Cheesecake Factory Thai Coconut Lime Chicken Recipe
Cheesecake Factory Thai Coconut Lime Chicken made with coconut milk, lime zest, garlic, and chili flakes. A creamy, zesty, comforting meal for any night.
Equipment
- Large skillet or sauté pan
- Cutting board
- Chef knife
- Small bowl for mixing
- Tongs or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons.
- Citrus juicer (optional but helpful)
- Whisk
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup all purpose flour or cornstarch for gluten free
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 to 3 tablespoons oil for pan searing
For the sauce:
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lime zest
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 green onions sliced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce optional
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes adjust to taste
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Step 1: Prep the chicken
- Pat the chicken dry and season well with salt and pepper. In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Coat each chicken breast in the flour mixture and shake off the excess.
Step 2: Sear until golden
- Heat the oil in your skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken breasts and sear each side until golden brown. You do not need to cook them all the way through yet. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Step 3: Build the sauce
- In the same skillet, lower the heat to medium. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook for about 30 seconds. Pour in the coconut milk, chicken broth, lime juice, and lime zest. Whisk until smooth. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, and fish sauce if using. Stir in the green onions and chili flakes. Bring everything to a gentle simmer.
Step 4: Add the chicken back in
- Return the chicken to the pan and spoon sauce over the top. Let everything simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens.
Step 5: Finish and serve
- Taste and adjust as needed. Sometimes I add an extra squeeze of lime or a pinch more sugar to balance it. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve hot over rice, jasmine rice, coconut rice, noodles, or with roasted veggies.