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Coconut Milk–Braised Chicken Legs

4.5

(74)

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Photo by Marcus Nilsson, Food Styling by Frances Boswell, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson

No searing, no chopping, one baking dish. And if you don’t have ginger, garlic, and lemongrass on hand, a combination of any two will be plenty to make this chicken over-the-top delicious in about an hour. You can find curry paste in the Asian aisle at most grocery stores or at an Asian market; we recommend any from Maesri.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    2 servings

Ingredients

1

cup unsweetened coconut milk

1

Tbsp. Thai curry paste

1

lemongrass stalk, tough outer layer removed, lightly crushed

1

1" piece ginger, peeled, smashed

4

garlic cloves, peeled, smashed

2

chicken legs (thigh and drumstick; about 1½ lb. total)

Kosher salt

Toasted unsweetened coconut flakes, cilantro leaves with tender stems, cooked rice, and lime wedges (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place a rack in top third of oven; preheat to 400°. Stir coconut milk and curry paste in a 2-qt. baking dish to combine (or, use a medium skillet if that’s what you’ve got). Add lemongrass, ginger, and garlic. Season chicken with salt (hold back a bit since curry pastes often have a lot of salt). Place in baking dish and spoon some liquid over. Bake, occasionally spooning liquid over, until chicken is browned, tender, and cooked throughout (the joint should be reasonably easy to flex), 60–75 minutes.

    Step 2

    Divide chicken between plates. Top with coconut flakes and cilantro. Serve with rice and lime wedges alongside.

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Reviews (74)

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  • I have made this countless times. It is always delicious and everyone I have served it to, has loved it. Sometimes (depends on the pan I use), the sauce all evaporates and I am left with a lot of oil (from the chicken skin), and a thick residue (from the coconut milk). If I see that happening, I just add a little water. Just pour it in the pan...not on the chicken. The skin is crisp, the sauce is delicious and tastes great on the chicken and basmatic rice. Add some peas and its a complete meal. Five stars for sure!!!

    • Cappuccine

    • Charleston, SC

    • 1/25/2023

  • I've made this recipe several times to rave reviews. And it's scaleable so make more than you think you will need as folks will ask for seconds. (also you can use boneless skinless thighs -- won't crisp but take less time.) I mistakenly used double the amount of curry paste the first time which was delicious for me as I like spicy -- but a little too much for others so agree with the commenter who recommended tasting the sauce before you put in the chicken and adjusting.

    • Anna

    • Washington DC

    • 10/4/2021

  • one of our favorite recipes! shockingly easy to make, especially if you're able to find squeezable lemongrass, garlic, and ginger. make sure to baste with sauce at least 3 times.

    • ABG

    • Virginia

    • 9/14/2021

  • Very low maintenance and flavorful recipe! Great for a weeknight meal! I followed the recipe, and its important to put the chicken on the upper racks of your oven so it's closer to the heating coils, and have enough space between the chicken to get the darkening and crisping of the skin. Don't overcrowd the pan! I ended up dunking the chicken pieces in the Coconut Milk/Thai Red Curry Paste/Lemongrass/Ginger/Garlic mixture, then basted them every 30 mins in the oven. If you want to get a little fancy, you can also reduce the remaining basting liquid into a sauce.

    • Jose Rizal

    • Nashville, TN

    • 7/2/2021

  • Excellent recipe! I used the extra curry paste left over from the Chicken Khao Soi (another really good recipe) and it turned out great. Would definitely make again!

    • Miyuki Hamakawa

    • Vancouver, BC

    • 3/30/2021

  • Great meal for anyone on a cut. About 300–350 calories per serving, mostly fat and brotein.

    • 420AbsolutelyJackedAndEngorgedMember69

    • Hell

    • 1/22/2021

  • I've made this about a dozen times in the past six months and each time I'm shocked by how quick and simple it is to put together and how big the payoff is. I've started adding a can of chickpeas in too, just for something extra. Pair it with roasted (nearly burnt) broccoli, and dinner is done. Thanks BA.

    • Charla M

    • Sarasota, FL

    • 12/17/2020