Coconut Cilantro Chicken

The sauce starts as a cilantro purée. Coconut milk softens it, lime sharpens it, and a second handful of leaves goes in at the very end for lift.

Why the cilantro matters here. Blended into coconut fat, cilantro stops being a topping and becomes the body of the sauce — the dish is green because of the herb, not because of anything added to it.

Home kitchen · 4 to 6 servings

• 3 cups Fresh cilantro, divided: 2 cups blended, 1 cup at the end
• 2 lb Chicken thighs, cut in large chunks
• 2 cans Full-fat coconut milk (13.5 oz)
• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 inch Fresh ginger
• 3 Limes, juiced
• 1 large Red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 tsp Ground coriander
• as needed Jasmine rice, to serve

Herb quantities are given in loose cups, not weight — a cup should look like too much before you chop it.

Method

1. 1 Blend 2 cups of cilantro with the garlic, ginger, half the lime juice and a splash of water into a smooth green paste.
2. 2 Brown the seasoned chicken in a wide pan in batches. Set aside.
3. 3 Add the bell pepper and ground coriander to the same pan, cook 3 minutes, then pour in the coconut milk and warm it through without boiling.
4. 4 Stir in the green paste and return the chicken. Cook gently, uncovered, 15 minutes until the sauce coats a spoon.
5. 5 Off the heat, add the remaining lime juice and the last cup of cilantro. Serve over rice with lime wedges.