If you’re looking for an easy, one-pot chicken dinner look no further than this Coconut Lime Chicken. This Caribbean-inspired meal the entire family will love! Serve it over cauliflower rice and it’s a weeknight hero.
Table of Contents
One-Skillet AIP Chicken
This is a super healthy, easy-to-whip-up recipe! It’s savory, tangy, and beautifully saucy. I love using boneless skinless chicken thighs for it, but the chicken breast will work too. Fewer dishes are a win for me. While the chicken cooks, I steam a bag of cauliflower rice, and boom! Dinner is ready to serve in 30 minutes. When you’re eating AIP it feels like you’re always cooking. That’s what happens when you can’t really grab and go meals. Easy but really tasty recipes like this one make it so much easier.
If you’re asking, what is AIP? It’s an autoimmune paleo elimination protocol. One I use to help manage my autoimmune disease and keep it in remission. You can read more about it here.
About the Ingredients
Other than being a one-pot recipe, this Coconut Lime Chicken has less than 10 ingredients! Boneless skinless chicken thighs are a wonderful alternative to breasts. Not only are they more affordable, but they’re fattier so they cook up tender. The sweet red onion plays wonderfully off of the tangy lime and the coconut cream brings it all together. A truly cohesive one-pot meal that is so easy to make but tastes like a restaurant dish.
Step by Step for Coconut Lime Chicken
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use 3-4 chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. Sear for 5 minutes each side before braising.
No, sweet onion or Vidalia onion will work too.
Sure! You could also use orange. Any citrus will work!
Then you can use my dairy-free cashew cream or cauliflower cream depending on your needs. Check out my dairy-free cream 3 ways post here.
The skillet in the images is my 15′ Lodge Cast Iron skillet. I use castiron for most of my cooking. Check out my Cast Iron Care video here. 
I like serving it over cauliflower rice to soak up the sauce. Some roasted green veggies like asparagus which cook quickly pair nicely too. 
Looking for more free recipes?
Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest for all of the latest updates.
Coconut Lime Chicken
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Caribbean
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Caribbean-inspired key lime chicken that’s super healthy and easy to make!
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, more as needed
- 6 chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup canned coconut cream
- 1/2 cup bone broth
- 1 lime zested
- 2 limes, juiced
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. While it comes to temperature slice your onion. Melt the coconut oil in the skillet and add in the onion. Saute until tender.
- While the onion cooks, pat your chicken dry and season with salt and oregano.
- When the onion is tender, move it aside, add more oil to the skillet if needed and out the chicken thighs in the skillet so they are laying flat. Put the onion on top of them.
- Sear for 4 minutes each side. Then add in the lime zest, then the lime juice, broth and coconut cream. Mix up.
- Use tongs to accommodate everything in the skillet, so your chicken has full contact with the bottom of the skillet and is surrounded by sauce and onions. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and lower the heat to simmer. Cook here for 15 minutes.
- Open the lid, if you want less sauce, bring up the heat and reduce it for a few minutes. Garnish with cilantro and lime slices. Dig in!
Recipe Notes:
- This recipe was updated with fresh pictures 2/2021, the original post was from 2015
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 thighs with sauce
- Calories: 372.2
- Fat: 18.6g
- Carbohydrates: 6.9g
- Fiber: 0.7g
- Protein: 41.5g
Tina says
We made the coconut lime chicken today. Wow it was delicious so easy to make and so yummy
Cristina Curp, FNTP says
yeayyyy thank you!
Julia V. Hilts says
Hi,
We absolutely love all of your recipes! I have both cookbooks and use them almost every night. You are really amazing with your creativity!
I just wanted to make sure that I use Oregano. I am asking just because in the photo it looks like something different and I didn’t want to mess up your recipe.
Tracey A. says
This dish is delicious and easy. It has quickly become a part of the rotation of favorite meals in our house. Even my Kindergartner loves it.
Cristina Curp, FNTP says
Yeahhh thank you!!!
Katherine Hambey says
Absolutely delicious! Can’t rave enough about this recipe! Have made it many times since you first published. My boyfriend and parents also completely love it. The chicken is so tender and the flavor combo is fantastic and yet easy to prepare. Passed it on to my best friend (now one of his favorites too) Have made it with cauliflower rice, your whipped cauliflower and even with the sheet pan Brussels sprouts. 10 out of 10!
Cristina Curp, FNTP says
Thank you so much!
WarmSocks says
This was amazing! So quick and easy to make.
I accidentally grabbed coconut milk instead of coconut cream, and it worked just fine. I’ll definitely be making this again.
Deb says
Picture #8 says juice 2 lines. Pic #10 says add lemon juice. (?) I want to make this recipe this weekend and I’m just looking for clarification.
Cristina Curp, FNTP says
It’s limes, and lime juice 🙂
Meaghan says
This was delicious tasting and so simple. Thank you for creating!!
Cristina says
Thank you!
Mom2one says
Looks so good! Could I just use water in place of the broth? I know broth is good for healing the gut, but I suffer from MCAS and broth causes bad hives for me. 🙁
Cristina says
You could use water, but if you have veggie broth that would work great too!
Sarah L. says
By coconut fat, are you referring to coconut oil? coconut butter? coconut cream? Thanks!
Matthew Barnard says
Wow! This can be one particular of the most useful blogs We’ve ever arrive across on this subject. Basically Magnificent. I am also a specialist in this topic therefore I can understand your effort.