Description
This vibrant Coconut Chicken Rice Bowl combines tender chicken simmered in a creamy coconut milk and pineapple sauce, balanced with fresh ginger, garlic, and a hint of spice. Served over fluffy jasmine rice and garnished with sweet fresh mango, cilantro, and lime wedges, it’s a quick and tropical meal perfect for any night of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Sauce
- 1-1.5 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken, diced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 can Full-Fat Coconut Milk
- 2 tbsp Freshly minced ginger
- 2 tbsp Minced garlic
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
- 1 cup Crushed Pineapple (canned, undrained or fresh diced)
- 2 tbsp Low-sodium Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Brown sugar or honey
- 1 tsp Red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tbsp Cooking oil (neutral like avocado or canola)
- 1 tbsp Fresh lime juice
Rice
- 1 cup Jasmine Rice
- 1.5 cups Water
Garnish and Serving
- 1 Fresh Mango, diced
- Fresh Cilantro, for garnish
- Lime Wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the jasmine rice: Rinse 1 cup jasmine rice well. Combine with 1.5 cups water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let it stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
- Prepare ingredients: While the rice cooks, dice chicken into 1-inch pieces. Mince garlic and ginger. Dice the red bell pepper. Chop fresh mango and cilantro for garnishing, and slice lime wedges for serving.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and ginger and sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
- Cook the chicken and vegetables: Add diced chicken to the skillet and cook for 4-6 minutes until mostly cooked through and lightly golden. Stir in diced red bell pepper and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add coconut sauce ingredients: Pour in the full-fat coconut milk and add crushed pineapple with its juice, low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar or honey, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir the mixture well to combine all flavors.
- Simmer the chicken: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce slightly thickens and the chicken is fully cooked.
- Finish the sauce: Remove skillet from heat and stir in fresh lime juice. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as desired by adding more soy sauce, sweetener, or lime juice.
- Assemble and serve: Divide the fluffy jasmine rice evenly among four bowls. Spoon generous portions of the coconut chicken mixture over the rice. Top each bowl with fresh diced mango, cilantro, and a lime wedge. Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
- Use low-sodium soy sauce to control salt levels and reduce sodium content.
- The red pepper flakes are optional and can be adjusted to your preferred spice level or omitted for a milder dish.
- Fresh pineapple can be used instead of canned for a fresher flavor.
- Jasmine rice serves as the best complement, but you can substitute with basmati or brown rice for a nuttier texture.
- Make sure to not overcrowd the skillet when cooking chicken to ensure even searing.
- This recipe can be made dairy-free and gluten-free by verifying soy sauce is gluten-free.
