A delicious, creamy, and flavorful baked chicken dish that combines the savory taste of chicken with the sweet and creamy taste of coconut.
Is it from Macau or Portugal?
Despite the name Portuguese coconut chicken, this dish actually originated in Macau. Macau has a unique history shaped by Portuguese colonization. It is a melting pot of Chinese and Portuguese cultures and includes a culinary portion of it. This Portuguese coconut chicken is one example. If you ask a Portuguese, he/she most likely never heard of this dish before. That’s because it was one of the Portuguese efforts to replicate the food they eat back home, using available spices and ingredients. This was how the Portuguese coconut chicken was born. It was a blend of Portuguese, Southeast Asian, and Chinese ingredients. It was then adopted by the Macanese and become a very popular dish and made its way to Hong Kong as well. You will see this baked Portuguese coconut chicken in cha chaan teng (Hong Kong coffee shop) menu.
How to make Macau-style Portuguese coconut chicken with Instant Pot
1. You can leave the drumstick whole or cut them into large pieces using a cleaver. Add chicken to a large mixing bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients and toss to coat every piece of chicken. Cover and let them marinate for at least 30 minutes
2. Press saute on Instant Pot. Add cooking oil. Add onion and cook for about 1 minute. 
3. Add the marinated chicken, carrots, and potatoes and stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, and coconut milk. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing sticks to it or it may trigger a “burn” alert later. Turn off saute mode
4. Cover with the lid and turn the steam release valve to “sealing”. Make sure it’s on high pressure and set the timer to 15 minutes for bone-in chicken drumstick pieces, leave in whole without cutting, 8 minutes for bone-in chicken pieces chopped into smaller pieces, 4 minutes for boneless chicken meat cut into large chunks
5. When the time is up, allow full natural release, may take about 10 minutes or so. Preheat the oven to 400 F (204 C). Then vent the knob and carefully unlock the lid. Give it a stir and have a taste test. The sauce should be thickened slightly because there is some cornstarch in the chicken marinade. If you want to thicken it further, you can mix another tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Turn on the saute mode and when it comes to a boil, stir in the cornstarch slurry while stirring the sauce at the same time and cook until thickens. Proceed to the baking step
6. Transfer the coconut chicken to a heat-proof dish. Sprinkle with some unsweetened coconut flakes and shredded cheese if you want to. The amount is up to you
7. Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese melted
8. Serve with rice while it’s warm
Did you make this Macau-style Portuguese coconut chicken recipe?
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Macau-style Portuguese Coconut Chicken (Instant Pot or Stove-top)
Ingredients
- 700 g chicken drumsticks See notes
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 large onion quartered
- 1 large carrot cut into thick slices
- 5 small potatoes or 2 large ones, quartered
- 1 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup of water if using a pressure cooker
- 300 ml coconut milk
Marinade:
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp shaoxing wine
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt or more as needed
To thicken the sauce:
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp water
Optional toppings:
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
- 2 cups Shredded cheese or as much as you like
Instructions
Marinate the chicken pieces:
- You can leave the drumstick whole or cut them into large pieces using a cleaver.
- Add chicken to a large mixing bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients and toss to coat every piece of chicken. Cover and let them marinate for at least 30 minutes
Cooking with Instant Pot:
- Press saute on Instant Pot. Add cooking oil. Add onion and cook for about 1 minute. Add the marinated chicken, carrots, and potatoes and stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, and coconut milk. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing sticks to it or it may trigger a "burn" alert later. Turn off saute mode
- Cover with the lid and turn the steam release valve to "sealing". Make sure it's on high pressure and set the timer to 15 minutes for bone-in chicken drumstick pieces, leave in whole without cutting, 8 minutes for bone-in chicken pieces chopped into smaller pieces, 4 minutes for boneless chicken meat cut into large chunks
- When the time is up, allow full natural release, may take about 10 minutes or so. Preheat the oven to 400 F (204 C). Then vent the knob and carefully unlock the lid. Give it a stir and have a taste test. The sauce should be thickened slightly because there is some cornstarch in the chicken marinade. If you want to thicken it further, you can mix another tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Turn on the saute mode and when it comes to a boil, stir in the cornstarch slurry while stirring the sauce at the same time and cook until thickens. Proceed to the baking step
Cooking on the stove:
- Preheat a large pot or wok over medium heat. Add cooking oil. Add onion and cook for about 1 minute. Add the marinated chicken, carrots, potatoes and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes. Add chicken broth, and coconut milk and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat, cover with a lid and let them simmer for about 15 minutes if you use whole drumsticks or 8-10 minutes for boneless chicken meat pieces
- Uncover the lid and have a taste. Adjust by adding more salt if needed. Thicken the sauce by mixing cornstarch with water and drizzle it in while one had is stirring the sauce at the same time. Cook until the sauce thickens. Proceed to the baking step
Baking:
- Transfer the coconut chicken into a heat-proof dish. Sprinkle with some unsweetened coconut flakes and shredded cheese if you want to. The amount is up to you
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese melted
To serve:
- Serve with rice while it's warm
2 comments
Honestly, whenever I have the opportunity to eat Macanese stuff, it’s mostly to stuff my face with pork-chop buns and egg tarts. Kind of a shame too, because it’s really an OG of Asian-fusion, and there’s something really rustic and homey about the Portuguese influence that makes the dishes universally appealing. This dish is sort of (basically?) a curry, but no where as intense as most, and lacking heat make this suitable for more sensitive tongues. Cheese also makes everything a winner, so I think this would be a good dish for introducing new Asian cuisines to a picky crowd.
Besides all that, it’s super freaking easy. I halved the recipe to use up a few bone-in thighs and made it on the stove-top. I think the only improvement would be to cook it in a skillet that goes right in the oven to make for one less dish to wash, lol. Also makes a tasty leftover because more flavors get into the potatoes and chicken.
I know! It’s a good intro for those who can’t really stand the heat of curry dishes. This is like a teaser version lol! You are right, if you use one of those pans that can bake right in the oven, one less dish to wash for sure!