Ina Garten Indonesian Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken roasted with coconut milk, fragrant spices, and lime for a vibrant, aromatic dish.
# What you'll need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
02 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks
→ Marinade
03 - 1 (13.5 fl oz) can coconut milk
04 - 2 tablespoons tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
06 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
09 - 2 teaspoons ground coriander
10 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - ½ teaspoon chili flakes, adjust to taste
13 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
14 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ For Serving
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - Lime wedges
17 - Steamed jasmine or basmati rice
# How to make it:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, tamari, lime juice, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, ground coriander, turmeric, cumin, chili flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper until fully combined and smooth.
02 - Add the chicken thighs and drumsticks to the marinade, turning each piece to coat thoroughly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for the most developed flavor.
03 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or prepare a large roasting pan. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off excess, and arrange the pieces in a single layer. Reserve the remaining marinade for basting.
04 - Roast the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes, basting with the reserved marinade halfway through cooking, until the skin is golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest part of each piece.
05 - Switch the oven to broil for the final 2 to 3 minutes to crisp the skin, watching carefully to prevent burning.
06 - Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Serve hot alongside steamed jasmine or basmati rice.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The coconut milk marinade works like magic, keeping every piece of chicken incredibly moist while building layers of flavor that taste like you spent all day cooking.
- It looks impressive enough for a dinner party but honestly comes together with pantry spices and one pan, which is my favorite kind of deception.
02 -
- If you skip the overnight marinade and only give it two hours, the chicken will still be good but it will not have that deep, permeating flavor that makes people ask for the recipe, so plan ahead if you can.
- The broiler is ruthless and unforgiving, and I have ruined more batches than I care to admit by walking away for what felt like thirty seconds, so treat those final minutes like a staring contest you intend to win.
03 -
- Pull the chicken from the refrigerator 20 minutes before it goes into the oven so it roasts evenly instead of cooking cold in the center and overdone at the edges, which is a mistake that took me an embarrassingly long time to correct.
- If you want the skin to go from good to extraordinary, pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels before arranging it on the pan because excess moisture is the enemy of crispiness no matter how hot your broiler gets.