Grilled Lime Coconut Chicken with Coconut Rice

I've been wanting to try this recipe for some time and finally got around to it this past weekend.  The chicken turned out super moist and flavorful and it pairs so nicely with the coconut rice.  I only have brown rice on hand these days but it was worth Ben's late night trip to the store for Jasmine rice to make this.  This recipe was one of the most popular recipes on Mel's food blog during 2013.

Grilled Lime Coconut Chicken with Coconut Rice 

Chicken Marinade/Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons oil
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk, light or regular
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (see note above)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Fresh limes, cut into wedges

Coconut Rice:

• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1 cup canned coconut milk, light or regular
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. In a large liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the oil, lime zest, lime juice, cumin, coriander, soy sauce, salt, sugar, curry powder, coconut milk, and cayenne pepper. Place the chicken in a large ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.  (I actually marinaded over night and it was delicious.)
2. For the coconut rice, bring the rice, coconut milk, water and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-16 minutes until the liquid is mostly evaporated. remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork and serving.
3. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill (see note above if not grilling) to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side (actual time will depend on the thickness of the chicken). While the chicken is cooking, pour the marinade into a small or medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  
4. Place the grilled chicken on a serving platter or plate. Drizzle with sauce (reserve the remaining sauce to serve separately) and sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top. Serve with lime wedges and additional sauce. 

**Since my husband said it was too cold to grill and my broiler pan wasn't large enough for all the chicken, I cooked the chicken with the sauce in my electric skillet.  It worked great.

Toffee Brownie Trifle

I love trifles for feeding a crowd.  This recipe called for cake-like brownies but the next time I make it I'll make them the regular way, with only two eggs instead of three.  The pudding combo was yummy (I used cheesecake and white chocolate) and you can never go wrong with toffee bits and mini chocolate chips.

Toffee Brownie Trifle

1 package brownie mix, prepared according to package directions (13 x 9 pan size)
2 1/2 cups cold milk
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant cheesecake or vanilla pudding mix
1 package (3.3 ounces) instant white chocolate pudding mix
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed (I used 8 oz. heavy whipping cream, whipped with 1/3 c. powdered sugar.)
2 to 3 Heath candy bars (1.4 ounces each), chopped (Toffee baking bits and chocolate chips work great too!)

1.  In a large bowl, beat milk and pudding mixes on low speed for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in whipped topping. 
2.  Cut the brownies into 1-in. cubes; place half in a 3-qt. glass trifle bowl or serving dish. Cover with half of the pudding. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with chopped candy bars. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 16 servings.  

Oatmeal Coconut Chewies

These little cookies are a perfect blend of oatmeal and coconut and my favorite part about them - they're soft!  I say a person can't ever have too many cookie recipes.

Oatmeal Coconut Chewies

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour (If you live at a high altitude like I do, you may want to add an extra 1/2 cup of flour for a slightly puffier cookie.)
1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
1 cup quick oats

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl cream together the sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a greased or lined (silpat or parchment) baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the cookies are set but not overly browned.