If you're looking for a unique recipe to impress some dinner guests or looking to try a fun new recipe for your Sunday night dinner - this cardamom chicken thigh recipe might be the one for you.
I was inspired by a chicken recipe I saw in a cookbook that paired cardamom, caramelized onions and chicken together. It's quite a well-known cookbook called Jerusalem: A Cookbook, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. The New York Times published their adaptation of that recipe. Now I'm publishing mine.
I Do Believe Cardamom Chicken Will Become a Regular in Your Dinner Rotation
Cardamom is amazing but I don't get to use it that much. Using whole cardamom pods is perfect for certain recipes. When I make chicken biryani, I use whole pods in a cheesecloth with other whole spices. For this recipe, ground cardamom works much better in my opinion. Same with the whole cloves - gone. Ground cloves are much easier and still provide amazing flavor.
Basmati rice is magical. When my kitchen fills up with that smell I am in heaven. For this recipe, however, I wanted to kick the flavor up a notch. Instead of adding boiling water to the chicken, onions and rice, I boiled coconut milk and chicken broth. I think coconut is a great addition to this flavor profile and takes the dish to another level.
Cardamom Chicken is an Excellent One-Pan Dinner Option
My absolute favorite cut of chicken is the thigh. So much flavor and tenderness! I'm always on the hunt for new ways to prepare chicken thighs. The simplicity of mixing the chicken thighs with the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon sticks makes cooking this a breeze. The best part is that while your onions are caramelizing you get all the other prep work done! Then everything goes in one covered baking dish and into the oven. The smells that fill your kitchen will drive everyone crazy.
I tinkered with this recipe for several years before landing on the recipe I'm sharing below. You will seriously impress your loved ones if you present this beautiful platter come mealtime.
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Cardamom Chicken Thighs with Coconut Raisin Rice
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
If you're tired of the same old chicken thigh recipes why not try something new and different? These fall-off-the-bone tender thighs are fantastic! Serving on a platter family style is my favorite.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons ground cardamom, plus extra
- 1 tablespoon ground cloves, plus extra
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup cashews (optional)
- 2 cups washed basmati
- 1 14 ounce can full fat coconut milk
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- ½ bunch cilantro
- ½ bunch of dill
Caramelized Onions
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon of salt
Basmati Rice
- 2 cups of basmati rice, washed well
NOTE: Oven safe pan with a lid that has NO VENT HOLES is needed. The key to this dish is the chicken and rice steaming.
Instructions
- Caramelize your onions. Slice your medium onions (white, yellow, red – doesn’t matter). Put onions in pan with olive oil and salt. Mix together on low to medium heat. Stir here and there for 25-30 minutes until onions are golden brown.
- Trim excess fat from chicken thighs. Any extra flaps of skin or other fat hanging off the thighs must get cut off.
- Put chicken thighs in a large bowl. Add salt, ground cardamom, ground cloves, black pepper, olive oil, cinnamon sticks (broken in half).
- With your hands (gloves recommended), give that chicken a good mix to make sure all the oil and spices are well combined and coating all the pieces. Set aside for a moment.
- Get a medium sauce pot and pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth. Heat on low and keep simmering until you’re ready to put your chicken in the oven. Before adding to the cooking pan with the chicken, it will need to be brought to a boil so plan your time.
- Heat a large pan and cook your chicken thighs and cinnamon sticks for five minutes on each side – starting with the skin side down. We’re not cooking them all the way through – just five minutes on each side.
- While chicken is cooking wash basmati rice until the water runs clear. Then spread the raw rice on the bottom of your baking dish.
- Spread your caramelized onions on top of the raw rice.
- Sprinkle a pinch of ground cardamom and a pinch of ground cloves on top of the onions (this is the "plus extra" mentioned in ingredient list).
- Place chicken thighs and cinnamon sticks on top of the onions.
- Scatter your golden raisins and then the optional cashews (if you’re using them) evenly across the pan.
- You’re coconut milk and chicken broth should be boiling by now and it must be boiling before you add it to your baking pan or dish. As soon as it’s added put the lid on.
- Place the chicken in a preheated oven at 400 degrees and cook for 40 minutes.
- While chicken is cooking you can chop your cilantro and dill. We’ll mix some in with the chicken and rice and leave some aside to garnish the dish.
- When the chicken is finished cooking, take it out of the oven, remove the lid and cover the pan with aluminum foil. Then tightly secure the lid once again. Let it sit like this for 10 minutes.
Now you’re ready to serve!!
I usually put the chicken on a plate while I mix the rice, caramelized onions and raisins together. I add some of the cilantro and dill here and combine with the rice. You can see the final presentation in the video. I usually serve this family style.
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