicken registers at least 165°F on a meat thermometer. To get crispy skin, broil the chicken in the last 5 minutes of cooking keeping an eye to ensure that the creamy sauce doesn't burn or dry up too much. Top with extra chopped herbs and an additional spoonful of sauce before serving.
Notes
You can use a different cut of chicken, if you prefer such as drumsticks, breasts or boneless. However, you may have to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
If you're not following a Low Carb or Keto diet, feel free to use regular brown or white sugar.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 629Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 673mgCarbohydrates: 60gFiber: 1gSugar: 55gProtein: 29g
Nutrition is only an estimate and calculated using Nutritionix.
IF YOU LOVE THESE FLAVOURS, THEN YOU HAVE TO TRY MY THAI SWEET POTATO CURRY RECIPE OR MY THAI BASIL CHICKEN RECIPE NEXT!
MORE FLAVOURFUL CHICKEN RECIPES TO MAKE FOR DINNER THIS MONTH
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY TURMERIC CHICKEN
CRISPY AIR FRYER CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
