Grilled Chicken Breasts With Spicy Coconut Sauce

From The New Portuguese Table by David Leite. Serve over cooked rice.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 45 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• For the Chicken

• 1  small yellow onion, chopped
• 4  garlic cloves
• 3  inches  piece ginger, peeled
• 1  cup coconut milk
• 2  tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2  teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 4  boneless skinless chicken breast halves

• For the Coconut Sauce

• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1⁄2 small yellow onion, minced
• 1  teaspoon  grated lemon zest
• 1  inch  piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 1  teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2  teaspoons  double concentrate tomato paste
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 13 1⁄2 ounces coconut milk
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
•  kosher  salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. To make the chicken, buzz the onion, garlic, ginger, coconut milk, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a food processor until smooth. Drop the chicken pieces into a ziploc bag and pour in the marinade. Place the bag in a shallow dish and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but overnight is better, turning several times.
2. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the lemon zest, ginger, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste, and cook, stirring often, until the colors deepen and the mixture is very fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Toss in garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Pour in the coconut milk and cream and bring to a boil, e turn heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced by one quarter, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
4. Meanwhile heat a grill to high. Remove the chicken from the fridge and let sit out for 30 minutes.
5. Lower the heat of the grill to medium and brush the grate with oil. Remove chicken from marinade and grill until well marked and cooked through, about 5 to six minutes per side.
6. To serve, slice each chicken breast into 3 pieces on the bias. Place cooked rice onto plates, top with chicken slices, and spoon sauce over top.