Start by making sure all of your ingredients are ready. Mise en place is key. Make sure your chicken has been cut, the limes have been juiced, and everything has been measured.

Now, heat up your cast iron pan to medium high heat. Wait for 5 minutes to make sure it is fully heated up. Add a bit of oil to the pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then add to the pan. Sear for 4 minutes before flipping over. Sear for another 4 minutes and remove from the pan and place on a plate.

Now lower the heat to medium. Add a bit of oil, the onion, garlic, ginger, and a tsp of salt. Stir occasionally and cook for 5 minutes until the ingredients brown and the onion becomes translucent.

Next, deglaze the pan by adding the chicken stock and scraping up the browned bits in the pan. Then add the coconut cream, lime, coriander, thyme, allspice, bay leaves, bell pepper, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is mixed together.

Once the liquid comes to a light simmer, reduce heat slightly and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the chicken and any juices that have pooled on the plate back to the pan. Be careful not to overlap if you can.

Continue to simmer with the chicken for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. 165°F is what were aiming for.

A food thermometer is a necessity in any kitchen, professional or not. Nobody should eat an undercooked piece of chicken. And I know we all worry about cooking chicken all the way without drying it out. So do yourself a favor and, if you don’t have one already, go out and buy a food thermometer right now.

Now, remove the chicken from the pan and place on a new plate. Do not use the plate from before! That chicken was not cooked all the way! Then taste your sauce and add additional salt if you think it is needed.

To serve, simply spoon the sauce over the top of the chicken and enjoy! I prefer some good coconut cilantro rice. It keeps the delicious rich coconut flavors going while adding a fresh pop of herby goodness.