Looking for a delicious, easy Thai-inspired chicken recipe? Try this slightly spicy Thai baked chicken marinated in coconut milk, garlic, ginger, cilantro, basil, coriander and lime! Not only is it packed with flavour, but it's also freezer-friendly, making it a perfect recipe to make ahead for busy weeknights.
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.
Jump to:
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
Easy and freezable. As much as 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.
Grill or bake! 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!
Three simple steps!
- Blend all marinade ingredients in your blender or food processor.
- Pour the marinade into a resealable bag with the chicken. Let it marinate.
- Bake it in the oven.
🛒 Ingredients
Before we get to the full recipe for Thai chicken, here are a few notes about some of the ingredients.
- 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 or up to 24 hours, or simply lay it flat in the freezer and freeze for another day. (In a hurry? You can skip the marinating time. The chicken won't be as flavourful, but it will still be delicious.)
- To bake bone-in skin-on chicken: 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.
- To bake boneless, skinless chicken parts: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the marinated chicken parts in a baking dish. Discard the remaining marinade. Bake the chicken until it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. about 25 - 30 minutes.
- Cover with foil and let the baked chicken stand on a platter for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
- To grill Thai Chicken 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 10 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. Use the full-fat variety.
Yes, you can. I've made it with bone-in, skin-on thighs. For crispy skin, sear 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 and it's important for balancing the Thai flavours in this recipe. If you're avoiding sugar in your diet, you can use Monkfruit sweetener instead.
What to serve with Thai Chicken
You'll find many starters and side dishes here on Flavour and Savour to complement this chicken with coconut milk recipe. Here are a few ideas:
- Bangkok Thai Crab Cakes with Spicy Dip: A great starter! These have all our favourite Thai flavours: sweet, salty, sour, and spicy in one little crispy bite.
- Spicy Thai Mussels: another starter, ready in 20 minutes.
- Never-Fail Thai Coconut Rice: a fragrant jasmine rice dish that pairs well with spicy Thai chicken.
- Super Crunchy Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce: fresh and flavourful!
- Thai Cucumber Salad: a crunchy side dish with cooling cucumbers to balance the slightly spicy chicken.
- Stir-Fried Vegetables - a simple and healthy way to add some greens to your meal.
- Thai-Style Coleslaw: for a crispy, crunchy side.
- Asian Pear Slaw with Ginger and Lime: a cooling, refreshing slaw.
🥶 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 on ice to grill on your next 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?
🗒 More chicken recipes to marinate and freeze
Love easy meals that you can prep, marinate and freeze? Here are a few more favourites!
This Thai baked chicken recipe 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. It was originally published in 2015. I've updated it with extra information to make it more helpful.
When you make this Thai chicken recipe, please leave a comment and a star rating below. Thanks in advance! Subscribe to my newsletter and have new recipes delivered straight to your inbox once a week.
📖 Recipe
Easy Thai Baked Chicken
Equipment
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 - ½ inch slice of fresh ginger
- 1-½ teaspoon sea 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 bone-in skin-on chicken: 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.
- To bake boneless, skinless chicken parts: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the marinated chicken parts in a baking dish. Discard the remaining marinade. Bake the chicken until it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. about 25 - 30 minutes.
- 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 7-10 minutes).
- Sprinkle with more chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Mark
I know that I am in the minority here, so perhaps I messed something up myself but I was disappointed with this recipe.
First, I didn't find that these chicken thighs tasted particularly "Thai". Reading over the ingredients, I would have expected them to, but for some reason the Thai flavor just didn't seem to come through.
The second issue I had was that the marinade seemed to make the chicken have a very soft mushy texture. I first cooked them according to the recipe and was very unhappy with the texture. Since I had marinated several servings of chicken thighs and frozen some in the marinade as the recipe suggests, I cooked my next batch on the grill hoping that the grill would give them a better texture. The outside layer had a better texture but as soon as you got past the surface you were greeted with that mushy unpleasant texture again. I have one last batch in the freezer and will probably just cut it up and use it for chicken soup. Soup is the only way I can think to use it and not have the texture be so off putting. Perhaps I did something wrong but I just can't abide by the lack of Thai flavor and the unapatizing texture of the chicken that I got by following this recipe.
Elaine
Hi Mike,
Thanks for letting me know that you were disappointed in how your chicken turned out. As you mentioned, this recipe has received a lot of 5-star reviews, so I’m sorry to hear it didn’t work for you. The only thing that I can think of that may have caused a mushy texture is the chicken parts you used. Some chicken comes packed in a combination of water and soy protein isolate which may have caused the texture you didn’t care for. My chicken recipes are all tested with fresh free-range chicken.
As far as the Thai flavour, I described it as being only “slightly spicy.”
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Su
Can I directly bake it without searing on the stove top? If yes how long should I bake it?
Elaine
Hi Su, If you're using boneless skinless chicken thighs you wouldn't have to sear them first. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F. If you use skin-on chicken parts, I think it would be more appealing to sear them before baking. Thanks for your question! Hope this helps you.
hedda
Can you partially cook the marinated chicken and then thaw and finish on a grill?
Elaine
Hi Hedda, I'm a stickler for food safety, so I'd be worried about storing partially cooked chicken. Any bacteria present would not have been destroyed. This chicken cooks quickly on a pre-heated grill, usually in about 15 minutes. Thanks for your question! I hope this helps.
Leyla
This looks so delicious! I must try , what do you think I should serve this with? I am going to give it a try!
Elaine
Hi Leyla,
I love this chicken dish! I like it with rice, especially my Never-Fail Thai Coconut Rice. Add a healthy salad or something like this Asian Pear Slaw with Ginger and Lime. Enjoy! Let me know how you like it.
Annette Young
It was delicious. I would make more marinade to have in noodles!!!
Elaine
Hi Annette, That's a great idea! Love it and going to do that next time I make this dish!
Michelle
Hi. I just prepared the marinade 2 days in advance. I got excited reading this recipe and had all the ingredients on hand. I kept the seeds in the jalapenos bc we like spicy. This marinade is amazing! I didn't realize it would be thick. After pouring it into my container I realized that this would make a terrific dip with vegetables and chips, etc. I would just add less jalapeno seeds. Will the flavor keep if I grill the chicken or do you think searing on the stove will keep the flavor better? The flavors are insane. Thank you 🙂
Elaine
Hi Michelle, So happy to hear you like this as much as I do! As far as the cooking method, I have cooked this Thai chicken in the oven, on the stovetop, on an outdoor grill and even on a small barbecue on a sailboat! It's always flavourful, no matter how I cook it. Thanks for sharing your idea to use it as a dip--must try that!
Diane S.
Absolutely delicious! I will be making this often!
Elaine
Happy to hear that, Diane. It's been a favourite with many of my readers for years! Thanks for the 5-star rating!
Stan & Lisa Marshall
I'll make it again, with some adjustments. I used hatch chilis. Two jalapenos seemed way to spicy for me!! I also added extra ginger and garlic. I used Italian basil because that was what was available fresh. Thai basil would be outstanding!
Elaine
Thanks for letting me know how you adapted this recipe so it worked for you! And thanks for taking the time to comment and rate my recipe. Much appreciated!
Lorilei
Absolutely incredible flavors. I wondered at first how it was going to turn out because it looked so green, but it was amazing. Will definitely make this again.
Elaine
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! Appreciated!
Susan
This is so easy and delicious! I've made it several times--both baking and grilling, and have to say that grilling gives the best flavor. I usually serve it with coconut rice and roasted vegetables. It's a favorite!
Elaine
Thanks Susan! So glad you liked it as much as we do! Thanks so much for commenting.
Cindy G.
Really delicious recipe! I made it as directed and added in some lime zest and juice of half a lime to the mix. This is now a new family favorite!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Cindy! Great idea to add a little lime. Thanks for sharing your idea with the rest of us!
Kat C
How far ahead can you make just the marinade? I'd like to make it and have it in the fridge ready to go for later in the week when I decide to make the dish, which sound delicious!
Flavour & Savour
Hi Kat, This is a great recipe to make ahead. You can make the marinade ahead of time. As long as it's refrigerated, it should last 3 days or so. I often make the marinade, add fresh chicken and freeze the chicken right in the marinade. Enjoy! This is a really popular recipe.
Kat C
Thank you for your reply, I don't have any room in my freezer right now! Will make the marinade today and report back after baking or grilling the chicken. My mouth is watering!
Flavour & Savour
I know the feeling about having a full freezer, especially at this time of year when there are so many berries to save for the winter. Not complaining, however!!
Tabby
Made this last night and it was awesome!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks for letting me know, Tabby! Glad you liked it. We love this one, too!
Diana
Loved this! I read all the comments, and decided to make it just as written. We will be having this regularly!! So delicious.
Flavour & Savour
It's consistently one of the most popular recipes here on the blog. Glad you liked it too, Diana!
Robin
I was unable to get boneless chicken thighs....any thoughts on adjustments to time/temperature?
Flavour & Savour
Hi Robin,
Sear them as in the recipe instructions, then bake for about 30 minutes at 375°F. or until a meat thermometer reads at least 165°F. Enjoy!
Kia
Hello
I used boneless skinless chicken thighs. The chicken came out amazing! The only problem I had was I did not get any char on the chicken breast when I seared them. I used a cast iron skillet. Maybe I could have broiled the chicken in the oven the last 2 minutes of cooking ? Any tips for the next time ? Thank you so much
Flavour & Savour
Hi Kia,
Great to hear this turned out so well for you. Yes, broiling for a couple of minutes at the end would help develop some colour, or searing in your cast iron skillet on a higher heat might help too. Hope these tips help you!
Angela
I made this for my son last night along with the Thai coconut rice and some steam/roasted squash/zucchini/asparagus/red bell pepper and made a crunchy thai salad with peanut dressing. I did use the lime in the marinade, rather than serving on the side. He and I enjoyed it very much. This recipe is a keeper! Thanks.
Flavour & Savour
Glad you loved it, Angela! It sounds like you made a fabulous meal! Thanks so much for sharing your ideas!
Wendy
Read all the reviews, including the less favorable ones. So - just to be safe, made the recipe exactly as it reads, but added a heaping tablespoon of chili paste to,the marinade for so extra heat and spice. Shall I just say - perfection....!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Wendy! Extra heat is always good!
Floyde Dehanne
Made this in my Ninja foodi using the grill rack and air cooking attachment as opposed to using the grill in sweltering summer heat (used the air cooking attachment NOT pressure lid lol) and that chicken was perfectly seared and bursting with awesomeness, in fact, by the end of the dinner party I had over 5 phone numbers in my pocket and 3 other date requests in vm lol. Try it you WONT regret it!
Karin
Definitely recommend grilling this instead of baking. The charring you get from the grill takes the chicken to a whole new level!
Ashley
I LOVE this recipe! I am a huge fan of a local Thai restaurant - I used to go there one a week and always order the Thai BBQ Chicken! This recipe was just incredible and I was so proud of my self for making something comparable that I can have whenever I want! I did not put the lime or jalapeños - but I did add a tiny bit of turmeric and some some soy sauce the second time I made it and it was just amazing! The third time I added an organic powder curry blend from my local coop along with the other things I listed and it was so delicious! There are so many ways to be creative with this recipe and I am just ecstatic to have found it! I am a cilantro lover and couldn’t get enough! I also once added double the garlic, some chives, crushed peanuts and I dipped it in a Thai chili sauce! (I just can’t get enough- I freeze with the base recipe and add when making it what I feel like at the moment)! I usually make it with white jasmine rice and broccoli and it is just so perfect! Also, I did not have any way of processing the ingredients so I just chopped them up fine and it worked beautifully! Thank you so much for doing this! I am so happy to have found your recipe!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks so much, Ashley. And thanks for sharing the ways you have adapted my recipe, too! I'm going to have to try some of your ideas myself. Thanks for commenting!
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! 🙂