Grilled Lime Coconut Chicken with Coconut Rice

This chicken. This rice. Oh...my...goodness. Not only is the chicken absolutely wonderful, the rice is the perfect side, and both take no time to make! In the amount of time it takes to make the rice, you can have this beautiful and flavorful meal. Take today for example: this afternoon I quickly prepped the chicken and marinade and threw it in the fridge. I went and hung out with friends at the pool, and when I came home, I started the rice. I took a quick shower, then cooked the chicken. Everything was ready at about the same time, and Chris and I had an awesome dinner. Ideal for a week night, or anytime really, there's no excuse not to make it. I'm so glad I stumbled upon this recipe. It will be perfect for this upcoming year, as Chris and I are going to be incredibly busy.  

So get outside, fire up the grill, and make this meal ASAP!!

Grilled Lime Coconut Chicken with Coconut Rice

Ingredients

Chicken

3 tablespoons olive oil

Zest and juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons curry powder

Pinch cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup canned coconut milk, light or regular

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs 

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Fresh limes, cut into wedges

Coconut Rice

1 cup jasmine rice

1 cup canned coconut milk

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a medium or large bowl, whisk together the oil, lime zest, lime juice, cumin, coriander, curry powder, cayenne pepper, soy sauce, salt, sugar, and coconut milk. Place chicken in the bowl, and give it a gentle stir until the chicken is coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.

Next, prepare the coconut rice. Bring rice, coconut milk, water, and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-16 minutes until the liquid is mostly evaporated. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork and serving. Alternately, you could just dump the rice ingredients into a rice cooker and let it do it's thang. When it's finished cooking, go ahead and fluff with a fork (this is the route I took).

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side (actual time depends on the thickness of the chicken)**. While the chicken is cooking, pour the marinade into a small or medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If it thickens too much for your liking, thin it out with a little water or stock. 

To serve, place chicken and rice on a plate. Drizzle with sauce, and sprinkle with fresh cilantro over the top. Serve with lime wedges.

**If you don't have a grill, no worries! You can broil them in the oven, or cook in a heavy skillet.

Recipe Source: adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe