Easy Corinader Chicken Recipe (Indian Dhaniya Chicken)
This coriander chicken curry is an easy recipe that is full of flavor from fresh cilantro leaves and aromatic Indian spices. It is a healthier version of a classic from the Bengali region of India.
Servings: 4
Calories: 213kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 Teaspoon Green Chili Paste optional
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
Grind to a paste
- 1 Cup Chopped Coriander/Cilantro Greens Stems and Leaves + more for garnish
- 2 Tomatoes about ½ lb
Panch Phoren:
- ½ Teaspoon each Mustard seeds, Nigella seeds (Kalaunji), Fenugreek seeds (Methe), Carraway seeds (Ajwain), Fennel seeds (saunf)
Other Ingredients
- 1 White Onion Chopped
- ½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 Teaspoon Sugar
- 1.5 Tablespoon Mustard Oil preferably
- Salt To taste
- ½ Cup Water or as needed
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken in marinade ingredients for at least 30 minutes. The longer the better. While the chicken is marinating, chop the onion and blend the cilantro and tomatoes to a paste.
- Set a heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven on medium-high heat and add mustard oil. Heat the oil to the smoke point and turn off the heat. Once the smoke has died down, add the marinated chicken.
- Turn the heat back on to medium and sear the chicken for about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a bowl, cover, and set aside.
- Turn the heat to low and add the panch phoran spice mix to the same pan. As the seeds start to splutter, move them to one edge of the pan. Add sugar to the other side of the pan and let it caramelize for about a minute.
- Now add the chopped onions. Add turmeric and a pinch of salt, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook until the onions turn light golden, about 5 minutes. Scrape any bits of chicken that are sticking to the bottom of the pan and mix them with the onions.
- Add the coriander and tomato paste. Mix everything together and let the paste cook on medium low heat for 7-8 minutes. This is called"bhoono," or cooking the masala until the moisture evaporates and everything is nicely toasted. After the masala is cooked, tiny droplets of oil appear on the sides, and all the moisture has evaporated.
- While the masala is bhoonoing, cut the chicken into bite size pieces and return to the bowl with all the juices.
- Add the chopped chicken to the masala, turn the heat up to medium high, add salt and give everything a big mix. Add about half a cup of water, bring the curry to a boil, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover the pan and cook until the chicken is done, about 8 minutes.
- Check and adjust the consistency of the curry by adding more water if you like. If adding more water, bring the curry to a roaring boil again. Check and adjust salt.
Notes
Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes helpful step-by-step photos to help guide you through making this recipe.
To Store & Freeze: This coriander chicken curry typically stays fresh in the fridge for 2-3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze it in a air tight freezer safe container or freezer ziptop bag. It will last up to 1 month in the freezer and still taste great even after a month.
TIP 1: Marination: Don't skip marinating the chicken. It is highly recommended. If you have time, you can marinate the chicken the morning of or the night before when you are planning to make this coriander chicken curry.
TIP 2: Sugar: That 1 teaspoon of sugar adds a slightly sweet touch which is a very important flavor component of this dish.
TIP 3: Searing the chicken: Searing locks in the marinade flavor and seals the moisture in the chicken. Letting it rest before cutting always makes for a juicier chicken.
TIP 4: Browned bits: If there are chicken bits sticking to the bottom of your pan after searing the chicken, don't worry and scrape them when you add the onions. These bits will add a lot of flavor to the masala. The moisture from the onions should be enough to loosen the bits or you can also splash in some drops of water.
Nutrition
Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 110mg | Potassium: 496mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 815IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
