This Easy Thai Baked Chicken is a simple make-ahead meal to pop in the freezer for a busy day.
Don’t you just love the complex tastes of Thai food? Thai recipes usually contain ingredients that are sour, sweet, salty, bitter and spicy. The marinade for this easy Thai Baked Chicken blends and balances those flavours harmoniously. Cilantro, jalapeño, ginger, basil, garlic and coriander all play together to produce this aromatic, slightly spicy chicken dish that leaves you wanting more.
As much I love Thai dishes, I also love easy meals. Especially ones that I can make ahead and have in the freezer, ready to grab for a quick dinner on a busy day. This recipe also makes a great meal to take camping as it can easily be grilled instead of baked.
Make the marinade and put it in a plastic zip closure bag with the chicken. Lay it flat, freeze, and it will be ready to pack. Make some Thai Coconut Rice (which also freezes well) to go with it and all you’ll have to do is prepare a salad and veggies. How easy is that?
Three simple steps to make this Easy Thai Baked Chicken
- Blend all marinade ingredients in your blender or food processor.
- Pour the marinade into a zipper closure bag with the chicken. Let it marinate.
- Bake it in the oven.
Full of the complex flavours of Thailand, this Easy Thai Baked Chicken is a make-ahead dish that freezes well too. Cilantro, jalapeño, ginger, basil, garlic and coriander all play together to produce this aromatic, slightly spicy chicken dish that leaves you wanting more.
- 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or 12 boneless chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp oil (for skillet)
- 1-1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
- 3/4 cup canned coconut milk
- 12 leaves fresh basil
- 1 large or 2 small jalapeños, seeds removed
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 inch slice of fresh ginger
- 1-1/2 tsp salt
- 1-1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp packed brown sugar, or coconut palm sugar
- 2 limes cut into wedges, for garnish
- Add marinade ingredients to food processor and purée until smooth.
Arrange chicken parts in a single layer in a large freezer bag. Pour marinade over chicken, seal tightly or vacuum seal and massage the marinade into the chicken a bit. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours, or simply lay it flat in the freezer and freeze for another day.
When ready to cook, thaw completely. The safest way to thaw is in the refrigerator overnight.
To bake: Preheat oven to 375F. Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium to high heat. Add oil and wait until it ripples or shimmers. Add chicken pieces and sear on each side for 3-4 minutes, then place skillet in oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Cover with foil and let stand on a platter for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- If you want to grill it instead: Place chicken on medium-hot well-oiled grill. Turn when chicken has grill marks (approx. 5-6 min). Cook until internal temperature is 165 degrees at the thickest part (about 7-8 minutes).
- Sprinkle with more chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
More Thai Inspiration!
Slow Cooker Thai Mango Chicken
Super Crunchy Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce
Easy Thai Chicken Skewers
Healthy Open Face Thai Chicken Burgers
Lorena Haller says
OMG! This was DELICIOUS!!! So much flavor!! Super easy to make! I only marinated for 2 hours and it was so flavorful! My husband said that this was the best chicken dish I’ve ever made! 🙂
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Lorena,
Oh, I’m so glad you liked it. We love it too and I make it often. Thanks so much for your feedback. Comments like yours make my day!
Anne says
Hi Elaine: I made this recipe last night and my family gobbled it up! It’s so easy and absolutely delicious. This is definitely a keeper. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing your recipe.
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Anne,
That’s so great that your family loved it. I love how easy it is too! I really appreciate you letting me know. Happy cooking!
Karma Kilps says
I made this last night with only a couple substitutions. I added Turmeric and I didn;t have fresh cilantro so I used Coriander Chutney! I also added fresh lime and lemon juice. So gooood! Thanks for a new fave recipe.
Flavour & Savour says
Karma, I love your substitutions! Coriander Chutney is something I must try!
Leslie says
Not the best question, but could I substitute parsley or another herb for cilantro? I’m a cilantro hater, but would love to try this recipe without losing too much flavour.
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Leslie,
I know there are lots of people who really have an aversion to cilantro. I don’t think it would be a problem at all to leave it out as there will still be so much flavour from the other ingredients like garlic, ginger and lime. Try it! Thanks for your idea!
Leslie says
No cilantro and still so tasty! I bought very thin breast filets by mistake, so I actually rolled them and cooked in the oven the whole time. They were great. But I’ll try searing next time!
Flavour & Savour says
What a creative solution, Leslie! I’m glad the adaptations you made worked so well for you. I love hearing how others change and adapt my recipes. Happy cooking!
Molly says
This sounds amazing! What do you suggest serving this with?
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Molly,
I usually serve this with my Thai Coconut Rice and stir-fried vegetables or fresh salads made with whatever is in season at the time. We really love this dish! I hope you do too.
Rosalyn says
This was so flavorful and tender, I couldn’t believe it! I knew the recipe would be too much for just my husband and I, so I split it into two freezer bags to be used on those days after work where I’m feeling too tired for a complicated meal. This was so easy! I just made one bag tonight and it is now my favorite chicken recipe. Thank you for posting this!
Flavour & Savour says
Thanks Rosalyn! We love this chicken dish too. It’s definitely one of our favourites. And there is no better feeling than coming home tired and remembering you have something delicious in the freezer! Thanks for your comment.
Celeste says
Hi Elaine,
I saw this recipe and I desire to make it. The only problem is that I have skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs. Do you think this recipe would work at 400 degrees for 40 minutes? Or would the milk scorch? Have you tried substituting?
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Celeste. Skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs work well with this recipe. After you sear them on the stove top, bake them at 375 degrees. They will take 30 – 40 minutes depending on their size. Enjoy! Thanks for your question, as it helps my other readers, too!
Khadijah says
What kind of canned coconut milk did you use? Low fat or regular? Thanks!
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Khadijah,
I use the full-fat coconut milk. It should be fine with the low-fat coconut milk, but I’ve never tried it myself. I hope you like this recipe as much as we do! Thanks for your question.
Lynn says
I’ve made this 3 times, soo good!..Froze the last batch, excellent.!!!
Flavour & Savour says
Thanks, Lynn!
Susan DeWalt says
The only problem with this recipe is the temptation to make it too often. It is so easy and really delicious. I serve it with coconut rice and a green veggie on the side. Love it!
Flavour & Savour says
That made me laugh–but it’s so true! Thanks for commenting!
Colleen Schneider says
Wonderful, easy recipe. We thoroughly enjoyed this flavorful dish. We will definitely make again!
Flavour & Savour says
Thanks Colleen,
It’s a favourite of ours too. So easy! I often make a double batch and freeze half of it with the sauce. Thanks for commenting!
Sophia says
Hi there!
Just curious to see what kind of basil did you use? I have regular sweet basil and I have Thai basil as well. Does it matter?
Thanks in advance!
PS. I love all your recipes 🙂
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Sophia,
I used regular sweet basil, but I’m sure Thai basil would be fine as well. Thanks for your kind words!
Mary Smith says
Do you use the marinade or throw it out? I know this is probably a dumb question but had to ask.
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Mary,
There are no dumb questions! There are probably many people who would like to ask the same one! No, I don’t re-use the marinade, as it has been in contact with raw chicken. Thanks for stopping by!
Sue says
I would use the marinade to cook rice or veggies in.
Linda says
I was wondering if you spoon on some of the marinade during the baking process? This is ok, since any bacteria will be killed in the oven.
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Linda,
I find the marinade for this is quite thick and most of it sticks to the chicken, but if you have some left in the bag, I think it would be fine to baste the chicken with it as soon as it goes in the oven, so, as you said, any possible bacteria would be killed. Hope you love it as much as we do! Here’s a coincidence: I just took a bag of it out of my freezer to pack up for our camping trip a few minutes ago, then saw your comment. Thanks for your question!
Jason says
Since I do not have an oven safe skillet, Is it possible to skip the searing on the skillet and just use a normal baking pan to bake the chicken? If so, how long do you suggest I leave the chicken in the oven for and what temperature should I use?
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Jason,
Yes, you can skip the searing and bake them in the oven. Boneless thighs cook quickly. Heat your oven to 375°F. and bake for about 20 minutes. Check with a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken has an internal temperature of 165°F. Enjoy!
Jessica says
I know this is an old post but I wanted to share what I did. 🙂 First I made this the way it’s written and the marinade is SO FRIGGIN’ GOOD that I knew I had to find other ways to use it. I made the marinade into a sauce, added ground turkey and put the whole thing over zoodles. OMG. So good and another way to use this amazing recipe! 🙂 Thank you!
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Jessica,
Oh Yum! That’s a fabulous idea! Thanks so much for sharing it with us all! Such a healthy meal and I’ll bet it tastes incredible. Must try!!
Kelvin says
Anyone tried omitting sugar?
Chloe says
I know this is an old question, but I’ve made this recipe several times. A few times I forgot the sugar. The recipe was still delicious and I honestly couldn’t tell the difference.
Flavour & Savour says
Thanks for the tip, Chloe!
Robin says
I am wondering this too. Did you try leaving the sugar out?
Connie Kim says
Hello, just a question about the nutrition. Your recipe includes a calorie count of 248 calories is that per chicken breast?
Thank you, Connie
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Connie,
The calorie count is for one chicken thigh. While you can use breasts, I calculated it on boneless, skinless thighs, as that is what is in the photo.
Sydney Elser says
I’m meat free so I switched the chicken for cauliflower and it was amazing !! I want to put this marinade on everything !
Flavour & Savour says
That’s a brilliant idea, Sydney! I’m going to try that. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Janice Clarke-Reiter says
Your instructions say, “Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium to high heat. Add oil and wait until it ripples” but I don’t see oil listed among the ingredients. Should there be a specific amount of oil or simply oil to cover the bottom of the skillet?
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Janice,
Thanks! I add just enough to make a very thin layer on the bottom of the skillet. Depending on the size of skillet you’re using, it’s usually about 1 tablespoon. Thanks for your question!
Sylvia Peach says
I don’t know what I did wrong, but this dish was just as bland as could be – so disappointed. I followed the recipe exactly, no subs. The marinade tasted great (before I added the chicken of course) so I was expectant that it would be great. However, when it cooked there were no delicious aromas wafting around and the chicken thighs had no marinade flavor at all. I’m just stumped. Only thing I can think of, is perhaps the 4 hour marinade time that I used was not enough. Yet other people have said that was enough time – makes me wonder if folks know what good food should taste like. Could an addition of a soy sauce or a vinegar might penetrate the meat better?
Thanks anyway!
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Sylvia,
How disappointing for you, especially when you read how much others have liked this recipe. The Thai flavours in this recipe are more delicate than some–lemongrass, coconut milk, cilantro and hints of ginger and jalapeño. I described this dish in the post as being “slightly spicy.” I’m so sorry it didn’t meet your expectations.
Jenn says
I don’t have an oven safe skillet is it fine to fry for a few minutes and then put the chicken onto a baking dish into the oven?
Flavour & Savour says
Hi Jenn,
Yes, definitely!
Elizabeth Parsons says
The cilantro overpowered every other flavor. I only used 3 chicken thighs and 4 wing pieces. It was sooooooo green. I think that it needed more time to sear. not sure if I will try it with the cilantro again.
Flavour & Savour says
HI Elizabeth,
Oh–that’s disappointing for you. Do you think you may have had too much marinade for the amount of chicken you used? I agree with your ideas–when you make it again, give it a little more time to sear and brown, and you can certainly reduce the amount of cilantro to your liking. Thanks for commenting.
Crissy says
This chicken was delicious! It has so much flavor, the two people who didn’t like this either have terrible taste in food or messed up a totally easy recipe, I can’t wait to make this again, I served it with cauliflower rice and salad.
Flavour & Savour says
Thanks so much, Crissy! I just made this again yesterday. That’s a great idea to serve it with cauliflower rice and salad. Fill your plate with veggies, right? Thanks for sharing!