🍗🥥 Coconut Lemongrass Chicken – A Rich and Fragrant Southeast Asian Delight

If you love bold, aromatic flavors, this Coconut Lemongrass Chicken is a recipe you need to try. Tender chicken is slowly simmered in a creamy coconut sauce infused with fresh lemongrass, turmeric, red chilies, garlic, and fragrant makrut lime leaves. The result is a luxurious dish packed with tropical flavors and irresistible aroma.

Perfect for family dinners or special occasions, this restaurant-quality meal pairs beautifully with steamed jasmine rice.

⸻

📋 Recipe Information

* Prep Time: 20 minutes

* Cook Time: 50 minutes

* Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

* Servings: 4

* Difficulty Level: Medium

⸻

🛒 Ingredients

For the Spice Paste

* 3 stalks lemongrass, roughly chopped

* 6 cm piece fresh turmeric, peeled and chopped

* 4 fresh long red chilies, seeded and chopped

* 8 shallots, chopped

* 6 garlic cloves, chopped

* 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

For the Chicken

* ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil

* 4 chicken marylands (about 1.4 kg), skin removed

* 1 cup (250 ml) coconut milk

* 3 cm piece galangal or fresh ginger, thinly sliced

* 2 tablespoons tamarind puree

* 8 makrut lime leaves

For Garnish

* Fresh cilantro leaves

* Lime wedges

⸻

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Make the Spice Paste

Place the lemongrass, turmeric, red chilies, shallots, garlic, and sea salt in a food processor. Blend until a smooth paste forms.

2. Brown the Chicken

Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides until golden. Remove and set aside.

3. Cook the Aromatics

In the same pot, add the spice paste and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant.

4. Create the Coconut Sauce

Add the coconut milk, galangal (or ginger), tamarind puree, and makrut lime leaves. Stir well to combine.

5. Simmer Slowly

Return the chicken to the pot and coat it with the sauce. Cover and simmer gently for 40–50 minutes until the chicken becomes tender and fully infused with flavor.

6. Serve

Transfer the chicken to a serving dish, spoon the rich coconut sauce over the top, and garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.

⸻

💡 Chef’s Tips

* Use full-fat coconut milk for a richer, creamier sauce.

* Add a teaspoon of brown sugar to balance the tamarind’s acidity.

* Serve with jasmine rice, basmati rice, or warm flatbread.

* For deeper flavor, marinate the chicken in the spice paste for one hour before cooking.

⸻

🥘 Approximate Nutritional Information (Per Serving)

* Calories: 560

* Protein: 38 g

* Carbohydrates: 10 g

* Fat: 40 g

⸻

🎉 Perfect Occasions

* Family dinners

* Weekend meals

* Special gatherings

* Asian-inspired dinner nights

* Holiday entertaining

⸻

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This dish combines the creamy richness of coconut milk, the bright citrus notes of lemongrass and lime leaves, and the tangy depth of tamarind. The chicken becomes incredibly tender as it slowly cooks, creating a comforting yet elegant meal that’s bursting with flavor.