Grilled Chicken Thighs with Coconut Chili Lime Sauce
These Grilled Chicken Thighs with Coconut Chili Lime Sauce come together quickly and are loaded with fresh, vibrant FABULOUS flavor! The delicious sauce is used for basting and as a finishing sauce.
Ingredients
For the rub:
- 1 ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For the chicken:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
For the coconut chili lime sauce:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 medium cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemongrass or lemongrass paste
- 13.5 ounces coconut milk 1 can
- 1-2 teaspoons fresh lime juice start with 1
- ½-1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce start with ½
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For grilling:
- ½ cup Coconut Chili Lime Sauce from above recipe
Instructions
For the rub:
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Combine the brown sugar, coriander, garlic salt, paprika, oregano, chili powder, onion powder and pepper in a small bowl and stir to mix everything well. Add the olive oil and stir until combined.
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Trim any excess fat from the thighs and lay them out onto a flat work surface (I like to do this on a large sheet of parchment paper spread out on my kitchen counter.) Divide the rub between the thighs and rub it into both sides with your hands, making sure to get the rub into all the little cracks and crevices on the undersides of the thighs. Refrigerate the thighs for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
For the Coconut Chili Lime Sauce:
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In a medium-size saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter is bubbling a bit. Add the garlic, ginger, brown sugar, tomato paste and lemongrass. Bring the mixture to a simmer then reduce the heat a bit to maintain a low simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
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Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the lime juice, chili garlic sauce and salt. Taste and add more chili garlic sauce, if desired. Cover and set aside till ready to serve. (If making in advance, allow the sauce to cool for 20-25 minutes then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. The sauce can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.)
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Just before grilling, remove ½ cup of the sauce to a cup or bowl for grilling. Reserve the remainder for serving with the chicken.
For grilling:
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Grill chicken over a medium-hot grill, turning occasionally until golden on both sides. Once golden brown, use a brush and begin basting the chicken with the coconut chili lime sauce, turning the thighs every 1-2 minutes and brushing with more sauce until the thighs are deep golden brown and have some nice charred spots. You may have a small amount of the basting sauce leftover but try to use as much as you can. Remove the chicken to a clean plate or cutting board and tent it with foil for 10 minutes before slicing. (I like to slice the thighs about a half-inch thick on a bit of an angle for a pretty presentation.) Serve drizzled with sauce. Serve any extra sauce at the table.
Recipe Notes
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.
If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn’t have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.