Equipment
Ingredients
Proteins
- 600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
Aromatics and Base
- 150 g yellow onion, finely chopped
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 15 g fresh ginger, minced
- 50 g fresh coriander, stems finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped and reserved
- 400 ml tomato puree
- 30 ml neutral cooking oil
Spices and Seasoning
- 5 g ground cumin
- 5 g ground coriander
- 3 g ground turmeric
- 5 g fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Prepare all ingredients by chopping the onion, mincing the garlic and ginger, and separating the fresh coriander stems from the leaves. Finely chop the stems and roughly chop the leaves.
Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, and coriander stems. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions become translucent and soft.
Stir the ground cumin, ground coriander, ground turmeric, and fine sea salt into the onion mixture. Cook until deeply fragrant, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the chicken pieces. Toss to coat them in the spiced onion mixture and cook until the exterior of the chicken turns opaque and begins to brown slightly.
Pour the tomato puree into the skillet and stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring the sauce to a gentle bubble, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer. Cook until the chicken is tender and reaches a safe internal temperature of 74C/165F.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the reserved chopped coriander leaves, leaving a small pinch for garnish if desired. Let the dish rest uncovered before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Chef's Notes
- Coriander stems pack intense flavor. Finely chopping and sauteing them with your aromatics builds a robust base layer of flavor that the leaves alone cannot achieve.
- Using chicken thighs instead of breasts ensures the meat remains succulent and tender during the simmering process, as dark meat is far more forgiving of extended cooking times.
- Tomato puree, commonly sold as passata in many regions, provides a smooth, rich consistency straight from the bottle. If you must substitute with crushed canned tomatoes, you may need to simmer the sauce uncovered for an additional 5 minutes to reduce the excess water content.
- Always remember to observe safe raw meat handling practices, washing hands, knives, and cutting boards with hot soapy water immediately after prepping the raw chicken to avoid cross-contamination.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavors will deepen overnight.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze in individual portions. Fresh coriander notes may diminish slightly upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the sauce bubbles and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74C/165F.
