Cilantro and Lime Chicken, a Family Favorite

My wife has a couple of favorites that she reminds me about on occasion. This recipe is one that comes up a lot. The best part is it is very simple; though, it does require a few ingredients I don't usually have readily available (lime, fresh ginger and fresh cilantro.) You can also make it in a large batch and freeze a few servings, just double or triple everything in the recipe.

The flavors are rather complex in this dish and you definitely want to measure, especially the lime juice as you don't want it to become too acidic. Also, make sure you use fresh ginger. Since there are so few flavors in the dish, every flavor needs to stand out, requiring everything to be fresh. You can't shortcut with dried cilantro or jared ginger.

Cilantro and Lime Chicken

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

2/3 cup coconut milk
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
4 chicken breast fillets, boneless, skinless, cut into strips
Plain flour, for coating
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish

1. Whisk together the coconut milk, stock, lime juice, and ginger. Lightly coat the chicken with flour

2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Add the coconut cream mixture to the pan and bring to the boil. Cook for 5 minutes, or until reduced by half and thickened slightly. Tip: If not thick enough, mix a small amount of cornstarch and water together and add a couple tablespoons to the mixture to thicken.

3. Return the chicken to the pan, add the cilantro and simmer for 1 minute to heat the chicken through. Poor mixture over rice and sprinkle with a garnish of cilantro leaves.