If you love bold, vibrant flavours, Spicy Coriander Chicken is the dish for you. This recipe delivers juicy, caramelised chicken infused with fresh coriander, garlic, fiery scotch bonnet, and aromatic spices. The marinade does all the hard work, ensuring every bite is packed with heat, sweetness, and depth. Whether you’re cooking for a weeknight dinner or impressing guests, this dish guarantees big flavour with minimal effort.
Table of Contents
- Ingredient Breakdown
- Chicken Thighs: The Best Choice for Roasting
- Why Marinating Makes All the Difference
- Time to Roast
- Serving Suggestions: Spicy Coriander Chicken
- More Chicken Recipes
Ingredient Breakdown
- Fresh coriander: Provides an earthy, citrusy brightness that pairs beautifully with the spice.
- Scotch bonnet pepper: Brings real heat and a subtle fruitiness that enhances the dish’s depth.
- Garlic: Adds savoury intensity and complements the marinade’s bold flavours.
- Lime zest and juice: Cuts through the richness and balances the heat with a refreshing tang.
- Olive oil: Helps carry the flavours and ensures the chicken stays moist and tender.
- Sherry vinegar: Adds acidity and depth, enhancing the overall complexity of the dish.
- Honey: Brings a touch of sweetness, balancing the heat of the scotch bonnet.
- Cumin: Lends a warm, slightly nutty aroma that deepens the spice profile.
- Smoked paprika: Adds a subtle smokiness, intensifying the roasted flavour.
- Dried oregano: Contributes a mild, earthy note that enhances the other spices.
- Chipotle chilli flakes: Introduces an extra smoky heat that lingers on the palate.
- Sea salt: Brings out the natural flavours of all the ingredients.
- Chicken thigh fillets: The perfect cut for roasting—tender, juicy, and packed with flavour.
Chicken Thighs: The Best Choice for Roasting
For a recipe like Spicy Coriander Chicken, using chicken thigh fillets is the ideal choice. Chicken thighs are more forgiving than chicken breasts, as they retain moisture even when roasted at high temperatures. The marbled fat in chicken thighs results in a juicier and more tender bite, especially when combined with a flavour-packed marinade.
As the thighs roast, the fat renders and crisps the skin (if left on), creating a delicious caramelised exterior that contrasts beautifully with the succulent meat inside. Additionally, chicken thighs have a rich, intense flavour that makes them a perfect vehicle for absorbing the bold spices in the marinade.
Unlike lean chicken breasts, which can dry out easily, thighs are less likely to overcook, making them a more reliable option for a perfectly roasted dish every time. The tender texture and natural flavour enhance the overall experience of Spicy Coriander Chicken, offering a satisfying and hearty meal.
Why Marinating Makes All the Difference
Marinating chicken, especially in a flavourful mixture like the one used in Spicy Coriander Chicken, is more than just an easy way to infuse flavour. It also improves the texture. The acid from the lime juice and sherry vinegar helps break down the proteins in the chicken, making it more tender and easier to chew.
The longer the chicken marinates, the more the flavours penetrate, ensuring every bite is infused with the richness of the coriander, spices, and heat. The oil in the marinade acts as a sealant, locking in moisture and preventing the chicken from drying out during cooking. This results in a juicier, more succulent piece of meat. While marinating for just an hour provides a good level of flavour, allowing the chicken to rest in the marinade for up to five hours enhances the taste significantly, as the spices and herbs have more time to work their way into the meat.
Time to Roast
Roasting at 220℃ is key to achieving beautifully caramelised Spicy Coriander Chicken. This high heat ensures the chicken develops a golden, slightly crisp exterior while staying juicy inside. Removing excess marinade prevents steaming, which can lead to a soggy texture. Instead, a light coating helps the fillets roast properly, locking in moisture while allowing the edges to char slightly for extra flavour.
Letting the chicken rest after roasting allows the juices to redistribute, preventing dryness and enhancing tenderness. These small steps make all the difference between an average and an outstanding dish.
Serving Suggestions: Spicy Coriander Chicken
When it comes to serving Spicy Coriander Chicken, the goal is to complement the bold flavours with sides that bring balance and freshness. A vibrant, cooling side is essential to cut through the heat of the chicken. Consider serving the chicken with a side of tangy cucumber salad dressed with lime, or perhaps a creamy avocado mash to counter the spice.
Grains like couscous, quinoa, or rice offer a neutral base, allowing the chicken to shine. Roasted vegetables, such as sweet potatoes or carrots, pair wonderfully with the caramelised exterior of the chicken, adding an earthy sweetness that contrasts with the heat. Fresh herbs like mint or parsley sprinkled over the top add a burst of freshness, while a dollop of cooling yoghurt or a squeeze of lime before serving can help balance the spices. When presented with the right sides, Spicy Coriander Chicken becomes a well-rounded, satisfying meal that offers both depth and variety of flavour.
More Chicken Recipes
If you’ve enjoyed making this Spicy Coriander Chicken, here are some more of my recipes I think you’ll like:
- Chicken Parm: A classic chicken parm, no frills. Crispy golden chicken, rich tomato sauce and plenty of melted cheese.
- Chicken Kebabs: These North African-inspired chicken kebabs are delicious, juicy and packed with flavour! Added bonus: they’re incredibly easy to make.
- Chicken Katsu: Who doesn’t love crispy fried chicken? Chicken thigh fillets pounded until thin, dredged in seasoned flour, eggs and panko, and fried until golden brown.
- Chimichurri Chicken: Chicken so good it’ll make you dance! The chicken is marinated in a tasty combination of herbs and spices then seared until perfectly cooked and juicy.
See how I make all these recipes and more over on my Instagram!
Spicy Coriander Chicken
One of my best chicken recipes to date! The chicken is marinated in a delicious combination of fresh coriander, garlic, scotch bonnet, sherry vinegar, honey and spices, then roasted until juicy and caramelised. It’s a lengthy ingredient list, but it’s worth it – it’s incredibly tasty, easy to prepare and packs a huge flavour punch. If you like real spice—and I do mean real—double the amount of scotch bonnet.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 3 1x
- Category: Chicken
Ingredients
- 20 g fresh coriander
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 lime, zest and juice
- 4 tbsps olive oil
- 2 tbsps sherry vinegar
- 2 tbsps honey
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp chipotle chilli flakes
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 640 g chicken thigh fillets (boneless, skinless)
Instructions
- Add the marinade ingredients to a small blender and blitz until smooth.
- Place the chicken thigh fillets in a bowl. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss to coat. Let the chicken marinate at least 1 hour and up to 5 hours.
- Heat your oven to 220℃. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, and arrange it in a single layer in a medium baking tray. You don’t need to scrape the marinate off the surface of chicken. It’s ok if there’s still some excess in the tray – you just don’t want the chicken to be swimming it the marinade.
- Roast the chicken for around 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through – chicken thigh fillets cook very quickly.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pour the remaining marinade into a small saucepan. Add the juices from the bottom of the roasting tin. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve the chicken alongside your favourite side, with a little of the sauce drizzled over the top – enjoy!
