Thai Roast Chicken Thighs with Coconut Rice

Thai Roast Chicken Thighs with Coconut Rice was a winner. We (especially me) loved the crispy skin. I know it is bad for me, but what the hell! The Coconut Rice was especially good, using Coconut Milk. This is a very good dish, you should make it. We should make Coconut Rice with other dishes. It is good and I like the texture.

We started with a Persimmon Salad with Pomegranate Seeds and Speck. The Persimmons came from one neighbor, the Pomegranate from another. It was very nice of them to share with us.

Thai Roast Chicken Thighs with Coconut Rice

Bon Appetit

 

Chicken thighs marinated in coconut milk, lime juice, and fish sauce give this one-skillet meal plenty of umami. Lining the skillet with cabbage wedges allows them to catch every drop of the rich juices as they become melt-in-your-mouth tender. While the chicken roasts, there is plenty of time to make fragrant rice with the leftover coconut milk and slices of ginger. This dish was inspired by the rotisserie chicken from the now closed Uncle Boon’s, one of my favorite restaurants in New York. They had it on rotating spits with heads of cabbage to catch all the juices. This at home version with thighs is a more approachable way to highlight all those good flavors.

 

Ingredients

4 servings

Zest and juice of 1 lime

1"    piece ginger, peeled, finely grated, plus 3 peeled slices

2      garlic cloves, finely chopped

⅓     cup coconut palm sugar or (packed) light brown sugar

¼     cup fish sauce

1      13.5-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk, divided

2      Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

2      tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more

2      lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (4–6)

½     medium head of green cabbage, stem trimmed, sliced into 1"-thick wedges

½     tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more

1      cup white jasmine rice, rinsed until water runs clear

Cilantro leaves with tender stems and lime wedges (for serving)

 

 

Preparations

1.    Whisk lime zest and juice, grated ginger, garlic, coconut palm sugar, fish sauce, ½ cup coconut milk, 2 Tbsp. oil, 2 tsp. pepper in a large bowl to combine. Set ¼ cup marinade aside for serving. Place chicken in remaining marinade and toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

2.    Preheat oven to 400°. Generously brush cabbage wedges on both sides with oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange, a cut side down, in a medium cast-iron skillet. Remove chicken from marinade and set, skin side up, on top of cabbage; season with salt and pepper. Roast 35 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450° and continue to roast, rotating pan halfway through, until chicken thighs are browned and crispy, 5–7 minutes more.

3.    Meanwhile, bring rice, ginger slices, remaining 1 cup coconut milk, remaining ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed, 15–20 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Fish out and discard ginger slices. Re-cover pan and let rice sit until ready to serve. 

4.    Arrange chicken on a platter; drizzle with reserved marinade and top with cilantro leaves. Serve with coconut rice and lime wedges for squeezing over.