Lime, Coconut, Curry Chicken

Yes. You take the Lime and the Coconut and stir it all up.  I know you were thinking it, and frankly I was singing it as I typed it.
This is a fantastic marinade for chicken. At first I was a little skeptical because it marinades in coconut milk but I'll tell you what...Its like chicken curry without all the soupy mess! Grill it, fry it, bake it, who cares. Just cook it and get that jazzy bit of song in your belly! I bet you money that while you are zesting your lime and have that can of coconut milk sitting next to it, you will be humming that tune just like me. (Okay I won't actually bet you money because frankly I always lose bets and don't really feel like dishing out a bunch of money to people I don't even know)
Top it off with some fresh squeezed lime juice and cilantro and you've got yourself a tangy delicious bit of chicken!


2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp oil
zest of 1 lime
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp soy sauce (For GF, just double check your brand)
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 cup coconut milk
pinch cayenne
1 small fresh hot chili, such as Thai or Serrano, minced (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh limes, cut into wedges

1. Trim fat from chicken breasts. Starting on thick side of the breasts slice the chicken breasts almost in half, then open each like a book.
2. Place each open breast between two pieces of plastic wrap, wax paper or inside a large, open, Ziploc bag.
3. Using a small heavy pan, bottle or smooth meat mallet lightly pound out each breast into even thickness.
4. Mix all remaining ingredients except fresh cilantro and limes.
5. Add chicken and marinade to a large bowl or ziploc bag and chill in the refrigerator for up to two hours.
6. Your chicken doesn't take long to cook so you can use this time to get your dishes prepped and ready.
7. Once you are ready to cook the chicken, remove each breast from the marinade.
8. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Boil continuously for at least 2 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn.
9. In a heavy skillet or grill pan, heat a splash of oil over high heat.
10. Cook the chicken in batches to prevent over crowding the pan or grill
11. Place the breasts in the hot pan and cook without turning for a couple minutes
12. Flip the breasts over and cook until the other side is golden, it shouldn't take long depending on the thickness of your chicken.

 Sprinkle with fresh lime juice and cilantro. Serve with sauce on the side.

**Randi's Side Notes**
~ Red River Diet Friends: You could totally make this! Leave out the soy sauce and the extra sugar, and make sure you use olive oil. Yes it may not taste exactly the same, but there are so many other fantastic flavors going on in the marinade that I bet it will still be great!
~ I actually didn't have any soy sauce *eyes pop out of head*(WHAT?!)...I know it was the weirdest thing I have ever experienced, I thought I was going crazy and frantically cleaned out my entire fridge, anyway, so I substituted in some teriyaki sauce I had and it was great.
~ I also grilled mine up instead of pan fried, which gave it that extra little bit of yummy goodness. I only basted the one side that hadn't been cooked yet and it had plenty of flavor.
~ I fear using to hot of peppers so I just minced up about half of a jalapeno pepper and threw that in the marinade. It was perfect, for my tastes.
~ I thought the chicken alone without the extra lime juice and cilantro was fantastic but with was also just as good. I did mine half with and half without.
~ Oh yeah, I just sliced my chicken breasts in half to create two pieces instead of butterflying them and beating them to tar.
~ The original recipe came out of a Fine Cooking magazine.