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    Home » Recipes » All Recipes

    Cilantro Chicken Recipe

    Published: Jun 28, 2021

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    Cilantro Chicken

    Originally published July 18, 2009. Updated on 6/28/2021

    Close up view of a plate of cilantro chicken - chunks of chicken in a yellow-green sauce, served over rice.

    Cilantro Chicken is one of the first recipes I created on this blog - inspired by a favourite dish at an Indian restaurant in Minneapolis.

    This Cilantro Chicken Recipe was originally posted in 2009, with only a couple sentences ... and one really sad photo.

    Here, let me put it here, for posterity:

    A pan of cilantro chicken, simmering on a stove top.

    It's 2020, I'm making a bunch of updates to the blog, and it's time to tackle this one!

    While the recipe is basically the same now (I've made one small change, over the years!), it was desperately in need of being re-photographed.

    It was taken way back when I first developed the recipe - sometime before mid-2008, based on the stove pictured - and just really doesn't do it justice.

    The photo doesn't look appetizing at all, even though - as someone who's made this many times - I KNOW better!

    Anyway.

    Close up view of a plate of cilantro chicken - chunks of chicken in a yellow-green sauce, served over rice.

    Cilantro Chicken Recipe

    Back when this recipe was developed, there was a tiny Indian restaurant in downtown Minneapolis, called "Bombay Bistro".

    They made a ridiculously good, highly addictive dish called "chicken cilantro", which was basically the only thing we ever ordered, when there.

    However, it was downtown, and - as much as we loved the Cilantro Chicken - we did not love going downtown.

    So, after a whole lot of googling their menu description, research, and experimentation, I came up with this approximation. Not *quite* exact, but still ridiculously good.

    The initial blog post encouraged readers: "If you're even in MN, you've gotta try this restaurant out!", but sadly it seems to have gone out of business several years ago :(.

    We'll continue to enjoy this Cilantro Chicken Recipe in its honour.

    Enjoy!

    Close up view of a plate of cilantro chicken - chunks of chicken in a yellow-green sauce, served over rice.

    More Indian Food Recipes....

    Love Indian food? Be sure to check out these other fabulous Indian - and Indian inspired - recipes!

    Butter Chicken Recipe
    Chicken Shahi Korma Recipe
    Cilantro-Mint Chutney Recipe
    Mango Lassi Popsicles Recipe
    Paneer Burgers Recipe
    Samosa Recipe
    Tandoori Spiced Chicken Burger with Mango Recipe

    Specialty Diet Versions

    Looking for gluten-free and/or low carb Indian recipes? Here are a few from my other blogs:

    Gluten Free Chicken Pakora
    Gluten-Free Mixed Vegetable Pakoras
    Gluten Free Paneer Pakora
    Gluten-Free Samosas
    Keto Chicken Biryani
    Low Carb Butter Chicken
    Keto Chicken Korma
    Low Carb Shrimp Curry

    Close up view of a plate of cilantro chicken - chunks of chicken in a yellow-green sauce, served over rice.

    Share the Love!

    Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you Instagram it, be sure to tag me - @CelebrationGenerationCA - or post it to My Facebook Page - so I can cheer you on!

    Also, be sure to subscribe to my free monthly email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense.

    Well, the published nonsense, anyway!

    Close up view of a plate of cilantro chicken - chunks of chicken in a yellow-green sauce, served over rice.

    Close up view of a plate of cilantro chicken - chunks of chicken in a yellow-green sauce, served over rice.
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    5 from 3 votes

    Cilantro Chicken

    Cilantro Chicken is one of the very first recipes I ever created on this blog - inspired by a favourite dish at a now-defunct Indian restaurant in Minneapolis
    Prep Time15 mins
    55 mins
    Total Time1 hr 10 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Gluten-free, Indian
    Servings: 6 People
    Calories: 499kcal
    Author: Marie Porter

    Ingredients

    Marinade:

    • 8 Garlic Cloves peeled and chopped
    • 4 Inch Chunk of ginger peeled and chopped
    • 4 tablespoon Lemon Juice
    • 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 4 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs and/or Breasts chopped into large chunks

    Cilantro “Pesto”:

    • 2 Large Tomatoes
    • 2 Fresh Fresno Chilis seeded and chopped
    • 6 cups Cilantro packed
    • 1 teaspoon Cumin
    • 2 teaspoon Turmeric
    • 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Crushed Chilies
    • 2 teaspoon Fennel Seeds

    Assembly:

    • 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt*
    • Salt

    Instructions

    • Put all marinade ingredients into food processor, and process till it’s a thick paste. Pour over chicken, mix to coat, and marinate in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
    • I don’t bother to clean out the food processor (more flavor!), before adding tomatoes and fresno chilis. Process till well chopped, then add cilantro a bit at a time to make a thick pesto. Once all cilantro is added and chopped well, mix in remaining spices. Cover and refrigerate till needed.
    • Once chicken is properly marinated, put remaining 2 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan. With heat on medium-high, Add chicken – marinade and all – and brown on all sides.
    • Add cilantro mix and cook – stirring frequently – for another 10 minutes or so. Reduce heat to low, cover pan, and cook another 20 minutes or so.
    • Add Greek yogurt, stirring till it’s all incorporated, and cook - uncovered - another 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
    • Serve on a bed of rice, and ideally with a good amount of naan! (Naan, of course, would render it “no longer gluten free”)

    Notes

    To make this dairy free, substitute coconut cream for the Greek Yogurt

    Nutrition

    Calories: 499kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 63g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 289mg | Sodium: 300mg | Potassium: 1105mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1735IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 4mg

    Close up view of a plate of cilantro chicken - chunks of chicken in a yellow-green sauce, served over rice.

    Related posts:

    A plate with rice smothered in a creamy Chicken Korma. Chicken Shahi Korma Recipe A close up view of Butter Chicken - Chicken in a creamy tomato sauce, served over rice. Butter Chicken Tandoori Marinated chicken breast with cucumbers, mango, red onions, and a cilantro mint mayo, on a bun. Tandoori Spiced Chicken Burger 2 and a half curried shrimp spring rolls are arranged on a blue plate, with a small bowl of spicy peanut dip next to it. Curried Shrimp Spring Rolls
    « Roasted Salsa Verde for Canning
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. ana

      September 27, 2013 at 6:58 pm

      5 stars
      this was delish! definitely a keeper. thank you!

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. 18 Cilantro and Coriander Recipes | Food Bloggers of Canada says:
      September 24, 2020 at 2:20 am

      […] Cilantro Chicken | Celebration Generation […]

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