Lemongrass and Coconut Milk Braised Chicken
Photography by Josh Griggs.
Packed with aromatic herbs, this Southeast Asian–style braised chicken gives you tender, succulent meat. Serve with hot cooked rice or noodles and steamed Asian greens.
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
1 fresh chicken, butterflied
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4cm piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, halved
1 stalk lemongrass, bruised with the back of a large knife
6 double kaffir lime leaves
2 long red chillies, halved, seeds removed
400ml tin coconut milk
2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
2 tablespoons fish sauce
sea salt and ground pepper
To serve
lime wedges
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 150°C fan bake.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the coconut oil in a large sauté pan and brown the chicken on all sides until golden. Place in a large roasting dish.
Add the onion, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and the chillies to the pan and cook gently for 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk, tamarind and the fish sauce, then bring to the boil.
Pour over the chicken and distribute the aromatics evenly around the chicken.
Cook, uncovered, for 1 hour or until the chicken is fully cooked, basting the chicken with the pan juices a couple of times
during cooking.
To serve: Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the chicken when serving. Serves 4–6.
Cooks note: To butterfly the chicken, cut down either side of the backbone with a pair of kitchen scissors and discard. Snip through the wishbone and press down on the chicken breast so it lies flat. Cut off the wingtips.

Keep up to date with
dish weekly recipes,
food news, and events.
latest issue:
Issue #120
As the days become shorter, and the nights cooler, the latest issue is perfectly timed to deliver delicious autumn dishes. From recipes using fresh seasonal produce such as feijoas and apples, to spectacular soothing soups and super-quick after-work meals in our Food Fast section, we’ve got you covered. With Easter on the horizon, we feature recipes that will see you through breakfast, lunch and dinner over a leisurely weekend holiday, and whip up chocolatey baking treats sure to please. We round up delicious dinners for two and showcase a hot new Korean cookbook before heading south to Dunedin to check out all that’s new in food and dining.The latest issue of dish is on sale NOW at all good bookstores and supermarkets – don’t miss it!