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Spicy Brazilian Coconut Chicken pieces in a creamy, orange-hued coconut sauce topped with sliced red chili peppers and fresh cilantro, served alongside white rice.

Spicy Brazilian Coconut Chicken

Tender Spicy Brazilian Coconut Chicken thighs simmered in a spicy coconut sauce with peppers, tomatoes, and lime. Inspired by Brazilian moqueca, creamy, tangy, and aromatic, served over rice for a one-pot meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Simmer 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Brazilian, Seafood-Inspired, South American
Calories: 510
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb chicken thighs - boneless skinless, cut into chunks
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil - for browning chicken
  • 1 large onion - diced
  • 1 red bell pepper - sliced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper - sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic - minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt - to taste
  • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper -to taste
  • 1 can 14 oz coconut milk - full-fat
  • 1 can 14 oz diced tomatoes - with juice
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste - for richness
  • 2-3 fresh chili peppers - sliced jalapeño or serrano
  • 1 teaspoon paprika - smoked or regular
  • 1 teaspoon cumin - ground
  • 0.5 teaspoon turmeric - ground
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger - grated
  • 2 lime juice
  • 1 lime zest
  • 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro - chopped for garnish
  • 2 cups cooked white rice - for serving
  • extra lime wedges - optional for serving
  • hot sauce - optional for extra heat

Equipment

  • 1 Large deep skillet or Dutch oven (With lid, for simmering chicken)
  • 1 Sharp knife (For chopping chicken and vegetables)
  • 1 Cutting board (For prep)
  • 1 Wooden Spoon (For stirring sauce)
  • 1 Measuring cups and spoons (For accuracy)
  • 1 Can opener (For coconut milk and tomatoes)

Method
 

  1. Season chicken chunks with salt and pepper, then brown in olive oil 3-4 minutes per side; remove to plate.
    Crispy, golden-brown chicken thighs seared in a pan, glistening with oil and sprinkled with coarse black pepper and salt.
  2. Cook diced onion 4-5 minutes, then add bell peppers, garlic, and ginger, cooking until aromatic.
  3. Stir tomato paste into vegetables, then add diced tomatoes, coconut milk, chili peppers, paprika, cumin, and turmeric; mix well.
  4. Return chicken to pan, bring to boil, reduce to low, and simmer 25-30 minutes until tender; stir occasionally.
  5. Turn off heat, stir in lime juice and zest, garnish with cilantro, and serve hot over rice with lime wedges.
    A bowl of spicy chicken in a rich red sauce served with white rice and garnished with fresh chopped cilantro and a lime wedge.

Nutrition

Serving: 350gCalories: 510kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 36gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 25gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 520mgPotassium: 980mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2500IUVitamin C: 70mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 4mg

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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