Brazilian Coconut Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken cooked in a creamy coconut sauce with vibrant Brazilian spices and fresh cilantro.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
05 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced
06 - 1 medium tomato, diced
07 - 1 small chili pepper, finely chopped
08 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Liquids

09 - 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk, full fat preferred
10 - ¼ cup chicken broth

→ Spices & Seasonings

11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - 1 teaspoon paprika
14 - ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
15 - ½ teaspoon salt
16 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
17 - Juice of 1 lime

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and sear on all sides until golden, about 4–5 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
02 - In the same pan, add onions and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes.
03 - Add garlic, red and green bell peppers, and chili pepper if using. Cook for another 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Stir in diced tomato, cumin, paprika, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
05 - Return seared chicken to the pan. Add coconut milk and chicken broth, stirring well to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15–20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and sauce slightly thickened.
06 - Stir in lime juice and half the chopped cilantro. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve hot, garnished with remaining cilantro.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The coconut milk creates this velvety sauce that clings to every bite of chicken
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
  • The spices are warming but not aggressive, perfect for people who say they don't like spicy food
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better when the flavors have overnight to become best friends
02 -
  • Don't skip searing the chicken first, it's the difference between restaurant-quality and weeknight dinner
  • The sauce will continue thickening as it sits, so don't panic if it looks thinner than you want
  • Full-fat coconut milk can separate slightly, this is totally normal and actually looks gorgeous
03 -
  • Pat your chicken really dry before searing, wet chicken steams instead of browns
  • Room temperature coconut milk incorporates better than cold straight from the fridge

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