This Coconut Milk & Thyme Grilled Chicken recipe is a delicious and easy to make, healthy dinner! The chicken is marinated in thyme-infused coconut milk, garlic, and warm spices.
You guys have all seen that cooking show, Chopped, right? Contestants are challenged to create something delicious using a basket of random ingredients.
This chicken dinner came about – as most recipes do – when I was playing Chopped in my fridge. I had chicken to cook, an open container of coconut milk, extra thyme from my cauliflower crust quiche… and I needed dinner.
The best part about cooking is, though, that I can usually throw together a bunch of random stuff and have it turn out well. It’s not like baking where you best be measuring everything to the decimal.
So that’s what happened here. I threw a bunch of stuff together and it worked! What resulted was a dish that’s full of rich, warming flavors.
The combination of coconut milk with thyme and garlic and those deep, smoky spices results in a flavor bomb you need in your life. I love adding just a bit of cinnamon for extra depth of flavor (this is an awesome trick for anything tomato-based too!).
For you meal prep people, having grilled chicken on hand to top salads throughout the week is a great option. This chicken was delicious atop a spinach and arugula salad with cherry tomatoes. I liked it both warm and cold! I also whipped up a tasty vinaigrette… and totally didn’t write it down. Doh.
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Coconut Milk & Thyme Grilled Chicken
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Keywords: grill entree gluten-free low-carb soy-free chicken coconut milk garlic thyme
Ingredients (6 servings)
- 2 pounds of chicken breasts (~4 large)
- 1 C lite coconut milk
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
- 6 thyme sprigs
- 2 tsp ground roasted cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- Juice from 1 lime
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Pound chicken* and place in glass dish or large baggie.
In a separate bowl, mix together coconut milk, garlic, onion, thyme, spices, and lime juice. Pour over chicken.
Cover dish or seal bag and refrigerate for 1-4 hours (the longer, the better).
Preheat grill or grill pan to medium. Oil the grill or pan. Remove chicken from bag and place on grill or pan. Pour remaining marinade over chicken. Grill the chicken, turning once, until 165°F (~7-8 minutes per side).
*Pounding the chicken is optional; however, I prefer it because it results in a more tender chicken.
***
This new recipe is going to have to share the spotlight with the Balsamic Marinated Chicken (which I think I’ve made 20 times in the last year).
Do you play Chopped with your fridge?
What are your favorite spices to add to marinades?
I use coconut milk all the time as a base for my recipes- this looks delicious, I’ll have to give it a try!
It’s one of my favorite adds to recipes! I’d love to hear what you think if you try this!
Thank you for reminding me of coconut milk! I totally forgot it. I add ginger to pretty much everything. And oh, I don’t think I have ever followed a recipe in my life yet. Because rebel. But it worked out fine, so far!
Vegas actually requested that I buy ginger the other day. Weird, right?!
And YAY rebels!
i never know what to do with coconut milk – this sounds awesome!
I bet the coconut milk makes the chicken extra moist. P.S. measuring? I’m so bad at it. Even with baking I’m just guessing really. lol
Hahaha… moist. 😉
Ok, so I totally love how you come up with recipes; it makes me feel like I”m not alone. I’m kind of off the cuff when I bake or cook, so we could be kindred spirits in the way we cook/bake.
That’s great to hear! Chopped nights are the best. 🙂
I always want to use coconumt milk, but other than curries… I don’t know what to do with it. Thanks!
I have to think of other ways to use it… Vegas HATES curry. 😛
I played Chopped last night to make my meatloaf. “Some ground sirloin and half a can of tomatoes? Sure, that’ll work.”
That sounds like a gourmet combo to me!
You had me at thyme infused coconut milk… Yes Please! I love me some Chopped, all those random ingredients, all the possibilities, all the silly mistakes that are made, I just can’t get enough. I like your home version of Chopped; you would defiantly get the next round.
Have you seen the kid’s version of Chopped? It’s too cute! And intimidating… they’re pretty brilliant!
The meat eating boys in my family would love the flavors of this dish
You had me at thyme… One of my favourite herbs but yet one I rarely use!
I do tend to play chopped with my leftovers, I love creating new meals with them. But with raw ingredients I don’t often have the chance… I do love creating new spice blends to cook my chicken though – I should start to write them down!
Same here! Thyme and sage. I love them both, but for whatever reason they’re my least used.
Spice blends are my jam too! I used to make salt-free blends for everyone at the gym when I was competing. I’d love to know what you do in yours!
This is so smart, what a great flavor combo!
Why the hell have I neglected to give my chicken a nice coconut soak?! That’s like with-holding sex or something!
Coconut milk IS SEXY!
This is a fantastic combination of spices and I can only imagine how creamy the coconut milk would make this….I feel like we need to turn this into a soup somehow. Hmmm. Can you work on that for me? K, thanks.
I think that’s a lovely idea. Actually, Vegas made coconut soup the next night. Great minds!
Ooooh I have all these ngredients!!!! I have been wondering what to do with my turmeric. This is perfect!
Thanks! I hope you enjoy it!
Garlic is my go to ingredient for marinades (even though it’s really not a spice) and LOTS of fresh ground pepper. I deem you a CHOPPED winner with this dish. (I really need to play Chopped with my pantry….)
I am with you – there is not enough garlic in the world!
This is an amazing recipe! Thank you for sharing with us this wonderful and delicious recipe. I will be making this real soon for my family to enjoy. I love coconut milk and with thyme it must be terrific combination! By the way, can I add some chili powder on this recipe?