Got your first must-try grilling recipe of the season – Sweet Chili Coconut-Lime Grilled Chicken with Coconut-Lime Cauliflower Rice!
Say that five times fast.
Seriously the recipe title might be a mouthful but the dish is shockingly easy to make which, remember all that talk about spending more time outdoors? Yep, this is going to get you there faster!
Sweet chili sauce, light coconut milk, and lime juice marinated chicken is grilled then perched atop a bed of cilantro-lime cauliflower rice infused with coconut milk. I used the same technique as when I made my Cauliflower Fried Rice (I’ve had so many people tell me they fed it to their families who had no idea it wasn’t rice!) and you are going to LOVE it!
I got the inspiration for this dish after seeing someone post sweet chili grilled chicken on Instagram a few months ago. I thought I’d add tropical-tasting coconut milk to the mix plus fresh lime juice because, as they say, you put the lime in the coconut and eat ’em both up. Or something like that.
Far reaching word play aside, this grilled chicken is phenomenal. It has so much flavor and only needs to marinate for 30 minutes (though you can leave it in there for up to an hour.) Plus, it calls for just THREE ingredients and the coconut-lime cauliflower rice uses a couple of the same ingredients so you can kill two birds with one delectable stone.
Start with zee chicken marinade ingredients. Like I said, there’s just three of ’em! You’ll need 1/2 cup each sweet chili sauce and unsweetened light coconut milk, and the juice of 1/2 lime. Franks is a great brand for sweet chili sauce and I also like the Grandma’s Sweet Chili Sauce brand I used in my Thai Sticky Chicken Fingers. Can’t go wrong with either!
Add the ingredients plus lots of salt and pepper to a Ziplock bag then squish to combine. Finally add 1-1/2lbs chicken breasts then marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to an hour.
When it’s time to eat, grill the chicken breasts over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes on one side, and 3-4 minutes on the other. Chicken = DONE! So easy, right?
Now, while the chicken’s marinating/grilling get your cauliflower rice ready. All you do is send a medium-sized head cauliflower that’s been chopped into big hunks through a food processor fitted with the grating attachment, OR grate it by hand using a box grater.
Add the grated cauliflower to 1-1/2 Tablespoons coconut oil melted inside a large skillet over medium/medium-high heat (we’re looking for a 6/10 on the heat scale,) then season liberally with salt and pepper and saute until tender, 5-7 minutes. Once the cauliflower is tender add the juice from the other lime half, 3-4 Tablespoons coconut milk (depending on how cocnutty you want it,) and 1/4 cup cilantro that’s been chopped. Stir to combine then add more salt and pepper if ya’ need it.
Scoop the coconut-lime cauliflower rice onto plates then top with the grilled chicken and serve with extra sweet chili sauce for dipping. Then, dig in!
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Sweet Chili Coconut-Lime Grilled Chicken
Description
Sweet Chili Coconut-Lime Grilled Chicken with Coconut-Lime Cauliflower Rice is a light and refreshing grilled dinner. Simple and scrumptious!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsweetened light coconut milk, divided
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce, plus more for dipping
- 1 lime
- salt and pepper
- 1-1/2lbs chicken breasts
- 1 medium-sized head cauliflower, grated (6-8 cups)
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons coconut oil
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions
- Combine 1/2 cup coconut milk, sweet chili sauce and the juice of 1/2 lime in a large Ziplock bag. Add salt and pepper then squish to combine. Add chicken breasts then marinate for 30 minutes - 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Preheat grill to medium-high, making sure grates are well greased. Grill chicken breasts for 4-5 minutes on the first side, then 3-4 minutes on the second side, depending on how big they are and how well done you like them. Remove to a plate to rest for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat coconut oil in a very large skillet over medium/medium-high heat (6 out of 10.) Add cauliflower, season liberally with salt and pepper, and then saute until tender, 5-7 minutes. Squeeze in juice from remaining lime half then add 3-4 Tablespoons coconut milk, depending on how coconutty you want it. Add cilantro then stir to combine. Taste then add salt and pepper if necessary. Scoop onto plates then top with chicken and serve with extra sweet chili sauce for dipping.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
I am telling you – the best and easiest chicken marinade I have found to date. A touch tropical from the coconut milk, sweet heat from the chili sauce (definitely not too spicy for kids,) and the kick of lime juice is the best combo. Huge hit for grilling season!
I have two questions… 1) why the lite coconut milk vs full fat? Is that just a personal preference? and 2) the canned coconut milk always separates… do you dump it into a bowl and mix it up before measuring out the needed amount?
Lite coconut milk has a less powerful coconut flour and you can taste the sweet chili sauce better through it. If you’ve only got full fat on hand that’s totally fine! The full fat is the one that separates so yep you could pour it into a bowl, whisk, and then measure. :)
I’ve made this twice and my family LOVES it!! It’s our new favorite recipe!!
This is one of my favorite recipes and my entire family loves it (even the 4-year-old!). Thank you for introducing us to such a healthy and fantastic meal!
Hi! I am a major crockpot girl and a fan of all of your recipes! Do you think I could make the chicken with this recipe in the crockpot?
Hi Stephanie! I bet that would be really good! Would you come back and let us know how it turns out?!
My SIL cooked this for us over the weekend and whole family LOVED it!! So warm yet refreshing and yummy, excellent meal enjoyed by young and old (13 months and grandma). Now I have the recipe and I can’t wait to have friends over and share! Thanks. Delicious
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Need nutritional value on recipes,going Keto and these recipes sound scrumptious
You’ve probably figured this out by now, but this recipe is definitely not keto friendly. The Sweet Chili Sauce is loaded with sugar. This recipe has 60g of sugar from the sauce, and at 4 servings, is 15g per person. That’s dessert, not a main course. I’d love to try it, but need a substitute for the sweet chili sauce, but I’m sure its probably a key ingredient. Thought about trying coconut aminos instead.
[…] Sweet Chili Coconut Lime Chicken […]
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! One of my all time favorites. I add yellow bell peppers, sweet onion and sometimes fresh pineapple to my marinade and grill those with the chicken. It’s December, i’m in seattle, and im still going to go grill this in the frigid weather tomorrow!
So glad you love it enough to brave the chill, Holly! Stay warm! ;)
Yummy!
Would you provide the calorie and nutritional value per serving, please?
Can you sub something for the coconut milk? My family doesn’t like coconut.