ALMOND BUTTER SAUCE WITH COCONUT

This creamy almond butter sauce with coconut is bursting with flavors! Combined with the juicy chicken thighs...it's oh! so good.

This almond butter sauce is the perfect sauce for chicken, vegetables, and pasta. The pairing possibilities for this coconut cream sauce are endless.

Why you should make this recipe

It's aromatic and tasty

One-pan dish

It comes together fairly quickly

Parts of the recipe can be made ahead of time

It pairs well with other dishes

It's a good substitute for peanut sauce

It is an easy freezer meal and would make for a brilliant gift to new moms or a sick friend.

Ingredients

The main ingredients for this coconut sauce are

• Chicken: skin-on chicken thigh is always my first option for sauces, whether it be bone-in or boneless. The dark meat has more fat and retains more moisture yielding a juicier protein. If you are worried about the fat content, which in my opinion isn't that much, you can always discard the skin after cooking. If your preference is chicken breast, by all means, use it. Make sure to marinate it ahead of time.
• Coconut Milk: NOT coconut cream or the coconut dairy milk in cartons found in the non-dairy section. Use the full-fat unsweetened canned milk. I swear by the Thai kitchen brand. (affiliate link)
• Almond butter: creamy smooth almond butter, preferably unsweetened. I love this MaraNatha brand. The almond butter doubles up as a thickener alongside the coconut milk.
• Tomato paste: this is what gives the almond sauce the beautiful reddish hue.
• Peppers: I used a combination of sweet peppers and green pepper. Red bell peppers are equally fine.
• Spices: cayenne, ginger, and cumin give the coconut milk sauce a distinct flavor.

How to make it

Start by making the marinade.

First season the chicken thighs with salt.

Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl, then massage all over the chicken. Cover in a bowl or ziplock bag. Allow to marinate for a few hours or overnight.

• Heat a heavy-duty pan on the stove, and sear the marinated chicken. Transfer into the oven.
• Make the sauce by sauteeing the onion, garlic, peppers, and tomato paste. Add coconut milk, almond, and more liquid. Add the chicken, then simmer until the sauce thickens. Serve over rice, noodles, quinoa, or couscous, or soak up the chicken sauce with some bread.

Cook's tip

• Transfer the chicken into a casserole dish or baking pan before placing it in the oven if you don't have an oven-safe skillet.
• I used tomato paste to marinate the chicken to give it an extra kick. Feel free to modify the marinade as you wish, but I suggest leaving the sauce as is. I often place an "optional" wording beside an ingredient that won't alter the taste of the food if you leave it out, so keep an eye out.
• Tent the chicken loosely with aluminum foil while you prepare the sauce to avoid it from drying out.

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Variation/Substitutes

• Animal protein: if you are a seafood lover, use shrimp in the coconut sauce instead of chicken. Steak, fish, or tofu (for vegetarians) are great options.
• Vegetables: basically, I used what I had on hand. Feel free to add your favorite vegetables, but avoid overcooking them. Harder vegetables take longer to cook, so keep that in mind.
• Nut butter: Peanut butter sauce is a great option. Other nut butter to play around with are coconut butter (tropical overload!), cashew butter, or pumpkin butter.
• Greens: Add greens like kale, spinach, collard green, or swiss chard. Add it towards the end of cooking time to retain the nutrients and the luscious color.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

PEACE & LOVE

Maureen

Maureen

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