This Easy Thai Baked Chicken is a simple make-ahead meal to pop in the freezer for a busy day. It's a slightly spicy Thai chicken recipe made with coconut milk that leaves you wanting more! Paleo-friendly.
This Easy Thai Baked Chicken recipe makes a simple weeknight dinner but it's special enough for a date night or dinner party!
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 with coconut milk 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 Thai chicken recipe also makes a great meal to take camping as it can easily be grilled instead of baked. It's suitable for those on a paleo diet, too!
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
Three simple steps!
- 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.
🛒 Ingredients
You will need:
- chicken: boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- coconut milk: the canned variety, full-fat, not the beverage
- cilantro
- basil: fresh leaves. Use Thai basil if it's available
- jalapeño: 1 large or 2 small. Adjust the amount depending on how much heat you like.
- coriander: dried
- ginger: fresh
- garlic: fresh cloves
- limes
- brown sugar: or coconut sugar. A small amount of sugar is important to balance the flavours in this recipe.
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add the marinade ingredients to a food processor and purée until smooth.
- Arrange the chicken parts in a single layer in a large freezer bag. Pour the marinade sauce over the 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.
- To bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F. 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 the skillet in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes, or until it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Check the temperature with an instant-read meat thermometer.
- Cover with foil and let it stand on a platter for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
- If you want to grill it instead: Place the chicken on a medium-hot well-oiled grill. Use tongs to turn the pieces when the chicken has grill marks (approx. 5 to 6 min). Cook until the internal temperature is 165°F. at the thickest part (about 7 to 8 minutes).
- Sprinkle with more chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! It's delicious when grilled. Keep the heat to medium-low, oil the grill well before starting, and cook, turning once until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. when measured at the thickest part with an instant-read meat thermometer.
I've made this recipe with several different brands of canned coconut milk, and it has always turned out well. I use the full-fat variety. It seems to help the marinade to cling to the chicken.
Yes, you can. I've made it with bone-in, skin-on thighs. For crispy skin, I'd suggest searing the chicken parts in an ovenproof skillet first, drain the excess fat, then add the marinade and bake in the oven. Depending on the size of the chicken parts, it will take about 30-40 minutes at 375°F.
Yes, there will be enough flavour from the other spices and herbs to still keep this chicken dish full of flavour. If you wanted to garnish it, you could use a little chopped parsley instead of cilantro.
I recommend that you don't omit the sugar, it's a small amount but it's important for balancing the flavours in this recipe. If you're avoiding sugar in your diet, you can use Monkfruit sweetener instead.
🥶 Storage and Freezer Instructions
If you're not planning to use this Thai Baked Chicken right away, lay the freezer bag with the chicken and the marinade flat on a baking sheet or other flat surface and freeze it. Then it will be ready for another day or to pack for a camping trip.
Make Thai Coconut Rice (which also freezes well) to go with it. Then all you'll have to do is prepare a salad and veggies.
How easy is that?
This easy chicken dish has consistently been one of the most popular recipes on Flavour and Savour. It has lots of flavour without being overly spicy and it's quick and easy to make.
📖 Recipe Card
Easy Thai Baked Chicken
Ingredients
- 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or 12 boneless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon oil (for skillet)
Marinade
- 1-½ cups chopped fresh cilantro
- ¾ cup canned coconut milk
- 12 leaves fresh basil
- 1 large or 2 small jalapeños, seeds removed
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¼ inch slice of fresh ginger
- 1-½ teaspoon salt
- 1-½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoon packed brown sugar, or coconut palm sugar
- 2 limes cut into wedges, for garnish
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
Anita O.
I made this with bone-in, skinless thighs, and baked them for 40 minutes. I also basted the chicken a couple of times during cooking. Great flavor, moist, and convenient make-ahead! I love anything with cilantro so this is a definite make-again!
Flavour & Savour
Glad you liked it, Anita! I appreciate that you shared your adaptations. Great idea to baste the chicken, since you used skinless thighs. Thanks so much for commenting!
Colleen Burnett
This was delicious. Made marinade using half the sugar. Marinated both cauliflower and chicken thighs(separate dishes) and being lazy, skipped the frying and baked in the oven at 375 for 35 minute, 45 for the cauliflower. This is a keeper.
Flavour & Savour
Great ideas, Colleen! Thanks for sharing how you adapted the recipe. Love the idea of marinating the cauliflower too!
Sarah
Best chicken I have ever had. I burned my hand pretty badly on the pan making it. But it was OK since the meat was so tender, I only needed a fork to eat it.
Flavour & Savour
So glad you liked it, Sarah! Sorry to hear about your hand. I hope it heals soon! Thanks so much for your comment.
Joanne
Having this tonight and I can't wait. That marinade was to die for
Flavour & Savour
Thanks, Joanne! I'm glad you like it!
Liz Bayer
Do you have any advice in making this a crockpot dish?
Flavour & Savour
Hi Liz,
What a great idea! I haven't tried this, so I'd have to experiment before offering advice on how to adapt it. I do know that you'd have to thicken the sauce. When I try it, I'll post it! If you try it and have any suggestions, please share! 🙂
Diane
Not a fan of coconut milk, what could be substituted . Thanks Diane
Flavour & Savour
Hi Diane,
I suspect you could easily substitute cream successfully, or even almond milk. Let me know if you do try it, as I'm sure other readers would like to know, too!
Crissy
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
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!
Elizabeth Parsons
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
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.
Jenn
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
Hi Jenn,
Yes, definitely!
Sylvia Peach
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
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.
Sheila in MD
Hi There-
I want to try this in the next few days and was reading the comments. I see in this comment you refer to lemongrass but I don't see lemongrass as an ingredient? Should we be adding lemongrass to the marinade? Thanks!
Flavour & Savour
Hi Sheila,
Thanks for your question about adding lemongrass, and thanks for your patience when I mess up!! I must have been thinking about another Thai recipe when I replied to that comment. No, there is no lemongrass in this recipe. Hope you like it as much as we do!
Janice Clarke-Reiter
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
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!
Sydney Elser
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
That's a brilliant idea, Sydney! I'm going to try that. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Connie Kim
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
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.
Kelvin
Anyone tried omitting sugar?
Chloe
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
Thanks for the tip, Chloe!
Robin
I am wondering this too. Did you try leaving the sugar out?
Jessica
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
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!!