Brazilian coconut chicken with mango and lime rice
In Bahia, on the Brazilian coast, coconut milk and chillies are widely used in cooking. The African influence on the local food is still easy to taste. That combination is also the starting point for this Brazilian coconut chicken: tender chicken in a creamy, spiced sauce with a good kick. I particularly like the creamy sauce with the spicy chicken. It is a stew, but quite different from the winter stews we are used to here. This version brings some of those Brazilian flavours into the kitchen without needing ingredients that are hard to find.
Servings people
Ingredients
Coconut chicken
- 600 g chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)
- 1 onion
- 2 red peppers
- 3 tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 15 g ginger
- 1 green chilli
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp paprika powder
- 0.5 tsp turmeric powder
- 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
- 400 ml coconut milk
- salt
- black pepper
Mango and lime rice and finishing
- 300 g basmati rice
- 1 mango
- 1 lime
- 10 g coriander
Instructions
Preparation
- Finely chop 1 onion and 2 cloves garlic. Peel and finely grate 15 g ginger. Remove the seeds and membranes from 2 red peppers and cut the flesh into pieces about 2 cm across. Dice 3 tomatoes, keeping any juices.
- Remove the stalk from 1 green chilli and finely chop the chilli. Peel 1 mango and cut the flesh into cubes about 1 cm across. Scrub 1 lime, finely grate the green zest and squeeze out the juice. Roughly chop 10 g coriander, keeping the stalks and leaves separate.
- Cut 600 g chicken thighs into pieces. Mix 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp paprika powder, 0.5 tsp turmeric powder and 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper with a little salt and black pepper. Toss the chicken pieces in the spices until evenly coated.
Cooking
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces on all sides for about 4 minutes. They do not need to be cooked through yet. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Lower the heat slightly and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Cook the onion and peppers for about 6 minutes, until the onion starts to soften. Stir regularly and gently scrape up any browned chicken from the bottom.
- Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and coriander stalks. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices and cook gently for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down.
- Pour in 400 ml coconut milk and stir the sauce well. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan. Partially cover and simmer gently for about 18 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil. If it is thin, leave the lid off for the last few minutes to let it reduce.
- Meanwhile, cook 300 g basmati rice following the packet instructions. Leave the cooked rice covered for 5 minutes, then fluff it with a fork.
- Check that the chicken is cooked through, including the thickest part. Stir 1 tbsp lime juice into the sauce and taste to see whether it needs more salt, pepper or a little extra juice.
Serving
- Gently fold the mango, lime zest and 1 tbsp lime juice into the warm rice. Do not cook the mango any further, so the pieces keep their shape.
- Divide the mango and lime rice and coconut chicken between four plates. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and scatter over the coriander leaves.
Notes
If you prefer not to use coriander, replace it with parsley. A simple cucumber salad goes well alongside.
Nutrition
Calories: 830kcalCarbohydrates: 90gProtein: 38gFat: 35gSaturated fat: 21gSugars: 19g
Tried this recipe?Let me know what you think!
A little heat with something fresh alongside
my choice
this week
This week we are having spiced chicken in coconut sauce with mango and lime rice. The chicken simmers gently while you cook the rice. Keep it mild or add a little more heat, as you prefer. A lovely meal for when you fancy something different with chicken.
