Feast on the bold and beautiful flavors of Indian Cilantro Chicken. Every mouthful is a delightful symphony of fresh cilantro, zesty tomatoes, and exotic spices!
Do you like flavor? Like… lots and lots of flavor? I sure hope you do, because there’s a ton of flavor in this Indian tomato cilantro chicken recipe. Also, I’m not sure why you would be reading a food blog if you don’t like flavor. Lots and lots of it.
I cannot believe how quick and easy this Indian tomato chicken was to put together. I threw this together in under a half-an-hour. But if you were feeling particularly ambitious, you could marinate the chicken for an hour or so in the fridge before cooking.
Table of Contents
Reasons to Love This Cilantro Chicken
- The combination of fresh cilantro and tangy tomatoes creates a rich, mouthwatering taste.
- Indian Cilantro Chicken is infused with a blend of aromatic spices.
- This dish can be enjoyed with rice, bread, or even on its own, making it a versatile choice for any meal.
Recipe Ingredients
- Cilantro: Fresh and herbaceous, cilantro adds a citrusy flavor and refreshing contrast to the spicy elements.
- Serrano Chilies: These chilies offer a crisp, sharp heat.
- Coconut Milk: Creamy and slightly sweet, coconut milk adds a luxurious texture and mild flavor that tempers the heat.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Indian cilantro Chicken
Step #1: Combine the chili powder, salt, lemon juice, and chicken breast pieces in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour if you have the time; otherwise, proceed as is.
Step #2: Meanwhile, place the cilantro, garlic, Serrano chilies, ½ tsp. cumin seeds, lemon juice, and 1 Tbsp. water in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process for 20-30 seconds, or until the mixture forms a paste. Set aside.
Step #3: Heat the grapeseed oil in a wok or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the black pepper and red pepper flakes, cooking in the oil for 1 minute. Add the onions, and brown sugar to the pan, tossing to coat the onions in the spices. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the onions are nicely browned.
Step #4: Remove the chicken from its marinade and add to the pan, tossing to coat in the onions and spices. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the chicken pieces have turned white on all sides.
Step #5: Reduce the heat to medium, then add the ginger, tomatoes, turmeric, and cardamom, giving everything a good stir. Add the contents of the food processor or blender, stir, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step #6: Pour in the coconut milk and water, letting the contents of the pan slowly come to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Step #7: After ten minutes, uncover the pan and taste the sauce. If it’s too spicy, add more brown sugar. Adjust with salt and black pepper as needed. You can try serving this with Naan bread.
Expert Tip
Lightly toast the cumin seeds before adding them to the dish. Toasting cumin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until they become fragrant (usually about 1-2 minutes) releases their essential oils, resulting in a deeper, more complex flavor profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Chicken thighs can be a juicier alternative to breasts and work well with the flavors in this recipe.
Yes, you can make this recipe in a slow cooker. Brown the chicken first, then add it with the other ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours, adding cilantro towards the end for freshness.
Storage Info
Store the Indian Cilantro Chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator; it will remain good for up to 3-4 days. To freeze, place it in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months.
To reheat, thaw it in the refrigerator if frozen, then warm it in a microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat until heated through. Ensure it’s piping hot before serving to ensure food safety and best taste.
More Indian Recipes That You’ll Love
Indian Cilantro Chicken Recipe
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 large boneless - skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized chunks
Tomato-Cilantro Sauce
- 1 bunch of fresh cilantro - bottom two inches of stems removed
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 3 Serrano chilies - seeds and membranes removed
- 1/8 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon water
- 3 tablespoons grapeseed or vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 medium yellow onions - chopped
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger root
- 2 medium tomatoes - diced
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/3 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Combine the chili powder, salt, lemon juice, and chicken breast pieces in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour if you have the time; otherwise, proceed as is.
- Meanwhile, place the cilantro, garlic, Serrano chilies, ½ tsp. cumin seeds, lemon juice, and 1 Tbsp. water in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process for 20-30 seconds, or until the mixture forms a paste. Set aside.
- Heat the grapeseed oil in a wok or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the black pepper and red pepper flakes, cooking in the oil for 1 minute. Add the onions, and brown sugar to the pan, tossing to coat the onions in the spices. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the onions are nicely browned.
- Remove the chicken from its marinade and add to the pan, tossing to coat in the onions and spices. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the chicken pieces have turned white on all sides.
- Reduce the heat to medium, then add the ginger, tomatoes, turmeric, and cardamom, giving everything a good stir. Add the contents of the food processor or blender, stir, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the coconut milk and water, letting the contents of the pan slowly come to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- After ten minutes, uncover the pan and taste the sauce. If it’s too spicy, add more brown sugar. Adjust with salt and black pepper as needed. You can try serving this with Naan bread.
NOTES
Nutrition
Wow this looks delicious! Do you think it would taste ok if I made it with salmon or shrimp?? BTW LOVE your website. I am so looking forward to making some of these recipes. YAY!
Hi, Cindy! I’m so glad you found my site 🙂 I’ve never tried making this with salmon or shrimp, but for either of those you may have to adjust the timing of the recipe as they cook a lot faster than chicken. If you try it, be sure to let me know how it turns out!
The Poulet Yassa was really tasty! I love the way the mustard and lemon juice elevate each other. It is one of my favorite flavor combinations. The chicken was incredibly tender. My boyfriend went to pull the pieces out of the pan to put them on a cutting board to slice them up and they just fell apart. No knife required! I had no idea that onions had that kind of tenderizing power. Who knew you could get 5 hour slow cooker texture out of a half hour simmer with a little help from some onions! And while the chicken was great, the onions were actually my favorite part of the dish. I could have just mashed them up and spread them on some crusty bread and eaten that for dinner… and probably dessert. And probably breakfast the next day with a poached egg on top.
That Pear Pistachio loaf looks great! I plan on making it this weekend. And forgive me in advance, but in the spirit of St. Patty’s Day, I might defile it with some green food coloring.
Thank you again!!
Hi, Lizz! I’m all about the onions, too. When I first made it I was worried about all of the acidity, but it all works together really well! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂
Made this a few nights ago and it was incredible! The most flavorful dish I’ve ever made in 30 mins. I was a little skeptical about using an entire bunch of cilantro, (I love it, but that’s A LOT of cilantro) but it totally made the dish. I made the Chicken Shawarma a couple weeks ago and loved it too. I did a quick pickle on some red onions, made some tahini sauce, and threw it in a low carb wrap and it put the street food version to shame!
I never thought I’d say I’d be looking forward crying, but that Poulet Yassa recipe makes me know it will be worth it. Onion chopping and marinating starts tomorrow, and cooking on Thursday night. Can’t wait to see how it turns out!
By the way, I absolutely love your blog. The pictures are gorgeous, but genuine and unpretentious. Your writing voice is incredible. I tend to lose interest halfway through most food bloggers’ actual blogs (I usually read about half of the actual blog and then scroll to the recipe) but your blogs are so fun, interesting, funny, and heartfelt.
My boyfriend and I love to cook together, but we have always leaned towards different flavors than what you have here (think BBQ, spicy Mexican, traditional Cajun, modern Italian), but you’ve got us going in a whole new direction now. It’s so nice to see a great food blogger with a collection of SUCH unique flavors. I congratulate you on what you have here. It is my favorite food blog, hands down. I have shared it with friends on Facebook and I hope that you have much success going forward.
Thanks again for bringing a new and delicious perspective to our kitchen and home. Best of luck!
PS – Really hoping you’ll post the recipe for those pear pancakes with cream cheese drizzle & pistachios that you had on IG one day!
Wow, Lizz! This is the most amazing comment 🙂 I can’t tell you how much it means to me to get this kind of feedback from a reader like you! I’ve been breaking down my food boundaries to try new things and I love hearing that you’re doing the same thing! I actually made a Shawarma for dinner last night so it’s funny that you mention it! The Poulet Yassa is really good – the flavors aren’t overwhelming, but the onions tenderize the chicken and add a little something extra. I just made a South African chicken recipe over the weekend that was kind of similar – I’ll be posting the recipe soon!
PS – the Pear Pancakes were a total disaster – I took the picture before we ate it and there was just something… not right about them. I think the soft pear made the texture taste like it was not cooked all the way through. Instead, I made a Pear & Pistachio Loaf with the Cream Cheese Drizzle. Here’s the link: https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/2013/11/25/spiced-pear-pistachio-bread/
The recipe was excellent, it inspired me to get creative! I made it sweeter with Butternut Squash and a side of lentils and potatoes, it was heavenly!
That sounds delicious, Ayana! How long did you let the squash cook? What kind of lentils did you use?
Nice recipe! This is actually very similar to a dish called Dhania Chicken (coriander chicken)! It looks absolutely scrumptious!