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Basil Chicken in Coconut Sauce

5 from 1 vote
Bree HesterBy Bree Hester
Bree Hester
Bree Hester Founder of Baked Bree

Bree Hester is the recipe developer, writer and food photographer behind Baked Bree. She started Baked Bree in February 2010 as a love letter to anyone that has ever come to her house for a meal. O…

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I have a confession. I over-served basil chicken in coconut sauce last night. That is what I am going to keep telling myself anyway. I have a wee bit of a headache.

Basil Chicken in Coconut Sauce served with white rice, red onions, and fresh basil.

I have a confession. I over-served basil chicken in coconut sauce last night. That is what I am going to keep telling myself anyway. I have a wee bit of a headache. Wes and I finally found a babysitter (always the hardest part of a move!) and went out to dinner with my brother and his girlfriend. We had a great time, and watched football at a fun bar in Bethesda. Who played? I couldn’t tell you. I was too busy people-watching and drinking beers. I love the aluminum bottles. And let me tell you, the people-watching was fabulous. I would bet that there are few Redskins fans feeling a lot worse than I do right about now. How do you treat a hangover? What is your remedy?

This is the first time in many, many years that we live near our family and I love it so much. Just this week, I got to take pictures of my newest nephew and have dinner with my brother. I have seen my family more in the last month than in the last 5 years combined. It makes my heart so happy.

How sweet is he?

Ingredients for Basil Chicken in Coconut Sauce: chicken breast, red onion, jalapeno, ginger, basil, coconut milk, cornstarch, and spices.

Please do not let the length of the ingredients list scare you from making this recipe. It is mostly spices. And there is a good chance that you have them in your cabinet already. Recipes like these are great for actually using some of the spices that are hiding out in your cabinet. If you do not have all of the spices, you can also use some curry powder. I was rather surprised at how much my family enjoyed this dinner. They can be hard to impress these days. But the boys loved it and cleaned their plates. I think that we tend to avoid strong flavors with children, but mine seem to like some spice. There is not a lot of heat in this recipe, so please feel free to add more if you would like.

Ingredients for Basil Chicken in Coconut Sauce: diced red onion, minced garlic, diced jalapenos, and grated fresh ginger.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 red onion chopped
  • 1-2 jalapenos depending on your taste, seeded and chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 14-ounce can of coconut milk
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 3 Tablespoons fresh basil
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger
  • cooked rice
Basil Chicken in Coconut Sauce served with white rice, red onions, and fresh basil.

How to Make Basil Chicken in Coconut Sauce

Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the spices. Add the chicken pieces to a large plastic bag and sprinkle the spice mixture over. Toss so the spices cover all of the chicken. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. You could also do this early in the day and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to cook.

Step 2: Dice the onion, garlic, and jalapenos. Grate the ginger and set aside.

Step 3: Cook the onions, garlic, and jalapeno in a large saute pan with one tablespoon of olive oil. Cook for 2 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Transfer the mixture to a plate.

Step 4: Add more olive oil if needed, and cook half of the chicken until brown on both sides. Take out of the pan and cook the other half.

Step 5: Mix coconut milk and cornstarch.

Step 6: Add the coconut milk to the pan and cook until it begins to thicken. Make sure that it comes up to a bubble.

Step 7: Add the chicken and vegetables back to the pan, adding the basil and ginger. Check for seasoning, add more salt and pepper as needed.

Step 8: Serve with rice and additional basil. Lime wedges would also be great, but I did not have any. This recipe is from BHG.

Basil Chicken in Coconut Sauce served with white rice, red onions, and fresh basil.

Basil Chicken in Coconut Sauce

Bree Hester
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Main Course
Cuisine Thai-Inspired
Servings 4
Calories 394 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 red onion chopped
  • 1-2 jalapenos depending on your taste, seeded and chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 14-ounce can coconut milk
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 3 Tablespoons fresh basil
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger
  • 4 cups cooked rice

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, combine the spices. Add the chicken pieces to a large plastic bag and sprinkle the spice mixture over. Toss so the spices cover all of the chicken. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. You could also do this early in the day and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to cook.
    Chicken and spices in a bag for Basil Chicken.
  • Dice the onion, garlic, and jalapenos. Grate the ginger and set aside.
    Ingredients for Basil Chicken in Coconut Sauce: diced red onion, minced garlic, diced jalapenos, and grated fresh ginger.
  • Cook the onions, garlic, and jalapeno in a large saute pan with one tablespoon of olive oil. Cook for 2 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Transfer the mixture to a plate.
    Cooking diced red onions, garlic, and jalapenos in a pan for Basil Chicken in Coconut Sauce.
  • Add more olive oil if needed, and cook half of the chicken until brown on both sides. Take out of the pan and cook the other half.
    Sautéed chicken pieces cooking in a frying pan on stovetop.
  • Mix coconut milk and cornstarch.
    Mixing cornstarch into coconut milk for Basil Chicken in Coconut Sauce.
  • Add the coconut milk to the pan and cook until it begins to thicken. Make sure that it comes up to a bubble.
    Cooking coconut milk in a pan until it begins to thicken for Basil Chicken in Coconut Sauce.
  • Add the chicken and vegetables back to the pan, adding the basil and ginger. Check for seasoning, add more salt and pepper as needed.
    Adding fresh basil and ginger to basil chicken in coconut sauce.
  • Serve with rice and additional basil. Lime wedges would also be great, but I did not have any. This recipe is from BHG.
    Basil Chicken in Coconut Sauce served with white rice, red onions, and fresh basil.

Nutrition

Calories: 394kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 29gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 430mgFiber: 2g
Keyword basil chicken recipe., chicken curry with rice, chicken in coconut milk, chicken in coconut sauce, coconut chicken curry, easy chicken dinne, hai-inspired chicken, spicy chicken curry, Thai chicken recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

About Bree HesterRecipe Developer, Food Photographer And Writer

Bree Hester is the recipe developer, writer and food photographer behind Baked Bree. She started Baked Bree in February 2010 as a love letter to anyone that has ever come to her house for a meal. Over the years it has evolved into so much more than that. While Bree may have hung up her apron for the last time, the reins have now been passed over to a passionate team of foodies.

Reader Interactions

Published: Jan 15, 2024 | Updated: May 7, 2026
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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