This dump-and-start Instant Pot Coconut Lime Chicken is a citrusy and creamy dish with tropical vibes. The tender chicken pairs beautifully with fluffy coconut rice, which can be cooked simultaneously using the pot-in-pot method. It's a comforting one-pot meal perfect for busy weeknights.

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This easy, one-pan coconut lime chicken is a regular in my home, especially for weeknight dinners. It's a hands-off recipe that prepares chicken, sauce, and the rice in the same pot - the Instant Pot!
And while that's cooking, I prepare an easy side dish, such as air-fried broccoli or air-fryer roasted carrots, and dinner comes together with very little effort.
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Easy 'Dump and Go' recipe- no sautéing needed!
- It can be prepared with pot-in-pot rice in the Instant Pot for an easy one-pot meal.
- Great for leftovers and freezer-friendly recipe! The chicken stays moist due to the sauce.
- It's gluten-free and dairy-free.
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
Here are the ingredients you need to make this delicious lime and coconut chicken in the Instant Pot with pot-in-pot rice:

Marinade for Chicken
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breast works best for this recipe since it's easy to cut into thin slices. To ensure even cooking, ensure the breasts are approximately the same size and thickness. You can also make this recipe with boneless, skinless thighs if you like.
- Coconut Milk: I recommend using the full-fat version for a creamy sauce. However, you can use reduced-fat coconut milk if you like.
- Aromatics: The base flavors of the sauce are formed by fresh ginger-garlic paste, soy sauce, and salt.
- Spices: coriander powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, and ground black pepper (or white pepper powder) add flavor and a little heat.
- Sugar and Lime: Brown Sugar (or palm sugar), lime Juice, and zest balance the spices and give this sauce a vibrant finish.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro leaves make a colorful garnish and a fresh herby finish to the dish. Alternatively, use fresh Italian parsley.
Coconut Rice
- Rice: Use basmati or jasmine, or any comparable long-grain rice. Rinse 2-3 times to remove excess starch, then soak for 20 minutes to achieve a fluffy texture.
- Coconut milk: Use either full-fat or reduced-fat coconut milk.
- Water and salt.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.

How To Make Coconut Lime Chicken in Instant Pot
Here are the step-by-step instructions and photos for the coconut lime chicken recipe:
- Make diagonal slits across the chicken breasts so they can absorb the marinade flavors.
- Prepare the marinade by combining all the ingredients listed under "Marinade for Chicken."
- Add chicken to the marinade and toss to coat well. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
- If making rice, rinse it 2-3 times until the water runs clear, then soak it for 15-20 minutes. After that, combine the rinsed and drained rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a small oven-safe bowl.

- When ready to cook, plug the Instant Pot in. Pour the chicken with the marinade into the pot.
- Place the trivet in the center of the steel pot, over the chicken.
- Place the rice container on top. Skip this step if you are not making rice.
- Close the lid and set the valve to the sealing position. Set the Manual or Pressure Cook Function for 8 minutes at high pressure (adjust to 10 minutes for thicker chicken breasts). Once the cooking time is done, wait 10 minutes, then release the remaining pressure manually. Open the lid when the pin drops.

- Remove the rice container and gently fluff the rice using a fork.
- Remove chicken breast and let them rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
- Slice the chicken breast at a 45-degree angle.
- Thicken the sauce to your desired consistency by simmering it on SAUTE mode for 3-5 minutes.

Serving Suggestion
Serve the chicken in a bowl or on a plate. Spoon a few tablespoons of the coconut sauce over the sliced chicken and enjoy it with fluffy coconut rice.
Add a vegetable side dish like roasted broccoli, air-fried carrots, or steamed asparagus for a wholesome meal.

Try a Variation
Here are some of my tried and tested variations that are just as easy to make:
- Add Vegetables: Include vegetables such as bell peppers, mushrooms, snap peas, or zucchini. Add them after pressure cooking and sauté for a few minutes until tender to maintain a slight crunch.
- Low-Carb Option: Skip the white rice and serve the chicken over cilantro lime cauliflower rice or steamed broccoli.
- Make it spicy: Add extra chili flakes or a splash of hot sauce.
How to Store, Freeze & Meal Prep
Store leftover Coconut Lime Chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
For meal prep, divide the chicken and rice into portioned containers for easy grab-and-go meals. Reheat in the microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute, adding a splash of water.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Chicken breast vs. Thighs: You can use either in this recipe. Please use boneless, skinless chicken. If your chicken breasts are thicker than 1 inch, increase the pressure cooking time to 10 minutes. If using Chicken thighs, reduce the pressure cooking time to 6 minutes.
- Coconut Milk: Use full-fat coconut milk for a creamy sauce. If you use light coconut milk, please know that the sauce will be runny.
- Marination: 15-20 minutes is a good time for the chicken to absorb the marinade flavors. If you have the time, you can leave it in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.
- Score the chicken: For even cooking, use chicken breasts that are consistent in size.
- How to check if the chicken is cooked: Always verify with a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken. Chicken is cooked if the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Thicker sauce option - If the sauce is too thin, simmer it for a few minutes on SAUTE mode, or mix in a cornstarch slurry and sauté for a few minutes until thickened.
- Coconut Rice: This recipe offers the option to make pot-in-pot coconut rice, creating a one-pot meal. It is an optional step, though.
More Recipes Using Coconut Milk
📖 Recipe

Coconut Lime Chicken (With Coconut Rice in Instant Pot)
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Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast (about 3-4) or 4 chicken thighs, fat trimmed
Marinade for Chicken
- 1 cup full-fat Coconut Milk adjust for cooker size
- 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 2-3 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste 3 cloves garlic + ½ inch ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt adjust based on soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon ground Black Pepper or white pepper powder
- 2 teaspoons Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar or palm sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1 small lime Juice and zest
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro for garnish
Coconut Rice
- 1 cup basmati or jasmine rice rinsed 2-3 times, soaked for 20 minutes
- 1 cup coconut milk full-fat or low-fat
- ¼ cup water
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Instant Pot Coconut Lime Chicken
- Make diagonal slits across the chicken breasts so they can absorb the marinade flavors. Prepare the marinade by combining all the ingredients listed under "Marinade for Chicken."
- Add chicken to the marinade and toss to coat well. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
- If making rice, rinse it 2-3 times until the water runs clear, then soak it for 15-20 minutes. After that, combine the rinsed and drained rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a small oven-safe bowl.
- When ready to cook, plug in the instant pot. Pour in the chicken with marinade into the pot.
- Place the trivet in the center of the steel pot, over the chicken. Place the rice container on top. Skip this step if you are not making rice.
- Close the lid and set the valve to the sealing position. Set the Manual or Pressure Cook Function for 8 minutes at high pressure (adjust to 10 minutes for thicker chicken breasts). Once the cooking time is done, wait 10 minutes, then release the remaining pressure manually. Open the lid when the pin drops.
- Remove the rice container and gently fluff the rice using a fork. Remove chicken breast and let them rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
- Slice the chicken breast at a 45-degree angle. Thicken the sauce to your desired consistency by simmering it on SAUTE mode for 3-5 minutes.
- Serve the chicken in a bowl or on a plate. Spoon a few tablespoons of the coconut sauce over the sliced chicken and enjoy it with fluffy coconut rice.
Alternate Cooking Method: Stovetop Recipe
- Heat a heavy bottom pan on medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the chicken along with the marinade. When the mixture starts bubbling, reduce the heat to medium, cover it, and cook it for around 15-20 minutes or until the chicken cooks through (Internal temperature > 165℉).
- Remove the chicken and keep aside. Continue to cook the sauce, uncovered, and reduce it to your desired consistency.
Notes
- Chicken breast vs. Thighs: You can use either in this recipe. Please use boneless, skinless chicken. If your chicken breasts are thicker than 1 inch, increase the pressure cooking time to 10 minutes. If using Chicken thighs, reduce the pressure cooking time to 6 minutes.
- Coconut Milk: Use full-fat coconut milk for a creamy sauce. If you use light coconut milk, please know that the sauce will be runny.
- Marination: 15-20 minutes is a good time for the chicken to absorb the marinade flavors. If you have the time, you can leave it in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.
- Score the chicken: For even cooking, use chicken breasts that are consistent in size. Score the chicken, which means, make 2-3 slits diagonally across the chicken breast for the marinade flavors to get absorbed.
- How to check if the chicken is cooked: Always verify with a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken. Chicken is cooked if the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Coconut rice: This recipe gives you the option to make pot-in-pot coconut rice to make a one-pot meal. It is an optional step though.
- Thicker sauce option - If the sauce is too thin, simmer it for a few minutes on SAUTE mode, or, mix in a cornstarch slurry and sauté for a few minutes until thickened.














Alice says
What a clever instant pot hack! I will definitely try this soon!
Aneesha says
Awesome, hope you enjoy it. I have many curry with PIP rice recipes on the blog, you might want to check those out too. Many listed here: https://spicecravings.com/pot-in-pot-pip-instant-pot-pressure-cooker-method
Jeni says
Easy & delicious. My first attempt cooking rice in my IP, first time using coconut milk in rice, AND first time using the PIP method. Worked beautifully (although the rice looked odd pre-fluffing, was cooked perfectly). This recipe was worth printing for the favorites binder! Thank you ????
Aneesha says
Hi Jeni, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, and even more glad that you nailed your first PIP meal, it is such a timesaver! Thanks for sharing your feedback, I hope you enjoy more recipes from the blog!
Alexandra says
Was looking for a quick dinner using my chicken thighs and coconut milk. This was an A+ and definitely will be adding it to my recipe book. Only tweak was using a sugar substitute as we can’t have sugar right now. Still turned out awesome! Thank you! I’ll be checking out some more of your recipes ????
Aneesha says
Hi Alexandra, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. It's on repeat in my home 🙂 Thanks for stopping by to comment, I appreciate it. I can't wait for you to try more recipes. Thanks again!
Kathleen Sullivan says
Is the coconut milk canned or in a carton?
aneeshasg says
Hi Kathleen, I use canned coconut milk. I like a brand called 'chaokoh'. It's very creamy, which adds to the flavor of this dish. Hope you enjoy this chicken!
Jennifer Marsden says
I have tried to find the re iOS for coconut beets but no luck. Is it still to be done?
aneeshasg says
Hi Jennifer, I'll post the recipe this week and update the post. Thanks, Aneesha
Jennifer says
Thank you Aneeshasg, the chicken was delicious.
aneeshasg says
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the chicken. I'm sure you'll enjoy the beets too. Thanks for sharing your experience!
aneeshasg says
Hi Jennifer, I've updated the recipe for Beet Coconut Stir Fry! Sorry it took long, but hopefully you'll love the taste!
http://spicecravings.com/beet-coconut-stir-fry-beetroot-thoran