Baked Indian-Style Lemongrass Chicken Recipe (2024)

It is hard to imagine a well-rounded spice cabinet without a hint of Indian spices such as ginger, coriander, cumin, cardamom, nutmeg, fenugreek, and turmeric to create fabulous spice-rich meals.

Many of these exotic spices can be used in the baking of desserts, others in homestyle curries, and fresh turmeric can even be used in an anti-inflammatory smoothie! However, one often overlooked spice is lemongrass, Cymbopogon citratus.

Lemongrass is often associated with Thai and Vietnamese dishes, yet it is just as native to India as it is to tropical Asia. And though it may be difficult to find at your local supermarket (try a specialty food store or an Asian market) and accept the challenge to seek it out and make serious plans to see this dish all the way to the end - it is definitely worth it!

In a pinch, a squeeze of lemon with zest will do, but this achieves nowhere near the depth of flavor that resides in the lemongrass stalk, so if you wish to keep this curry somewhat authentic, search high and low, or opt for a lemongrass paste instead.

You are in the lucky situation that you get to make the coconut-spice marinade ahead of time, and once it is up for you to bake the chicken, the rest of the meal prep should be a breeze. Serve the curry over a bed of cauliflower rice and grab inspiration from these Indian spices, in preparation to make a gorgeous batch of chicken tikka masala over the weekend.

Baked Indian-Style Lemongrass Chicken Recipe

Serves: 4 Prep: 20 min + 2 h Cook: 40 min

Ingredients

• 6 to 8 chicken thighs, skinless and boneless
• 2 bell peppers, sliced
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 lemongrass stalks, sliced
• 1 lemongrass stalk, minced
• 4 shallots, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 small mild red chili peppers (optional)
• 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
• 2 green onions, minced
• 1 tbsp. fresh turmeric, minced
• Juice from 2 limes
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, to garnish
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. In a large mortar, add the minced lemongrass, shallots, garlic, ginger, onion, turmeric, and chili peppers (if using). Crush everything to a paste using a pestle.
2. In a bowl, pour in the lime juice, coconut oil, and coconut milk.
3. Mix everything, including the spices, until well combined.
4. Place the chicken in a marinating container, and pour the coconut-spice mixture over the chicken.
5. Cover and marinate for 2 to 8 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 400 F.
7. Place the chicken and bell pepper in a baking dish, then top with sliced lemongrass.
8. Cook in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
9. Serve topped with fresh cilantro.

📖 Recipe

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