Brazilian dendê palm oil takes 15 years to mature before harvest, giving this coconut chicken its signature orange color.
Spicy Brazilian-style Coconut Chicken
Dive into a bowl of flavor with our Spicy Brazilian Coconut Chicken! Juicy chicken thighs bathed in a rich, creamy coconut sauce are elevated with zesty lime and fresh cilantro, bringing a taste of the tropics right to your kitchen. This dish is the perfect blend of comfort and excitement—get ready for a culinary adventure!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
3
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 3🥬Fresh Produce(7)
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Juice of ½ lime
- Lime wedges for garnishoptional
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 2 medium sized tomato chopped
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 14 oz/400 g chicken thighs, boneless (0.88 lbs)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 1 can coconut milk / 400 ml / 13.5 oz (13.5 fl oz)
- olive oil
- White or coconut rice
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(6)
- 0.5 tsp cayenne (adjust to taste) (2.5 ml)optional
- 0.5 tsp cumin (2.5 ml)
- 1 tsp paprika (5 ml)
- 1 tsp paprika or smoked paprika for a more smoky flavor (5 ml)optional
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 0.5 tsp turmeric (2.5 ml)
📦Other(2)
- chili flakes (adjust to taste)optional
- Optional: fresh red chili, for extra heatoptional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Season the chicken: Mix chicken with lime juice, salt, pepper, paprika, chili flakes, cayenne (optional), and olive oil. Let sit 10-15 min.
- 2
Sear the chicken: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and sear 6-8 min per side until golden. Remove and set aside.
- 3
Build the sauce: In the same pan, sauté onion until soft (3-4 min). Add garlic and cook 30 sec. Stir in bell pepper, tomato, tomato paste, and spices, cooking 2-3 min until fragrant.
- 4
Add coconut milk: Pour in the full can, stir, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook a few min until slightly thickened.
- 5
Finish the chicken: Return chicken to pan. Simmer 5-10 min or until fully cooked and sauce is creamy. Stir in cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning or spice.
- 6
Serve: Plate chicken with sauce over a generous portion of rice. Garnish with extra cilantro and lime wedges. Enjoy every bite.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Marinate chicken in lime juice for exactly 10-15 minutes - longer will denature proteins too much and create a mushy texture due to citric acid breaking down muscle fibers.timing10-15 minutes
- ✓Sear chicken thighs at 375-400°F surface temperature (medium-high heat) to achieve Maillard browning without overcooking the interior before adding back to sauce.technique375-400°F
- ✓Use full-fat coconut milk with 17-19% fat content because lower fat versions will break and curdle when simmered, while the fat creates proper emulsification.ingredient17-19% fat content
- ✓Add tomato paste before liquids and cook for 2-3 minutes to caramelize sugars and eliminate raw taste - this concentrates flavors by 40% through moisture evaporation.technique2-3 minutes
- ✓Maintain coconut milk at 180-185°F gentle simmer to prevent the proteins from coagulating and the sauce from separating into oily curds.timing180-185°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
3
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Brazilian dendê palm oil takes 15 years to mature before harvest, giving this coconut chicken its signature orange color.
Spicy Brazilian-style Coconut Chicken
Dive into a bowl of flavor with our Spicy Brazilian Coconut Chicken! Juicy chicken thighs bathed in a rich, creamy coconut sauce are elevated with zesty lime and fresh cilantro, bringing a taste of the tropics right to your kitchen. This dish is the perfect blend of comfort and excitement—get ready for a culinary adventure!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 3🥬Fresh Produce(7)
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Juice of ½ lime
- Lime wedges for garnishoptional
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 2 medium sized tomato chopped
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 14 oz/400 g chicken thighs, boneless (0.88 lbs)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 1 can coconut milk / 400 ml / 13.5 oz (13.5 fl oz)
- olive oil
- White or coconut rice
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(6)
- 0.5 tsp cayenne (adjust to taste) (2.5 ml)optional
- 0.5 tsp cumin (2.5 ml)
- 1 tsp paprika (5 ml)
- 1 tsp paprika or smoked paprika for a more smoky flavor (5 ml)optional
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 0.5 tsp turmeric (2.5 ml)
📦Other(2)
- chili flakes (adjust to taste)optional
- Optional: fresh red chili, for extra heatoptional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Season the chicken: Mix chicken with lime juice, salt, pepper, paprika, chili flakes, cayenne (optional), and olive oil. Let sit 10-15 min.
- 2
Sear the chicken: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and sear 6-8 min per side until golden. Remove and set aside.
- 3
Build the sauce: In the same pan, sauté onion until soft (3-4 min). Add garlic and cook 30 sec. Stir in bell pepper, tomato, tomato paste, and spices, cooking 2-3 min until fragrant.
- 4
Add coconut milk: Pour in the full can, stir, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook a few min until slightly thickened.
- 5
Finish the chicken: Return chicken to pan. Simmer 5-10 min or until fully cooked and sauce is creamy. Stir in cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning or spice.
- 6
Serve: Plate chicken with sauce over a generous portion of rice. Garnish with extra cilantro and lime wedges. Enjoy every bite.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Marinate chicken in lime juice for exactly 10-15 minutes - longer will denature proteins too much and create a mushy texture due to citric acid breaking down muscle fibers.timing10-15 minutes
- ✓Sear chicken thighs at 375-400°F surface temperature (medium-high heat) to achieve Maillard browning without overcooking the interior before adding back to sauce.technique375-400°F
- ✓Use full-fat coconut milk with 17-19% fat content because lower fat versions will break and curdle when simmered, while the fat creates proper emulsification.ingredient17-19% fat content
- ✓Add tomato paste before liquids and cook for 2-3 minutes to caramelize sugars and eliminate raw taste - this concentrates flavors by 40% through moisture evaporation.technique2-3 minutes
- ✓Maintain coconut milk at 180-185°F gentle simmer to prevent the proteins from coagulating and the sauce from separating into oily curds.timing180-185°F