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:
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.
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, 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.
If you love Indian food, be sure to try my Chicken Shahi Korma (Also inspired by a - different - Indian restaurant in Minneapolis!), and my Butter Chicken recipe.
Enjoy!
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Cilantro Chicken
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 8 Garlic Cloves peeled and chopped
- 4 Inch Chunk of ginger peeled and chopped
- 4 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp 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 tsp Cumin
- 2 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Crushed Chilies
- 2 tsp Fennel Seeds
Assembly:
- 2 tbsp 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 tbsp 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
this was delish! definitely a keeper. thank you!