Indian Baked Chicken with Cilantro (Coriander) Rice Salad

Scrumptious, spicy, Indian style baked chicken is hands down one of my favorite dinner ideas. The best part is it goes really well with any side dish of your choice. In fact, it’s one of the most customizable recipes on the planet.

While a bowl of steamed rice is more than enough to convert this chicken into a real hit, I took it one step ahead and made this fabulous cilantro rice salad. Honestly, it’s the simplest side dish you could ever imagine.

The rice salad is chock full of cilantro, green peas and crunchy toasted cashew nuts. But feel free to customize it your own way adding more of your favorite veggies or even dried fruits.

For the Indian baked chicken, marinating chicken fillets for at least 30 minutes (or overnight if you have time) will certainly bring out maximum flavor. And I highly recommend using thigh fillets in this recipe as they are the juiciest part of chicken.

All in all, this baked chicken with cilantro rice salad is the simplest way to cook a fabulous dinner for your family and friends.

 

Before you start, preheat oven to 200ºC. Place all the ingredients for the marinade – turmeric, coriander, cumin, ginger, garlic, black pepper, paprika, red chili powder, lemon juice, natural yogurt, 1 tbsp oil and enough salt in a small bowl. Mix well to form a smooth paste.

 

Use 1 tbsp of the paste to marinate cherry tomatoes.

 

Use the rest of the paste to marinate chicken. If you want, you can leave it the refrigerator for 30 minutes or even overnight.

 

To seal the chicken, heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over high heat. Place the chicken thighs in it in batches. Cook for 2 minutes on each side or until browned.

 

Transfer it to a baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes. Bake again for another 15 minutes. Cherry tomatoes will be ready when they soften and burst.

 

Now to make the rice salad, cook rice. When done, add green peas and heat through.

 

Stir in chopped cilantro (coriander) leaves and chopped cashew nuts. Serve Indian  baked chicken with cilantro rice salad.

 

Yield: 6

Indian Baked Chicken with Cilantro Rice Salad

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Indian style baked chicken served with cilantro (coriander) rice salad. A delicious meal the whole family will love!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 2 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp red chili powder (optional)
• 2 tbsps oil
• Juice from 1 small lemon
• 2 tsp natural yogurt
• 1 kg chicken thigh fillets
• 3 cups rice, basmati or long grain
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 bunch cilantro (coriander) leaves, very finely chopped
• ½ cup cashew nuts, roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200C or 180C fan-forced.
2. Rinse chicken under cold running water. Pat dry with a paper towel. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the marinade -coriander, cumin, garlic, ginger, turmeric, paprika, black pepper, lemon juice, natural yogurt, red chili powder, 1 tbsp oil and salt. Use 1 tbsp marinade to coat cherry tomatoes. Set aside. Rub the rest of the marinade onto the chicken. If you have time, let it marinate for at least 30 minutes (or even overnight) in the refrigerator.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over high heat. Cook chicken, in batches, for 2 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer chicken to a baking dish.
5. Place dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
6. Add the cherry tomatoes and bake for another 15 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to soften and burst.
7. To make the rice salad, cook rice according to packet instructions. Before removing it from heat, add the frozen peas and heat through. Stir the chopped cilantro (coriander) and cashew nuts into the rice. Season with salt and pepper.

Notes

- You can use chicken with bone in this recipe. But it will take more time in the oven.
- If you don’t like cashew nuts, skip it or use macadamia or walnuts.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 598Total Fat 34gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 25gCholesterol 213mgSodium 248mgCarbohydrates 32gFiber 3gSugar 2gProtein 45g