Serves 4
65 min
Chicken Stewed in Coconut Milk
Recipe GLPR8109fad318e7f0
A fragrant East African dish featuring tender chicken thighs and legs braised in creamy coconut milk with aromatic spices, garlic, Thai chiles, tomatoes, and fresh lime juice. The chicken becomes incredibly tender and absorbs all the complex flavors of the stew, creating a warm and comforting meal traditionally served over rice with fresh cilantro.
Save recipes you love
Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.
Ingredients
¼ cup Canola oil
1½ tsp Ground turmeric
4 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
4 Green or red Thai chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced
4 Plum tomatoes, cored and minced
1 medium Red onion, minced
4 Skinless bone-in chicken legs and thighs, separated
¼ cup Fresh lime juice
2 cans (14-oz each) Coconut milk
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 cups Cooked rice, for serving
Fresh cilantro, finely chopped, for garnish
Directions
Heat the canola oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the ground turmeric and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
Add the minced garlic, minced Thai chiles, and minced red onion to the pot. Sauté for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and the raw onion flavor begins to mellow.
Stir in the minced plum tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes, allowing their juices to release into the mixture.
Place the chicken legs and thighs into the pot, turning to coat them lightly with the spiced oil and tomato mixture. Cook for about 3–4 minutes, allowing the surface of the chicken to lightly brown.
Pour in both cans of coconut milk and the fresh lime juice, stirring gently to combine all ingredients. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot partially, and simmer for 35–40 minutes, until the chicken is very tender and cooked through (reaching an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching bone). Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking.
Season the stew with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Serve the chicken stew in shallow bowls over warm cooked rice, and garnish generously with finely chopped fresh cilantro.
