Ingredients
Coconut Milk Marinade
- 1 (13 ounce) can coconut milk (about 1 ½ cups)
- 3 to 4 Tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic or about 2 cloves
- 1 Tablespoon honey or coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika or smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon grated ginger or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Other Ingredients
- 1 ¼ to 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 Tablespoon avocado or coconut oil (for stovetop method)
- Optional slurry to thicken sauce – ½ Tablespoon cornstarch and ½ Tablespoon water (mixed before adding to sauce)
For Serving
- Cilantro and/or green onion, for garnishing
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare marinade: In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, lime juice, ground cumin, minced garlic, honey or coconut sugar, paprika, turmeric powder, curry powder, grated or ground ginger, black pepper, and kosher salt to create the marinade.
- Marinate chicken: Place the chicken breasts in a shallow baking dish or a large Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over them, ensuring they are well coated. Refrigerate for 3 hours or up to 24 hours to allow flavors to infuse.
- Instant Pot cooking: Place the chicken on a cooking trivet inside the Instant Pot. Pour the marinade over the chicken, close the lid and set the valve to sealing. Pressure cook on HIGH (Manual) for 10 minutes (adjust to 12-13 minutes for thicker chicken). Allow natural pressure release for 10 minutes before opening the lid.
- Rest and shred chicken: Remove chicken and let rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, make a slurry by mixing ½ Tablespoon cornstarch with ½ Tablespoon water. Press the sauté button and stir the slurry into the sauce inside the Instant Pot, scraping any brown bits. Simmer 30 seconds to 1 minute until sauce thickens, then switch to WARM mode. Shred the chicken with two forks, return it to the Instant Pot, stir to coat with sauce, and let simmer on warm for 5-10 minutes to meld flavors.
- Stovetop cooking: Heat a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil until sizzling. Remove chicken from marinade (do not overly coat) and season with salt and pepper. Sear chicken for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly browned, then remove from pan.
- Cook sauce and chicken: Pour the leftover marinade into the pan and bring it to a light boil while scraping up browned bits for about 2 minutes. Return chicken to the pan, partially cover, and cook on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until no longer pink and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing or shredding.
- Finish stovetop dish: Return sliced chicken to the pan and stir to coat in sauce. Simmer on low heat for another 5-8 minutes to deepen flavor and thicken sauce. Add slurry if needed to reach desired thickness.
- Serve: Garnish with cilantro, green onions, and lime wedges. Serve over rice, cauliflower, or your preferred vegetables. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
- You can substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for chicken breasts, adjusting cooking time as thighs are thinner.
- For a nightshade-free version, omit paprika; for AIP, omit cumin and paprika and use pink peppercorn for garnish.
- The sauce will be browner and richer when cooked on the stovetop due to searing; the Instant Pot version is milder and creamier.
- Use the optional cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce if it doesn’t reach your desired consistency.
- Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne for a spicier marinade if desired.
- Curry powder adds sweet and savory spices; turmeric adds earthiness with hints of ginger and pepper. You can omit one but increase the other to 1 teaspoon as needed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
