One-pan Thai coconut chicken and vegetable bake is a colourful sheet-pan dinner with almost no cleanup. Chicken cubes marinate in rich coconut cream and red curry paste, roll in shredded coconut for a crispy crust, and roast alongside summer squash and butternut squash. Fresh herbs, lime, and cauliflower rice make it a complete meal.
The Easiest, Most Flavorful Sheet Pan Dinner!
Tired of weeknight dinner dilemmas and a mountain of dishes? This One-Pan Thai Coconut Chicken & Vegetable Bake is your delicious solution. Imagine tender, juicy chicken pieces marinated in a rich coconut red curry sauce, then coated in shredded coconut for an unbelievably crispy crust. Roasted alongside a colorful medley of summer squash and butternut squash, it’s a complete, flavor-packed meal that comes together on a single sheet pan. It’s the kind of vibrant, satisfying dinner that looks impressive but is secretly so simple to make. Serve it over a fluffy bed of cauliflower rice for a healthy, low-carb feast the whole family will crave!
Ingredients
• For the Thai Coconut Chicken
• 1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast or 2 thighs, about 14 oz / 400 g, cut into 1-inch / 2.5-cm cubes
• 6 oz / 170 g coconut cream
• 2 tablespoons all-natural Thai red curry paste
• ½ cup / 40 g (1.41 oz) unsweetened shredded coconut
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• For the Roasted Vegetables
• 1 large yellow zucchini or summer squash, cut into ½-inch / 1.25-cm dice
• 1 large zucchini, cut into ½-inch / 1.25-cm dice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup / 140 g (4.9 oz) peeled and cubed butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 1 fl oz) all-natural Thai red curry paste
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• For Garnish & Serving
• 1 handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 1 fl oz) unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 limes, halved or quartered
• 1 batch Simple Cauliflower “Rice”, for serving
Instructions
1. How to Make One-Pan Thai Coconut Chicken
2. Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl, combine the chicken cubes, coconut cream, and 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 1 fl oz) of curry paste. Stir well to coat, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. Prep the oven and pan: Preheat your oven to 400°F / 205°C. Lightly grease a large sheet pan with coconut oil or use a nonstick pan.
4. Roast the vegetables: On the sheet pan, toss the yellow zucchini, zucchini, garlic, and butternut squash with olive oil, the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 1 fl oz) of curry paste, salt, and pepper. Spread into an even layer and bake for 15 minutes.
5. Coat the chicken: While the vegetables are roasting, remove the marinated chicken from the bowl, letting any excess marinade drip off. Roll each piece in the ½ cup of shredded coconut until fully coated.
6. Combine and bake: Remove the sheet pan from the oven. Arrange the coconut-crusted chicken pieces among the vegetables. Drizzle the chicken with the melted coconut oil. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
7. Garnish and serve: Remove the pan from the oven. Garnish generously with fresh cilantro, basil, and the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 1 fl oz) of shredded coconut. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side and a big bowl of cauliflower rice.
Nutritional Information
• Estimated per serving (without cauliflower rice)
• Calories: 450 kcal
• Protein: 30 g
• Fat: 32 g
• Carbohydrates: 12 g
• Fiber: 5 g
• Net Carbs: 7 g (0.25 oz)
Pro Tips
• For extra flavor and juiciness, use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts. Their higher fat content keeps them incredibly tender during roasting.
• To ensure the chicken gets a crispy crust, shake off any excess marinade before rolling it in the shredded coconut. Spacing the chicken pieces out on the pan also helps them brown instead of steam.
• Don’t skip the marinating time! Allowing the chicken to sit for at least one hour is key to tenderizing the meat and infusing it with that rich coconut curry flavor.
• Feel free to swap the squash with other hearty vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli florets, or red onion. Just be sure to cut them into similar-sized pieces for even cooking.
FAQ
Q: Can I use other vegetables in this Thai coconut chicken recipe
A: Yes, you can easily swap the squash with other hearty vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli florets, or red onion. For best results, cut them into similar-sized pieces to ensure they cook evenly with the chicken.
Q: How do I get the chicken crispy
A: To get a crispy crust, shake off any excess marinade from the chicken before rolling it in the shredded coconut. It’s also important to space the chicken pieces out on the sheet pan so they can brown properly instead of steaming.
Q: Is this sheet pan Thai chicken recipe low-carb
A: Yes, this recipe is low-carb, with an estimated 7 grams (0.25 oz) of net carbs per serving. Serving it over cauliflower rice makes it a complete and satisfying low-carb meal.
Q: What kind of chicken is best for this recipe
A: You can use either boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs. The recipe recommends using chicken thighs for extra flavor and juiciness, as their higher fat content keeps them incredibly tender during roasting.
Pro Tips
- Don't skip the 1-hour marinade — it tenderises the chicken and carries the coconut curry flavour deep into the meat.
- Shake off the excess marinade before rolling the chicken in shredded coconut, and space the pieces out on the pan so the crust browns instead of steaming.
- Chicken thighs are even better than breasts here — their higher fat content keeps the cubes tender through the 30-minute roast.
- Give the vegetables a 15-minute head start before adding the chicken; everything finishes together and the squash stays tender-crisp.
- Swap the squash for bell peppers, broccoli florets, or red onion — just cut everything to similar sizes for even roasting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this Thai coconut chicken bake keto-friendly?
Each serving has 12g carbs with 30g protein and 32g fat. Serving it with cauliflower rice instead of regular rice keeps the whole meal low-carb.
Can I marinate the chicken ahead of time?
Yes, marinate it up to a day ahead in the fridge — longer marinating only improves the tenderness and flavour.
Can I use a different curry paste?
Thai red curry paste is what the recipe uses; check the label for added sugar whichever paste you choose, since brands vary a lot.
Can I freeze leftovers?
The cooked chicken and vegetables freeze fine for up to 3 months, though the coconut crust softens a little on reheating.
Recipe card below.
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One-Pan Thai Coconut Chicken & Vegetable Bake
Ingredients
Method
- How to Make One-Pan Thai Coconut Chicken
- Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl, combine the chicken cubes, coconut cream, and 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 1 fl oz) of curry paste.
- Stir well to coat, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Prep the oven and pan: Preheat your oven to 400°F / 205°C. Lightly grease a large sheet pan with coconut oil or use a nonstick pan.
- Roast the vegetables: On the sheet pan, toss the yellow zucchini, zucchini, garlic, and butternut squash with olive oil, the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 1 fl oz) of curry paste, salt, and pepper.
- Spread into an even layer and bake for 15 minutes.
- Coat the chicken: While the vegetables are roasting, remove the marinated chicken from the bowl, letting any excess marinade drip off.
- Roll each piece in the ½ cup of shredded coconut until fully coated.
- Combine and bake: Remove the sheet pan from the oven.
- Arrange the coconut-crusted chicken pieces among the vegetables.
- Drizzle the chicken with the melted coconut oil. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the pan from the oven.
- Garnish generously with fresh cilantro, basil, and the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 1 fl oz) of shredded coconut.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side and a big bowl of cauliflower rice.
- Don't skip the marinating time! Allowing the chicken to sit for at least one hour is key to tenderizing the meat and infusing it with that rich coconut curry flavor.
