Coconut-Cilantro Chicken and Rice

By Kiano Moju

Published August 5, 2025

  • Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1½ hours
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1¼ hours
Rating
5(570)
Comments
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The hero of chicken and rice is usually chicken — but in this recipe, it’s the rice. This creamy, almost risotto-like rice cooks in a bright, herby spinach and coconut broth, forming a vibrant bed for the warmly spiced chicken. As the chicken roasts, the rendered fat releases into the rice, adding rich flavor. The frozen peas are added at the very end to preserve their color and add a bit of freshness to balance the flavors. Feel free to adjust the amount of lime juice you stir in at the end, and garnish with as much sliced chile and torn cilantro as you like.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (5 or 6 thighs) 

  • 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk, divided

  • 3 teaspoons garam masala, divided

  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

  • 5 ounces baby spinach

  • 4 scallions, roughly chopped

  • 1 large bunch cilantro, a few sprigs reserved for garnish

  • 1 serrano chile, stemmed, plus more sliced chile if desired for garnish

  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee, plus more as needed

  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced 

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

  • 1 ½ cups white jasmine rice

  • 1 cup (5 ounces) frozen peas (optional), set aside to thaw

  • 1 lime, halved, plus wedges for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

49 grams carbs; 173 milligrams cholesterol; 776 calories; 16 grams monosaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 21 grams saturated fat; 49 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 990 milligrams sodium; 37 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Arrange a rack in the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    In a medium bowl, combine the chicken with ⅓ cup coconut milk, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat and set aside to marinate.

  3. Step 3

    In a blender, combine the spinach, scallions, cilantro and serrano chile. Pour in the chicken broth and remaining coconut milk and blend until smooth. Season the spinach purée to taste with salt and set aside.

  4. Step 4

    Heat a large (12-inch) ovenproof skillet or wide braising pan with a lid over medium-high. Once hot, add the olive oil and arrange the chicken in a single layer, skin side down. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the skin on the bottom is a deep golden brown. Turn and cook for another 3 minutes, until the chicken is lightly browned and releases easily from the pan. Set chicken aside on a plate, skin side up.

  5. Step 5

    Lower the heat to medium. If the pan looks dry, add more oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic, ginger and remaining 2 teaspoons garam masala. Cook, stirring constantly to make sure the garlic and spices don't burn, until garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir until the rice turns opaque, 2 minutes more.

  6. Step 6

    Pour in the spinach purée, scraping the bottom of the pan with your cooking spoon to release any browned bits. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Turn off the heat and arrange the chicken in the pan, skin side up (along with any accumulated juices). Place a piece of foil on top, then cover the pan with a lid, transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.

  7. Step 7

    Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the chicken to a plate. Add the thawed peas (if using) and the juice of half the lime. Taste, adding more salt and lime juice if needed, and fluff the rice with a fork. Cover the pan and let steam for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, place the chicken on a sheet pan under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes to crisp up the skin.

  8. Step 8

    Serve chicken and rice straight from the pan, garnished with lime wedges and more cilantro leaves.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
570 user ratings
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Comments

MaryBH

Made this as written except used frozen spinach and skipped peas and lime at the end. The kiddos were meh, but I thought it was rich and delicious. Perfect for an unusually cool rainy August day in NC when I needed some comfort food.

Miss the Redbird

No. You add uncooked rice in Step 5 and saute it a bit. In the following step, you add the liquids to the pan and cover tightly before baking. The rice absorbs the liquids and softens as it bakes. (Not sure what the role is for the piece of foil over the top, my guess is to help seal in the steam. I'd skip it if you have a tight-fitting pot lid that'll stay put.)

Kmk

First day back to school dinner and a big hit. Went heavier on ginger and garlic and glad we did. Teen comment “this has taste of the world in it”. Will be on rotation.

Isobel

I messed up in *so* many ways cooking this, yet the flavors were still on point! I accidentally got skinless, boneless chicken thighs. Then I forgot my blender was broken, so I had to improvise. Instead of blending the greens into the sauce, I sauteed the pepper alongside the garlic and ginger, cooked the rice in just the coconut milk and broth, and folded heaping amounts of cilantro and scallions into the cooked rice before fluffing and steaming it. The chicken was tender and the rice was still flavorful!

Ninette

Massively modified this one - with incredible results. My husband said if I didn't stop him he would eat the whole thing. I didn't have spinach, so only used the coconut milk and broth. I added a lot of mushrooms, onions and baby bok choy that was getting ready to go bad in the fridge. I didn't bake it, only left it on the stove. And my chicken was cubed not whole. I have no idea how it would brown by sauteing it after being soaked the coconut milk. It was amazing. Loved the flavor.

Chris

For the rice alone, this shows me a method for a rice side that can be adapted to other recipes.

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