About a month ago my friend Robin sent me an email which read: "this chicken recipe is a keeper..." And boy was she right. It's hard to believe that such a simple marinade could bring out so much flavor and keep a common, bland chicken breast so moist.
I'll be trying it with tofu next, but for now here's this wonderful recipe, with some minor alterations, for you to enjoy.
Cilantro Thai Grilled Chicken (serves 4)
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro
2 tablespoons asian fish sauce or 1 tablespoon of GF soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Place all the ingredients above in a food processor and process until smooth.
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Pour marinade over chicken breast and let flavors sink in for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
Prepare your grill or broiler. Cook until temperature registers 165F on the meat thermometer. Let the chicken breasts rest for 5 minutes before serving, this prevents the meat from drying up.
In the mood for chicken? Check out these other recipes:
Fig Chicken with Rosemary and Thyme
Grilled Chicken Tenders with Pumpkin Seed Pesto
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71 comments:
Alexa,
Looking at the photos, I am very sure this chicken is taste great! Tofu will be good too.
This dish sounds yummy and easy to prepare! Will try this sometime! Bookmarked! :)
Fantastic, I'm always looking for chicken dishes with zing. I'm going to try this recipe this weekend. Thanks
Wow-that looks so yummy! The chicken really looks so tender and moist, and so simple. I might have to add this to next week's menu!
I think this looks as good as chicken is ever gonna get Alexa...how moist & zingy.Love the flavours. I did a chicken mince kebab with with coriander & mint yesterday...simple & finger-licking good. Will post it in a couple of days...I love any variations on chicken...yummy!
delicious chicken--wonderful picture.
Okay, I'm game! Sorry, that was lame ;( Love the chicken, and am dying to see how the tofu turns out!
Love the flavors. Def a keeper.
That is a surprisingly simple sounding marinade, but that photo looks spectacular and this sounds like a great mid-week quicky meal. It sounds great!
I love the lemons in the second photo. It sure looks like a delicious dish!
Looks so moist and flavorful!
Elra,
Thank you. Still have not tried it with tofu but I'll let you know.:-)
Ning,
Thanks for your visit. Enjoy!
Rachel,
I hope you like it as much as we did.
Mary Ann,
It makes a great easy weekday meal since it comes together so fast.
Passionate Deeba,
I look forward to seeing that kebob recipe on your blog. You are posting it, right? It sounds delicious.
Maybelle's mom,
Thanks! Chicken is so hard to photograph. It looks so great on the plate but the compositions usually are pretty blah...
Dee,
he he! I got it right away! :-) My type of joke...
anne stesney,
Thanks your visit and comment. I am glad you liked this recipe.
Mike of Mike's Table,
That's what I said when I got the original recipe. It's amazing how so little can taste like so much.
Katie,
I'm into citrus in my pictures lately... something about Summer.
Tartelette,
Merci de me rendre visite et pour ton commentaire.:-)
hi alexa, first of all i tried the recipe .. the marinade ingredients were very thick and refused to move in the processor so i had to use another spoon of sesame oil and soy sauce.. i wonder how you make it work.
second , the picture looks incredibly delicious mine did not look like this ..so how do u make it this shade of brown?do you broil or grill ?
btw i used a cookie baking tray
thanks:)
Hello Mais,
I'm able to puree the ingredients listed above in my food processor. Adding more sesame oil and soy sauce was a good solution in your case.:)
I'll use my iron pan when I don't feel like grilling meat outside. Broiling in the oven is good too but you have to watch it carefully so it doesn't burn: I'll start the chicken by baking it and then move it to the upper rack for quick broil. I hope this helps!
thank you for this recipe! i adjusted the amount and marinated a whole chicken then butterflied and grilled it. simply delicious!!!
mika
nyc
Tried this tonight. Very good. Thank you!
I'm a first-time reader, and love it! When using tofu, would you brown/sear the tofu after marinating or grill it? I suppose one could bake it, too, after the marinade. Just wondering which prep method would work best.
I learned a tip on tofu from the Moosewood Cookbooks that when crumbling tofu in a recipe, you freeze it first then after thaw and pressing to release the extra water, it has a great consistency for crumbling. I've never tried to saute or grill after freezing but I have a feeling it would hold together better.
~creativesnow
Hello Anonymous,
Thank you for your comment. I've grilled tofu in a thick pan or baked it in the oven on high temperature. Sometimes I finish it off with a quick broil. You really can't go wrong.:)
Thanks for reminding me about the technique in the Moosewood cookbook--haven't done that in a while. Freezing tofu prior to marinating it firms it up even more. You just have to be sure to thaw it and squeeze as much as the water out as possible before cooking with it.Happy Cooking!
Really that's it?!? Looks so yummy but it seems crazy that's all there is to the marinade. What makes it "Thai"?
The recipe says Fish sauce OR gluten free soy sauce...which one did you use for the chicken pictured here? Have you tried it both ways and if so, which did you prefer?
Elizabeth,
It was most likely fish sauce.I have made it both ways. My family likes it either way.You get more of a depth of flavor however with the fish sauce.
What does this pair well with? I'd like to make it for dinner, but am unsure of what to make for sides.
Kayla,
I usually serve it with salads: shredded carrot, red cabbage slaw, or thai cucumber.Rice or rice noodles work well as an additional side dish. Enjoy!
I made this with coconut oil instead of sesame oil since that was what I had on hand, it was fantastic! Very simple, healthful and flavorful, thanks.
That looks SOOOO yummy! I'm pregnant, so you have me craving this flavor at this exact moment and I'm sad because I don't have it...lol I am pescatarian, so could this recipe work with salmon or some other type of fish? If so what temp and time? Or even tofu for that matter:-)
I think this marinade would be lovely with fish or tofu. I would cook it in a preheated oven at 350F for 15-20 or until the fish is flaky. It really depends on your oven and the thickness of your fish.
Hi there! Is there any reason that you only marinate for 15 minutes. Would flavors be too strong otherwise?
Hi Maggie,
I would not marinate it for more than 30 minutes. I can't say for sure because I use the recipe as is usually, but fish sauce is pretty strong tasting.
This looks great! Were getting sick of same old chicken...so definitely going to try this one!
We really loved this chicken marinade. We used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drum sticks and marinated overnight. It was some of the best chicken we've had in a while. I served it with a spicy thai noodle salad and it was a perfect meal. Will be making this over and over and over this summer. Thanks!
I tried this today w some modification and it was delicious! I didn't have sesame oil so I used flax seed oil. Maybe a little weird but it worked out pretty well. I cooked on a gas grill and it turned out perfectly! Thx for the recipe.
This recipe was really tasty and sooo simple! I didn't have cilantro, so I used fresh parsley and added some fresh lime juice to the marinade to give it that kick missing from the cilantro and it turned out great! I think grilling added a lot to it, not sure if it would have the same flavor if baked. Will definitely make this again. Thanks!
Thank you for the recipe it looks great! I plan on trying it out tonight. If you don't have a food processor for the sauce what would you recommend using?
This was amazing and SO fast! I used tenderloins instead of breasts and added the juice of one lime. Otherwise followed it exactly. So flavorful and easy! Thanks for the recipe.
I made the chicken onthe grill last night. It was delicious.
Made this last week but let the chicken marinade a little bit longer to soak up the flavor. Loved the freshness from the cilantro. Here is my post about it:
http://lexslifeasanewwife.blogspot.com/2012/08/cilantro-thai-grilled-chicken_19.html
Hi Alexa, you said in one of your comments that you bake the chicken first in the oven before you broil it. At what temperature do you bake it and for how long? thank you. Tammy
Hi Tammy,
I bake it in a preheated oven at 350F for about 20 minutes, it can take even longer depending on the thickness of the chicken so I usually use a meat thermometer to figure out when it's close to being done. When it's almost there I switch to broil to caramelize it at the end. Keep in mind that depending on the oven and if you live in high altitude cooking time can vary.
Hope this helps!
Alexa
Can't wait to try this! All my favorite flavors! Thanks.
Hi Alexa - I was wondering... on the recipe you say to use GF soy sauce. What does the GF stand for? Shelly
This was fantastic! I used the fish sauce and the combo of flavors was amazing. Easy and delicious- what could be better?
Sounds wondeful! Thanks for sharing!
This is a awesome marinade! I've made it a few times & am going to try it on some tofu.Yummy!
Hello! I am commenting in regards to mais's comment from June 2, 2011 and your reply. When you say iron pan I'm assuming you mean a cast iron skillet? Do you use this on the stove top or in the oven? Temp and time? I made this chicken a while back and it smelled and tasted good, however, mine looked a sickly shade of green lol and not like your pics either. Did you chop your cilantro before measuring or no? I used my george foreman and the soy sauce version. I just bought some fish sauce however and I'm ready for a second go-round! Also, I recently found out I'm mildly allergic to sesame (NOOO!!!). I saw someone said they used coconut oil. I'm thinking of trying that. Any other suggestions? Thanks so much! Michel
Hi Michel,
Yes I meant a cast iron skillet. I do use mine on the stove top on medium heat and I base the time on feel and a meat thermometer; you want the internal temperature to reach 165F. In this recipe, I wash the cilantro, trim the stems and coarsely chop it before measuring it--the food processor does the rest.
I think coconut oil will taste lovely instead of the sesame oil. Keeping with the Asian flavors of the dish, it's a great choice! Another possibility is a high quality roasted peanut oil, if you're not allergic to peanuts. Good luck and I hope your chicken is a beautiful shade of green this time! :)
Alexa
This chicken looks extremely delish. Are you sure there are only these few ingredients??? :-)
I tried this the other night, and it was absolutely fantastic!
For Karen, who asked about not having a food processor, I don't own one either (although I really need to buy one); I used my Kitchenaid blender. I had to add a little more oil and soy sauce and a whole lot of stopping and pushing the ingredients to the bottom, but eventually, everything was able to be processed by the blades. It's not ideal, but it works - I use it for most of my "food processing" needs.
I broiled my breasts (on a lower rack and then moved it to the top rack to brown).....they were SO DELICIOUS!
I also had a little bit of marinade left over, so I put it on a piece of fish. WOW, it made it taste so Asian-inspired! I will definitely use this again! Thanks!
Great recipe! A couple of modifications I made. Substituted cilantro leaves for coriander spice and sesame oil for plain vegetable oil. Also, I added a tiny bit of cayenne pepper for some extra oomph ;) Thanks, Alexa!
-Ashley
I made this in my coffee grinder and it worked perfectly - no need for extra oil. Thanks for such a great recipe!!
This chicken is fantastic! The cilantro mixed with the garlic reminded me of a traditional Iranian dish my mom would make. The sesame oil definitely added the Asian touch - I served it with jasmine rice steamed with peas and carrots, it was delicious!
Thank you for the recipe :)
what is gf soy sauce?
Thank you for all your kind comments! I'm glad that so many people have enjoyed this recipe.
In answer to "unknown" gf soy sauce is gluten free soy sauce. It contains no wheat product and is usually available in most grocery stores. If you're not concerned about gluten then you can use regular soy sauce.
I made this for our first bbq of the summer and it was a huge hit! It looked beautiful... Just like your picture and tasted even better! This recipe is officially added to the rotation!
I know it would not look as pretty, but, just curious, do you think this would work as a crock pot meal (with the soy sauce)?
Hi Jenna!
I've never tried it in my crockpot, but I don't think it should be a problem. You could brown it first in a hot pan to seal in the juices or put it straight in the crockpot. Watch the cooking time so it does not dry out. Let me know how it turns out.:)
Dear Alexa,
I made your recipe for the cilantro chicken for a party I had last week with a whole roasting chicken. It was a HUGE hit! I am starting a new blog promoting some of the best recipes I've tried and wondered if I could write about your recipe and post link to your blog so everyone knows where it came from?
Did you use fresh or dry cilantro? Thanks!
Ebony,
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Feel free to use it for your new blog!
Thanks for letting me know.
Ashley,
I use fresh cilantro in this recipe. Happy cooking!
Thanks for this recipe. It was delicious! Will make again.
Thank you for the delicious recipe! We put the chicken in a spinach salad with corn and black beans. It was a hit with my whole family - even the picky 5 year old!
This is my new go to chicken recipe! LOVE!
amazing recipe! I love it.
Do the lemons come as garnish only since it's not included in the ingredients for marinade?
Just made this was delicious, easy and super quick to make. Definitely gonna keep it in my recipe box!
Why do so many people comment without having made the dish? Oh, oops. I just did it, too.
Can't wait to try this! Boyfriend bought us a new grill the other day.....plan to assemble the grill tonight. I'm thinking this will be our first meal on the grill. :)
This shit looks good AF!
I've had this pinned for a while and finally tried it just now.
Good lord it is fantastic! May try adding a little jalapeño and a splash of vinegar to the marinade next time for a bahn mi action.
Thanks!
I am cilantro's biggest fan, so I pinned this forever ago and just tried it today! Super quick to make, I used olive oil instead of sesame, added some lime juice, and served it over some quinoa with bell peppers. This is going to be a new staple in my cilantro lovin kitchen :) thanks!
Hello, I was just wondering what the nutritional stats were? Thank you!
Hi! I made this last night.. and it was scrumptious! I made extra for leftovers, but it all got eaten!
I used chicken tenders instead of breasts, and I added a little fresh ground ginger and cooked it with a few chunks of bell pepper .
I broiled in the oven with for a few minutes each side, keeping a close eye on them.
Awesome
Thank you!!
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