My Favorite Creamy Chicken Dinner Is Ready In Just 30 Minutes (2024)

If there’s one dish that’s nearly guaranteed to bring the whole family to the table (beyond mac and cheese and pizza), it’s a creamy chicken situation. Every time I’ve set a skillet or serving dish full of chicken breasts with a creamy sauce on the table, it disappears in seconds. All the better if I have rice or noodles on hand to soak up the sauce.

And while I love making and serving dishes like this, I also can’t handle too much heavy cream. At some point, my stomach gives me a hard “no” and things go downhill. To satisfy my cravings for rich, sauced chicken, I developed a version using coconut cream. Now it’s my favorite weeknight chicken dinner.

While coconut cream tends to be mild in flavor, I decided to lean into the lightly tropical notes with garlic, ginger, and lime. Everything cooks in one pan, from the chicken to the sauce to the crisp-tender green beans, and it’s ready in 30 minutes flat. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

My Favorite Creamy Chicken Dinner Is Ready In Just 30 Minutes (1)

My Emergency Dinner

This is also a great “oh crap I didn’t make it to the grocery” meal. I keep a package of chicken breasts in the freezer along with frozen green beans, which will work here. Limes, garlic, and shallots last for ages and are easy to keep stocked, and coconut cream will last for years on a shelf. I always have a jar of Better Than Boullion in my fridge, too, so I can make broth whenever I like.

All I have to do is remember to defrost the chicken and we have a quick and easy dinner that tastes like it took ages to make.

Easy Recipe Tweaks

You can make this recipe with chicken thighs instead. Use boneless, skinless thighs and cut them into 1-inch pieces. When the dish is done, the meat should register over 165°F or it’ll be tough.
To add some spice, toss in a thinly sliced chile pepper along with the garlic.
You can swap the green beans out if you’re not a fan. Sliced bell peppers and cauliflower or broccoli florets are good choices.
I like to serve coconut lime chicken with rice to soak up all of the sauce, but it would be equally good over freshly cooked noodles.

My Favorite Creamy Chicken Dinner Is Ready In Just 30 Minutes (2)

Creamy Chicken Recipes

Creamy Chicken Florentine
Creamy Chicken and Asparagus Pasta
Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Creamy Dijon Mustard Chicken

Coconut Lime Chicken

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Servings4to 6 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons refined coconut oilor olive oil, divided
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
2 large shallots, peeled and sliced
12 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons grated or finely minced fresh ginger
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut cream, shaken well
1 heaping teaspoon freshly grated lime zest (from about 2 limes)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1 to 2 limes), plus more to taste
Fresh cilantro, for garnish, optional
Lime wedges and toasted coconut, for serving, optional
Freshly steamed rice, for serving, optional

Method

Sear the chicken:
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil in a large (11 inches or larger), deep skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, season the chicken on both sides with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
Gently swirl the oil in the pan to coat the bottom of the skillet, then add the chicken breasts in a single layer. If you have a splatter guard, use it. Let cook on one side, until golden brown and the chicken releases from the pan, 4 to 6 minutes. Use tongs to flip the chicken and cook until browned on the other side, about 4 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil—it will not be cooked through. Lower the heat to medium; do not wipe out the pan.
Cook the vegetables:
Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil to the pan followed by the shallots and 3/4 teaspoon salt and sauté until beginning to turn translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the green beans and garlic and toss until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ginger and stir, then add the broth. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any stuck-on bits.
Add the coconut cream and finish cooking the chicken:
Add the coconut cream and stir to combine. Add the chicken back to the pan, nestling it among the green beans so it is as submerged as possible. Bring to a simmer and cook, turning the chicken occasionally and stirring the sauce, until the chicken registers 165°F in the thickest parts, 7 to 10 minutes.
Add the lime and serve:
Turn off the heat. Add the lime zest and the lime juice and stir. Taste, adding more juice and/or salt as needed. Top with fresh cilantro and serve sprinkled with coconut and lime wedges on the side, if desired, along with rice.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
508	Calories
20g	Fat
43g	Carbs
41g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	508
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g	25%
Saturated Fat 12g	59%
Cholesterol 103mg	34%
Sodium 495mg	22%
Total Carbohydrate 43g	16%
Dietary Fiber 2g	9%
Total Sugars 36g
Protein 41g
Vitamin C 10mg	52%
Calcium 55mg	4%
Iron 2mg	13%
Potassium 603mg	13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.