Go Back
+ servings
Chicken thighs with coconut milk and corn topped with fresh cilantro and lime wedges in a blue dish with a wooden spoon in it.

Chicken Thighs with Coconut Milk Creamed Corn, Green Chiles, and Cilantro

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Fusion
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose
Keyword: chicken with coconut milk
Prep Time: 10 minutes
35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 990kcal
Fresh, sweet, corn off the cob is the perfect addition to chicken with coconut milk in this twist on creamed corn. It's an easy, one pan recipe with just a few ingredients!
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 8 Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 6 ears corn on the cob
  • 13.5 oz full-fat coconut milk (one can)
  • 2 Serrano chiles
  • 2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 lime plus more for serving
  • fresh cilantro
  • kosher salt and cracked black pepper

Instructions

  • Remove the ribs and seeds from the chiles, (If desired. Leave them in if you want it spicier) then finely dice them and set aside. Grate the fresh ginger and garlic cloves and set aside.
  • Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large deep non-stick skillet or casserole pan over medium high and add all 8 chicken thighs, skin side down. Cook chicken thighs skin side down for 10-15 minutes, until the skin is brown and crispy. Flip over and cook for another 5 - 7 minutes until cooked through. (You can do this in two batches if you prefer. The thighs may be crowded at first, but they will cook down.)
  • While the chicken cooks, slice the kernels off the corn cobs. To do this, stand the ear upright over a kitchen towel. Start at the end of the knife closest to your hand and let the full length of the blade slide down the cob moving toward the point. If you try to go straight down you'll get a lot of resistance. Pick up the towel and tip the corn kernels into a bowl.
  • Now hold the cobs over the bowl and using the back of your knife, scrape down the cob to release the juices and get the last bits of corn kernel out.
  • When the chicken has cooked through, remove it to a plate. Over medium high heat, add the ginger, garlic and chiles and stir into the fat until they release their aromas, about 1 minute.
  • Add the corn kernels to the pan, and cook for about 3 - 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt.
  • Add the coconut milk to the pan and bring to a boil for 5 minutes until the mixture reduces slightly.
  • Turn the heat down to medium, add the chicken thighs back to the pan and cook for about 5 - 7 minutes until the thighs are heated through. Transfer chicken thighs to four serving plates.
  • Squeeze the juice of one lime into the coconut milk creamed corn and stir, then taste and season with more salt if needed. Divide the corn among the serving plates with the chicken and top with cilantro. Serve with extra lime wedges.

Notes

  • I tested this recipe in both my Lodge enamel cast iron casserole pan, and my Anolon 12-inch non-stick skillet. Both worked well. I preferred the wider casserole pan because the coconut milk cooked down more quickly. Just be aware when cooking on enamel surfaces, the chicken skin can stick more easily, so keep an eye on this so you don't lose all of that crispy skin to the surface of the pan. 
  • Scraping down the cobs with the back of a chef's knife gets all of the juices remaining in the cobs into your coconut milk liquid for maximum creamed corn flavor. It's like you're making corn stock without making corn stock! 
  • Finely grating the ginger and garlic with a Microplane grater ensures that they just melt into and permeate the sauce. Otherwise you'll end up having little chunks of them in there which takes away from the sauce's creamy texture. 
 
 
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure policy here.
Disclosure: I am a member of the Lodge Blogger Network, the enamel casserole pan was provided to me free of charge. All opinions are my own.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 990kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 71g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Cholesterol: 283mg | Sodium: 264mg | Potassium: 1342mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 593IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 6mg