Green Chutney Chicken

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Recipe for chicken thighs with a cilantro and mint marinade cooked on the stovetop. This is an easy recipe with lots of chutney (mint and cilantro) flavors. You can adjust the spices to your liking and make a milder or spicier version. You need a little bit of planning to account for the marination time to prepare this green chutney chicken recipe.

let's look at the ingredient list

Full recipe + measurements + video can be found in the recipe card below.

This hot green chutney chicken recipe is pretty straightforward and can be made with ease. The detailed recipe and video can be found at the end.

• chicken thighs; boneless & skinless
• cilantro/coriander leaves
• mint leaves
• cumin powder
• coriander powder
• Kashmiri red chilli powder
• garam masala
• kasuri methi
• turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• garlic
• ginger
• Serrano pepper (green chillies)
• whole peppercorns
• plain yogurt/curd
• lemon juice
• Oil

Chicken thighs – I have used skinless, boneless chicken thighs for this recipe. Trim off the excess fat, if required, when you are using chicken thighs.

Spices, herbs, and all the good stuff 🙂 to make the green herb chutney- The main flavor profile in the recipe is that of green chutney, which is quite popular in India as a dip/sauce to go with pakoras or samosas or any other savory fried snack. I have used the similar taste profile of the green chutney as a marinade in this recipe.

Green chutney or the predominantly coriander chutney has flavor notes from cilantro and mint and that forms the base for the marinade.

In this recipe, we use Kashmiri red chilli powder for heat. A good substitute would be the sweet paprika powder. There is cumin powder, coriander powder, and garam masala powder to amp up the flavors. Fresh whole black pepper adds a lot of oomph and flavor to this. We also add a teensy bit of turmeric powder.

To add some more heat, we also have green chillies (I typically use Serrano pepper) in most of my Indian recipes - you can use Thai peppers or any other green chillies/peppers available to you.

Ginger and garlic are a must add a ton of amazing flavors in the recipe.

Both yogurt and lemon juice are used to balance out the spices used in the recipe. They together help in making the chicken pieces juicy. Use any brand of plain yogurt (full-fat, low-fat - it does not matter). I use homemade yogurt (made with 2% milk) for almost all my recipes.

Kasuri Methi - Kasuri methi (Kasoori Methi) is a very common ingredient in North Indian cooking. This is dried fenugreek (methi) leaves. They have a slightly bitter taste. If you are familiar with North Indian dishes, you will know what I am talking about. I am not entirely sure about a good substitute for Kasuri methi is. I have seen some recommendations about dried celery leaves (same quantity) as a substitute. You can try that in a pinch. If you are interested in buying it, you can find it online or any of your local Indian stores would carry it.

Do not add any water to the marinade. It should be thick, but dropping consistency so that it will coat the chicken pieces well.

A quick note about the salt

Salt is definitely a tricky measurement to give. Different people have different opinions about what is "salty". Most of my recipes mention it as "to taste". It works if you have kind of developed an idea about your preferences. If you are new to cooking, this might be a tricky instruction. :). I know! :). Start with about ¾ teaspoon of salt in this recipe. We add salt to the marinade. Taste the marinade and see if it needs more. The marinade should be slightly "saltier" than your preferred saltiness to incorporate into the chicken pieces.

Utensils/Equipment needed

• Small blender/mixer-grinder
• Mixing bowl
• Cling Film
• Cooking Spoons
• Tongs (optional)
• Large Skillet
• Measuring spoons/weighting scale (optional)
• Serving dish

What Are The Cooking Steps Involved?

The recipe has no complicates steps. It is essentially marinating the chicken pieces in the in the green chutney or the hariyali chutney and then cooking it on stove top.

The main steps involved in making the green chutney chicken thighs can be outlined as:

• Prepare the marinade
• Marinate the chicken pieces
• Cook on stovetop

Recommended substitutions

• You can substitute chicken breasts for chicken thighs. Adjust the cooking times depending on the thickness of the chicken breast. FDA (opens in a new tab)recommends an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit as the safe internal temperature for poultry. If in doubt, use a good food thermometer to test the temperature. I recommend pounding them to make pieces with even thickness if they are of uneven thickness.

How to pound chicken breasts to use in the recipe?

Place a chicken breast in a Ziploc bag. Seal the bag. Place on a flat surface. Flatten using a mallet, skillet, or even a rolling pin.

• Kashmiri Chilli Powder can be substituted with Sweet Paprika powder.
• Serrano Pepper - can be substituted with any green peppers of your choice.

Can I Make This Less Spicy?

YES! :).

As a general rule, quantities of spices are according to my family's preference. If you do not like spicy food or have a milder palate, use lesser quantities of the spices and green peppers than suggested in the recipe.

In the same fashion, if you like spicier, add more of Kashmiri red chilli powder, green peppers and whole pepper corns. You can also add a small amount of Cayenne pepper or any other hotter Indian red chilli powder.

Marination time

Marinate the chicken pieces for at least an hour. If you have time, marinate it for longer 2-3 hours, to get the maximum flavors. The longer you marinate, the more flavors are developed. Cover with cling wrap and let the chicken pieces marinate in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator just when you are ready to cook them.

Serving suggestions

Here are a few ideas for you to serve these juicy, green chutney flavored chicken thighs:

• Serve with some wild rice and vegetables.
• Serve with your favorite side salad.
• Have you tried our cardamom flavored corn muffin? To make it a fuller meal, serve with a side salad and some cornbread muffin.
• Do you like corn on the cob? The garlic-ky, buttery pan-seared corn is good with chicken.

Meal prep tips + How to store leftovers?

You can make the hariyali cilantro-mint chutney marinade in advance and store in fridge in an airtight container.

Just like I mentioned in my spicy oats crusted chicken thighs recipe,

There is at least an hour of marination time required - I definitely encourage you to plan ahead.

If you have leftovers, you can save them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Microwaving the chicken thighs will dry them out a little bit. Reheating using a skillet on the stovetop is my favorite way to reheat. Another option is to reheat in an oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the pieces are warmed thoroughly (l65 degrees Fahrenheit).

Want a few more chicken recipes to try? here you go...

• One of the easiest Chicken recipes I have ever come across – Chicken Ghee Roast. Chicken is slow-cooked in spices roasted in Ghee resulting in tender, juicy, and flavorsome pieces of chicken.
• Simple Chicken Roast Recipe is a finger-licking Kerala style chicken curry where chicken is cooked in aromatic spices and coconut oil. The coconut pieces add a unique flavor and nice crunch to this semi-dry curry. It is a treat for your taste buds!
• Keema Matar has its origins in the Mughlai cuisine and is nothing but minced meat (I have used chicken mince in this recipe) cooked with green peas and aromatic spices. 
• Stovetop recipe for spicy oats crusted chicken thighs. This is an easy recipe with lots of flavors. You can adjust the spices to your liking and make a milder or spicier version.  With a little planning ahead, these oatmeal crusted chicken makes a delightful meal.

Just a few more things.... 🙂

• 1 CUP = 250 ML. (US cups are typically 240 ml. You can use US cups with no significant change to the dish)
• 600 - 750 gms is approximately 1.3 - 1.5 pounds. I usually get about 5 boneless skinless thighs for about 1.38 pounds from my grocery store.
• Grams to cups measurements – we strive to provide these conversions as accurately as possible. There might be some slight variations depending on the brand, weighing scale, etc.
• Serving size – We usually consider this as one chicken thigh per person along with the other dishes I have mentioned in the serving suggestions. . But then there are times when my hungry teenager wants more than one :). Always adjust the serving size to suit your dietary needs.
• Do not overcrowd the skillet. If required, cook in batches.
• Add salt to the marinade and taste it before you add the chicken. Do not eat raw meat.
• Discard any remaining marinade.
• Wash your hands with soap and water after handling raw meat. Also, clean any surface that has come in contact with raw meat.

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