If you’re looking for a dish that bursts with fresh, aromatic flavours, Coconut Coriander Chicken is a must-try. The combination of coconut milk, coriander, lemongrass, and ginger creates a marinade that transforms simple chicken thighs into a juicy, fragrant delight. Whether you grill it in the oven or on a barbecue, this dish delivers a perfect balance of creamy richness and bright, zesty notes.
Table of Contents
- Ingredient Breakdown
- Unlocking the Flavour: The Perfect Marinade
- Cooking It to Perfection
- Pickled Veg: The Perfect Sidekick
- How to Serve Coconut Coriander Chicken
- Versatility: More Than Just Chicken
- More Recipes Like This
Ingredient Breakdown
- Coconut milk: Adds creaminess and subtle sweetness
- Lemongrass: Brings a citrusy, slightly floral fragrance
- Fresh coriander: Infuses an earthy, herbaceous aroma
- Garlic: Enhances depth of flavour
- Echalion shallot: Provides mild, caramelised sweetness
- Fresh ginger root: Adds warmth and spice
- Green bird’s eye chilli: Gives a gentle heat
- Palm sugar or light brown sugar: Balances savoury flavours with a touch of sweetness
- Salt: Enhances and brings out the other flavours
- Chicken thigh fillets: Juicy and flavourful, perfect for grilling
- Carrot and daikon: Crunchy, pickled elements for a refreshing contrast
- Red chilli and garlic (optional): Extra punch for the pickled veg
- Distilled white vinegar, sugar, fine sea salt: Essential for pickling
Unlocking the Flavour: The Perfect Marinade
A great marinade transforms simple ingredients into something extraordinary, and Coconut Coriander Chicken is no exception. The key to this marinade is balance: rich coconut milk, zesty coriander, and punchy aromatics work together to create layers of flavour.
Lemongrass brings a fresh citrusy brightness, while garlic and ginger add warmth and depth. The green bird’s eye chilli introduces just the right amount of heat, but it’s the palm sugar that ties everything together. Sugar in a marinade isn’t just about sweetness. It also enhances caramelisation when grilling, giving the chicken that irresistible golden char.
Marinating time is another crucial factor. While an hour is the minimum, leaving it for a few hours (or even overnight) allows the flavours to fully penetrate the chicken. This results in tender, juicy meat infused with aromatic goodness. The coconut milk helps to tenderise, ensuring every bite is as succulent as it is flavourful.
Cooking It to Perfection
Grilling chicken may seem simple, but to achieve the perfect balance of crispy, caramelised edges and tender, juicy meat, technique matters. One of the most important steps in this recipe is bringing the chicken to room temperature before cooking. Cold meat placed straight on high heat can cook unevenly, leading to a dry exterior and undercooked interior.
Another essential tip is not overcrowding the tray. Leaving space between the chicken pieces allows heat to circulate evenly, ensuring a more consistent cook. If the pieces are too close together, they’ll steam instead of grill, preventing that sought-after golden char.
Grilling at a high temperature (230°C / fan 210°C) ensures a good sear while locking in moisture. Flipping the chicken halfway through is necessary for even caramelisation, but avoid pressing down on the meat. This releases juices that should stay inside for maximum succulence. The result? Perfectly grilled Coconut Coriander Chicken with a beautifully crisped surface and tender, flavour-packed centre.
Pickled Veg: The Perfect Sidekick
Pickled vegetables add an essential element of contrast to Coconut Coriander Chicken. The richness of the coconut-based marinade is beautifully offset by the sharp, tangy crunch of pickled carrots and daikon. These vegetables don’t just serve as a side, they elevate the dish by balancing its flavours and textures.
Daikon, also known as mooli, is a mild white radish that soaks up the pickling liquid while retaining a crisp bite. Carrots bring natural sweetness, and the optional addition of red chilli adds a subtle warmth. The pickling process itself is quick and easy. Unlike traditional fermented pickles, this method uses a simple brine of vinegar, sugar, salt, and water, allowing the vegetables to be ready within a few hours.
These pickles aren’t just a garnish, they transform each bite. Their acidity cuts through the richness of the chicken, enhancing every flavour and adding a refreshing contrast. They also make this dish incredibly versatile, pairing perfectly with rice, noodles, or even inside a non-traditional banh mi for a delightful fusion twist.
How to Serve Coconut Coriander Chicken
This dish is versatile, pairing wonderfully with a variety of sides. Serve it with steamed jasmine rice or silky rice noodles to soak up the sauce. For added texture, top with crushed peanuts or crispy shallots. If you prefer a fresh, crunchy contrast, wrapping the chicken in lettuce leaves with a spoonful of pickled veg makes for a refreshing bite.
For a creative twist, use the Coconut Coriander Chicken in a banh mi. Tuck it into a crusty baguette with pickled veg, fresh cucumber, and a smear of spicy mayo for a fusion-style sandwich packed with layers of flavour.
Versatility: More Than Just Chicken
One of the best things about this Coconut Coriander Chicken recipe is its adaptability. While it’s designed for chicken thighs, the marinade works beautifully with other proteins. If you’re a fan of seafood, try using it on prawns or white fish. The coconut and lemongrass pair wonderfully with delicate, flaky textures. Simply reduce the marinating time to 30 minutes to avoid overpowering the fish.
For those who prefer red meat, steak or pork also absorb the marinade well. Pork shoulder or pork chops develop a deeply fragrant crust when grilled, while a well-marbled steak benefits from the tenderising properties of coconut milk.
Vegetarians and vegans can enjoy this flavour-packed marinade too. Try it with firm tofu, oyster mushrooms, or cauliflower steaks. Grilled over high heat, these ingredients soak up the rich, aromatic flavours, offering a satisfying alternative that’s just as delicious.
More Recipes Like This
If you enjoyed making this Coconut Coriander Chicken, here are some more flavour-packed recipes for you to try:
- Crispy Coconut Chicken with Thai-Inspired Salad: Golden, coconut-crusted chicken provides a rich, satisfying crunch, while the accompanying Thai-inspired salad brings a refreshing vibrancy to the plate
- Salmon in a Turmeric Coconut Sauce: Tender salmon with a blend of creamy coconut milk, aromatic lemongrass, and the earthy warmth of turmeric, this dish is a celebration of bold, fragrant ingredients.
- Kimchi Chicken Katsu: This kimchi chicken katsu recipe puts a Korean spin on a Japanese classic. The chicken gets marinated in kimchi juice, before being breaded and fried to golden perfection.
- Coconut Miso Fish: A dish that turns simple ingredients into something memorable: tender cod fillets poached in a creamy, umami-rich coconut miso broth that’s deeply comforting without being heavy.
See how I make all these recipes and more over on my Instagram!
Coconut Coriander Chicken
You’ll absolutely love this grilled chicken recipe! It’s delicious, easy to prepare and packs a flavourful punch. The marinade combines fresh coriander, coconut, lemongrass, garlic, ginger and other fragrant aromatics. It’s so versatile – it’s just as great with steak, pork, fish or prawns as it is with chicken.
I like to serve it with homemade pickled carrots and daikon and noodles/rice, but it would be just as delicious turned into a non-traditional banh mi.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Chicken
Ingredients
For the marinade:
- 1 x 400 g tin coconut milk
- 6 lemongrass stalks, roughly chopped
- 30 g fresh coriander
- 6 garlic cloves,
- 1 echalion shallot, roughly chopped
- 30 g fresh ginger root, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 green bird’s eye chilli
- 2 tbsps palm sugar or light brown sugar
- 1½ tsps salt
For the chicken:
- 1.2 kg chicken thigh fillets (boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
For the pickled veg (optional):
- 100 g carrot, julienned or cut into thin matchsticks
- 100 g daikon (also known as mooli), julienned or cut into thin matchsticks
- 1 red chilli, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 small garlic clove (optional)
- 500 ml water
- 150 ml distilled white vinegar
- 2 tbsps sugar
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- Place the marinade ingredients in a high-powered blender and blitz until smooth. Place the chicken in a large bowl. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or preferably for a few hours.
- Meanwhile, if you’re making the pickled veg, place the carrot, daikon, chilli and garlic in a heatproof bowl.
- Combine the water, distilled white vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat, whisking until the sugar and salt dissolve. Pour the pickling brine over the veg. Cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate while the chicken marinates.
- 30 minutes before you’re ready to cook your chicken, take it out of the fridge so it can come up to temperature (this will help it cook more evenly). Heat your oven on its grill setting on medium-high/high. If your oven doesn’t have a grill setting, heat it to 230℃ / fan 210℃.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting any excess drip back into the bowl. You don’t need to scrape the marinate off the surface of the chicken.
- Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a large baking tray. Grill for 25 minutes, flipping once halfway through, or until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pour the remaining marinade into a small saucepan and add the juices from the bottom of the baking tray. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened, around 2 minutes.
- Serve the chicken with the pickled veg and noodles/steamed rice and top with crushed peanuts.
- Storage: you can store any leftover pickled in a jar with the brine. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. Note: the longer it sits, the more pungent it gets.
Notes
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