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Tomato Coconut Milk Chicken

A simple one-pan chicken dinner with tender chicken simmered in a creamy tomato and coconut sauce. Serve over rice for an easy, flavour-packed weeknight meal.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Fusion
Keyword chicken, rice
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 serves

Ingredients

  • 500 g chicken breast or thigh cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 brown onion diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 can 400 g diced tomatoes
  • ¼ cup chicken stock
  • 1 can 400 ml coconut milk
  • Fresh coriander or parsley to serve
  • 1 lime cut into wedges
  • 400 g cooked rice
  • 200 g green beans steamed or sautéed

Instructions

  • Place the chicken in a bowl and coat with the cumin, paprika, oregano and chilli flakes.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned on the outside. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  • Add the onion to the same pan and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
  • Pour in the chicken stock and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  • Stir in the tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Cook for 2–3 minutes.
  • Return the chicken to the pan and pour in the coconut milk. Stir to combine and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
  • Serve over cooked rice with green beans. Top with fresh coriander or parsley and a squeeze of lime.

Notes

UPF-Friendly Swaps

To keep this recipe closer to minimally processed foods, choose:
  • Coconut milk: Choose full-fat coconut milk with a short ingredient list, ideally coconut and water.
  • Diced tomatoes: Choose canned tomatoes with minimal ingredients and no added sugar, flavourings or unnecessary additives.
  • Tomato paste: Look for tomato paste made from tomatoes with no added sugar or flavourings.
  • Chicken stock: Choose a stock with a simple ingredient list, or use homemade chicken stock.
  • Rice: Plain white or brown rice is a simple minimally processed option. 
Always check ingredient labels, as brands vary.