Oh yes – one pot chicken and coconut rice flavored with garlic, ginger, shallot and cilantro! Served with nut-free satay sauce and easy green beans for a full meal!

I shared earlier this week with my Chicken and Rice Meatballs that chicken and rice is a comfort food for me. Apparently, I need lots of comfort this week since this is my second recipe featuring this food combination. You’ll love this gluten-free and nut-free family-friendly Chicken and Coconut Rice with blanched green beans and nut-free satay.

To create a flavorful base, I pulse shallot, garlic, ginger and cilantro in a food processor. Then I sauteed this flavorful mixture in olive oil and butter until fragrant. The chicken thighs are browned in the same pot and then the rice, coconut milk and water are added for a hands-off stovetop cooking.

While the chicken and rice cook, I blanch the green beans in salted water and then toss with some of the set aside shallot mixture. The whole meal comes together with a delicious and simple nut-free satay sauce made with sunbutter instead of peanut or almond butter!

Lastly, this makes an excellent make ahead dish. It can be easily doubled to serve 6 hungry adults (or make 6 generous servings for leftovers).

INGREDIENTS IN PEANUT-FREE SATAY SAUCE:

• Lightly sweetened Sunbutter (sunflower seed butter): I use this one.

• Coconut aminos: I find Big Tree Farm’s coconut aminos the most similar to soy sauce in thickness, flavor and sweetness.

• Coconut or rice vinegar: Coconut vinegar has a bright fermented taste while rice vinegar is a bit more mild.

• Sesame oil: A little goes a long way with sesame oil. If you want more of a sesame taste, add one drop at a time.

• Hot water: You’ll make use of the leftover hot water from blanching the green beans. It helps thin out the sauce!

If you want to substitute the lightly sweetened Sunbutter, you can use cashew or almond butter with 2 teaspoons of honey stirred in. If you prefer a lime-flavored satay sauce, you can replace the vinegar with lime juice. The sesame oil is key for an authentic taste, so I don’t recommend eliminating it.

HOW TO MAKE ONE-POT CHICKEN AND RICE:

1. Make a flavorful base first. Pulse together cilantro, shallot, garlic, ginger and salt in a food processor. Saute in olive oil and butter until fragrant.

2. Add the chicken thighs to the pot. Brown on each side for a few minutes, scraping up the shallot base so it doesn’t stick and burn.

3. Stir in the uncooked organic white rice, coconut milk and water or broth. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to medium-low and cover with a lid.

4. Cook the rice and chicken for 25 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, give it a good stir and add another cup of water or broth.

5. Chicken and rice is done when the liquid has been absorbed, the rice is no longer crunchy and the chicken is tender.

Chicken and Coconut Rice with Nut-Free Satay Sauce

★★★★★ 4.5 from 6 reviews

• Author: Alaena Haber
• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 35 min
• Total Time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients

Chicken and Coconut Rice

• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs (about 6 thighs)
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
• 1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup broth or water, divided
• 1/2 lime, juice only
• chopped cilantro, for serving

Green Beans

• 1 cup water
• 1 pound green beans, trimmed
• 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

Satay Sauce

• 2 tablespoons lightly sweetened Sunbutter
• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
• 2 tablespoons hot water (set aside from the blanched green beans)
• 1 teaspoon coconut vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

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Instructions

1. In a food processor, pulse the shallot, cilantro, garlic, ginger and salt until finely chopped. Set aside two tablespoons of this mixture for the green beans. 
2. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the remainder of the shallot mixture and saute, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes until fragrant. 
3. Add the chicken thighs to the pot and stir to combine with the shallot mixture. Brown the thighs on each side for 3 minutes. Season with cracked pepper. 
4. Stir in the uncooked rice and  add the coconut milk and 1/2 cup water or broth. Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover with a fitted lid. 
5. Set a timer for 25 minutes. Halfway through the timer (around the 12-minute mark), stir the chicken and rice, scraping up any browned bits. Add the remaining 1/2 cup water or broth. Cover and continue to cook for the remainder of the time until the liquid has absorbed and the rice is cooked. Stir in the lime juice.
6. Meanwhile, cook the green beans. Bring 1 cup of salted water to a low boil in a shallow sauce pan fitted with a lid. Add the green beans, cover and cook for 3 minutes until crisp-tender. Don’t toss the hot water – you’ll need it for the sauce!
7. Transfer green beans to a bowl and toss with the sesame oil and the 2 tablespoons of shallot mixture you set aside. Keep warm.
8. Make the satay sauce by whisking together all ingredients in a small bowl. 
9. Once the chicken and rice is done, serve with the green beans , chopped cilantro and a generous drizzle of the satay sauce. 

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