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Spice-Braised Lemon-Cilantro Chicken
This braise with notes of herb, spice and citrus is an adaptation of a vintage Madhur Jaffrey recipe, Lemony Chicken with Fresh Coriander. For fullest, boldest cilantro flavor, we use both the stems and leaves. The roughly chopped stems are blended with aromatics and lemon juice into a vibrant green puree that’s added at two stages: at the start of simmering so the ingredients have a chance to mellow and meld, and again at the end of cooking, along with the delicate cilantro leaves, for an infusion of fresh, bright flavor. Leaving the seeds in the serrano chili will give the dish a noticeable but not incendiary heat; for a milder version, seed the chili before roughly chopping it. Serve with basmati rice or warm naan.
4 to 6
Servings
Tip
Don’t use boneless chicken parts. Bone-in thighs or breasts are essential for developing depth of flavor in the sauce; they also slow the cooking for less risk of dry, overdone meat. After browning the chicken, be sure to remove the skin, which loses crispness during simmering and otherwise would make the sauce greasy.
1 hour
35 minutes active
Ingredients
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1
medium bunch cilantro, stems roughly chopped and leaves chopped, reserved separately
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2
tablespoons roughly chopped fresh ginger
Directions
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01In a blender, combine the cilantro stems, ginger, garlic, chili, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and ¼ cup water. Puree until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the blender jar as needed. In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken skin side down; cook without disturbing until well browned, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the second sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large plate; remove and discard the skin. Pour off and discard all but 2 tablespoons fat from the skillet.
Reviews
June 8, 2026
Great flavor!
I used bone in and skin on thighs. The spice combination was great and the flavor and heat from the serrano pepper was a great addition. I left the seeds in one half of the pepper and removed seeds from the other half and it was just the right amount of heat for us. The directions, as always with Milk Street recipes, were clear and easy to follow. I served it with basmati rice. I enjoyed making this dish. I will definitely be making it again.
May 24, 2026
Good flavor profile using split chicken breasts
Quick hit, I like it and I'd make it again. I am always a fan of many of these ingredients --> coriander, cilantro, ginger, garlic. The addition of lemon was a nice change as most recipes that I use cilantro in a puree tend to go with lime. I found the 1. 75 cups of water to be a bit much and if my chicken had been much bigger, I might have overflowed the skillet. Mine were on the smallish side too, so maybe consider going with 1. 5 cups or less. Breasts tend to expel water anyway and you reduce the sauce, so I wouldn't be too concerned if you did. Breasts hit 160 degrees by 20 minute mark so be checking early. I also let the sauce reduce after for at least a good 10-12. You'll have plenty and I wanted a thicker sauce. Paired it with basmati rice to soak up the goodness, much like a curry. Good overall.
December 14, 2025
Quick and Easy but flavor packed
I added some sliced red peppers for color. Big hit. Adding to the repertoire!
December 7, 2025
New kid favorite
My kids nicknamed this “swamp chicken” based on how it looks cooking in the pan. But swamp chicken is a weekly request!
May 9, 2024
Delish
Easy quick recipe and very tasty. A keeper
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