If you’ve got an air fryer and a bunch of fresh coriander in your fridge, you’re 20 minutes away from one of the best chicken dinners you’ll make at home.
This creamy coriander chicken has quickly become one of our favourite air fryer recipes. The chicken turns out super crispy and peppery from the marinade, and the coconut milk sauce you’ll make is so fragrant and green from all the fresh coriander that it fills the kitchen with the most amazing smell.
It uses ingredients I almost always have on hand and comes together really quickly for a delicious family meal. If you’ve been making our air fryer chicken tikka or air fryer lemon garlic chicken regularly, it’s time you try something fresh.
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Ingredients for Coriander Chicken
Chicken Thighs: I’ve used boneless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch pieces as they stay juicy even after air frying.
Marinade: Ginger garlic paste, crushed black pepper, white pepper, coriander powder, fresh coriander, cornflour, maida, egg, and salt.
Coconut Milk: Use thick coconut milk as it forms the base of the sauce and gives it its creaminess.
Aromatics: Garlic, green chilli, green chilli paste, and curry leaves.
Fresh Coriander: I’ve used it generously in both the marinade and the sauce.
Butter: For an extra rich sauce.
Oil: Groundnut or any neutral cooking oil for brushing the chicken in the air fryer.
Richa’s Top Tips
- Marinate for at least 30 minutes. The cornflour and maida in the marinade form a light coating on the chicken that crisps up in the air fryer. Skipping or rushing the marinating time means the coating won’t set properly and the chicken won’t be as crispy.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. Leave some gap between the pieces so hot air circulates evenly, and every piece gets that golden, slightly charred finish on all sides.
- Make the sauce while the chicken is in the air fryer. It only takes a few minutes on the stove, so by the time the chicken is done, the sauce is ready, and you can toss them together immediately.
- Toss the chicken in the sauce right before serving. If it sits in the sauce too long, the crispy coating softens. You want that contrast between the crunchy chicken and the creamy sauce in every bite.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, but thighs are recommended as they stay juicier after air frying. Breast pieces tends to dry out at high heat, so if you do use it, reduce the air frying time by a couple of minutes and keep an eye on it.
Yes. Shallow fry the marinated chicken pieces in a pan with a couple of tablespoons of oil until golden and cooked through. It’ll take about 3-4 minutes on each side. The air fryer gives you the crispiness with less oil, but pan frying works just as well for flavour.
Bell peppers, broccoli, and mushrooms all work well. Stir-fry them separately and add them to the sauce along with the chicken so they don’t get soggy.
Both work really well. For prawns, air fry for about 4-5 minutes instead of 7, as they cook much faster. For paneer, cube it, coat in the same marinade, and air fry until golden. The coconut coriander sauce tastes great with all three.
Storage Tips
- In the fridge: Store the chicken and sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days. Keeping them apart prevents the coating from going soft.
- Freezing: Not recommended. The coconut milk sauce tends to split once frozen and thawed, and the crispy coating on the chicken won’t survive freezing.
- Reheating tip: Warm the sauce gently on the stove and pop the chicken back in the air fryer at 180°C for 2-3 minutes to crisp it up again. Toss them together just before serving for the best result.
Serving Ideas
This creamy coriander green chicken works as a starter or as part of a proper meal. Here are a few ways we enjoy it:
- With Jeera rice: The simplest pairing. The coconut coriander sauce over warm rice is comfort food at its best.
- With Lachha Paratha: Hot, flaky parathas with creamy, peppery chicken are a combination that always works.
- With Tender Coconut Appam: Soft, lacy appams soak up the coconut coriander sauce beautifully and give the whole meal a South Indian feel.
- With Butter Garlic Naan: If you want something more indulgent, warm garlic naan with this chicken makes for a really satisfying dinner.
- On its own: As a starter or a snack, these crispy, saucy chicken pieces with a cold drink need nothing else on the side.
Did You Know?
Coriander is one of the oldest herbs known to humanity and it’s seeds have been found in ruins dating back to 5000 BC. It’s also mentioned in ancient Sanskrit texts, Egyptian papyri, and even the Bible. It was found in the tomb of Tutankhamun and was one of the first herbs to be brought to the Americas by European settlers. Every major cuisine in the world uses it in some form, leaves, seeds, or ground. Making it arguably the most universal herb on the planet.
If you love coriander, this recipe is going to make you really happy. And if someone in your house is on the fence about it, this might just be the recipe that wins them over. Tag me on Instagram @my_foodstory when you try it, I’d love to hear what your family thinks.
Watch Air Fryer Coriander Chicken Recipe Video
Air Fryer Creamy Coriander Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
For marination
- 250 gms boneless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- 2 teaspoons black pepper crushed
- 1 teaspoon white pepper crushed
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves
- 2 ½ tablespoons conflour
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour / maida
- ½ egg whisked
For sauce
- 1 teaspoon groundnut oil or cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 green chilli finely chopped
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2 teaspoons green chilli paste
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves divided
- ½ cup thick coconut milk
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper crushed
Instructions
Marinating chicken
- Add chicken to a bowl, add rest of the ingredients for marination, toss until all chicken pieces get well coated and set aside for 30 minutes.250 gms boneless chicken thighs, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon white pepper, 2 teaspoons coriander powder, 3 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves, 2 ½ tablespoons conflour, 1 tablespoon all purpose flour / maida, ½ egg
Air frying chicken
- Preheat the airfryer to 200C. Brush the airfryer basket with oil. Place the marinated chicken pieces on the airfryer basket with some gap in between. Brush / spray the chicken with a teaspoon of oil and air fry at 200C for 7 minutes until they are cooked through & slightly browned around the edges.
Preparing the sauce
- Heat oil in a pan or preferably a flat bottomed kadai, add butter & once it melts, add garlic, green chillies, curry leaves and saute for a minute on medium until garlic turns golden. Add green chilli paste and saute for ½ a minute till the rawness goes. Add 2 tablespoons of coriander leaves and saute for a few seconds till they wilt. Add coconut milk, water, salt, pepper and bring to a boil on high and simmer for 1-2 minutes1 teaspoon groundnut oil or cooking oil, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic, 1 green chilli, 1 sprig curry leaves, 2 teaspoons green chilli paste, 3 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves, ½ cup thick coconut milk, ¼ cup water, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Coriander chicken
- Add the airfried chicken to the sauce, mix well and saute for a minute till the sauce coats the chicken. Take off the heat, garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon of coriander leaves and serve.
Video
Nutrition
This article was researched and written by Harita Odedra.
The post Air Fryer Creamy Coriander Chicken appeared first on My Food Story.
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