Quick to cook and intensely flavorful, chili cumin chicken thighs make a great weekday dinner paired with crunchy vegetables.
Note: This is a revised version of my post published in 2017.
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Why this recipe
Today’s recipe, Chili Cumin Chicken Thighs, isn’t a traditional Chinese dish but is inspired by Lamb Skewers (Yáng Ròu Chuàn’r/羊肉串儿), a popular Chinese street food renowned for its distinctive chili and cumin seasoning.
Captivated by this flavor profile, I’ve developed several ways to infuse other ingredients with it. Chili cumin chicken is the one I find myself cooking most often because of its simple and quick preparation.
Like other easy chicken recipes (e.g., Sha Cha Chicken), this one only takes two steps: briefly marinating the thighs with spices, then pan-frying them until golden.
Here’s a bonus: sizzle some pre-blanched green beans in the rendered chicken fat to create a tasty side dish in the same pan. Sounds like a plan? Scroll down for the detailed recipe!
Ingredients & substitutes
Here is the simple list of ingredients that you need for chili cumin chicken:
CHICKEN
Skinless and boneless thighs are my top choice for this recipe due to their rich flavor and quick cooking time. If substituting with chicken breasts, I recommend cutting them into thin cutlets and being careful not to overcook.
SPICES
I use both cumin powder and whole cumin seeds, as well as both ground chili and flakes. This approach maximizes the fragrance of the spices and creates an appealing finished look.
Feel free to adjust the chili quantity according to your tolerance to heat. However, I wouldn’t suggest reducing the cumin, as it’s truly the soul of this dish.
VEGETABLES
This one-pan dish includes vegetables that balance both nutrition and flavor. Green beans or broccoli are my go-to choices, while asparagus and snow peas (aka mangetout) make good substitutes and don’t require blanching beforehand.
Cooking process
Step 1: Marinate the chicken
Coat the chicken thighs with all the seasonings (chili flakes, ground chili, cumin seeds, cumin powder, and salt) and a little oil. Leave it to marinate while you prepare the vegetable in the next step (you can leave it in the fridge for longer if you wish, but not exceeding 24 hours).
Step 2: Blanch the beans
First, bring water to a full boil in a saucepan. Then add green beans (with the tip of the stem end trimmed) and a little salt. Leave to cook over medium heat until the beans are slightly undercooked.
Step 3: Sear the chicken
As soon as the beans are blanched, you can move on to cook the chicken. Start by heating a heavy-bottomed skillet (no need to add oil). Then put in the marinated chicken thighs. Arrange the pieces as flat as possible without any overlapping.
Leave to fry over medium heat. Once the side facing down gains a nice golden shine, turn the thighs over. Cook the second side for about 2 minutes, then push the chicken to one side.
Step 4: Combine the dish
Tilt the skillet allowing any oil and rendered chicken fat to flow to the other side. Add the beans to the oil, tossing them to sizzle. Continue cooking for a few more minutes until the thighs are well done and the beans have wilted slightly but retain some crunch.
Serving ideas
I like cooking chili cumin chicken thighs for weekday dinners and serving them with plain steamed rice. Simple, healthy, yet so satisfying!
It’s also a great choice for multi-dish gatherings. Imagine slicing the chicken into pieces and using it to stuff freshly made bao buns or duck pancakes. Delicious!
Other chicken dishes
Looking for more easy and scrumptious chicken dishes, try these ones:
📋 Recipe
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & if you REALLY like it, consider leaving a comment as well!
Chili Cumin Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 6 chicken thighs - skinless & boneless
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground chili - see note 1
- 2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
For the vegetable
- 10 oz green beans - or broccoli (see note 2)
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
- Put chicken thighs into a large bowl. Add salt, chili flakes, ground chili, cumin seeds, cumin powder, and cooking oil. Mix well and leave to marinate.
Blanch the vegetable
- Bring about 4 cups (1 liter) of water to a boil. Add green beans and salt. Leave to simmer until the beans are slightly undercooked (Do not overcook). Drain well and set aside.
Sear the chicken
- Once the vegetable is done, heat a large skillet/frying pan, preferably with a heavy bottom, over medium heat. Place the marinated chicken in a single layer (spread the pieces as flat as possible).
- Pan-fry until the first side turns golden. Flip over and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Combine the dish
- Push the chicken to one side. Tilt the skillet a little to let the existing oil flow to the other side. Add drained green beans. Leave them to sizzle in the oil.
- Once the chicken thighs are fully cooked (see note 3) and the beans start to wilt, dish out and serve immediately.
NOTES
NUTRITION
NUTRITION DISCLOSURE: Nutritional information on this website is provided as a courtesy to readers. It should be considered estimates. Please use your own brand nutritional values or your preferred nutrition calculator to double check against our estimates.
SteveF says
Spicy cumin chicken thighs are superb. I’ve learnt to wind down the chilli powder and the chilli flakes! I recently as a topping to egg fried rice. Marvellous union!
Wei Guo says
That sounds like a delicious combination!
SteveF says
Morena Wei (Morena=morning in Maori)
I have cooked this recipe twice recently. Last week I used broccoli. Last night I used green beans. Both worked fine!
The cumin/chilli marinade/cooking sauce is superb! Like Goldilocks … Not too hot, not to spicy! And your recipe produces cooked and moist chicken thighs!
Thanks.
SteveF says
A superb recipe! Easy to do and very tasty. I served it on steamed rice and mung bean sprout stir-fry. A delightful medley!
Steve says
Hi. Can you use boneless skin-on thighs?
Wei Guo says
Yes, absolutely. Happy cooking!
Babar Shameem says
Simplicity delivers delicious result! Went with asparagus instead of beans. Added garlic powder to the ingredients.
Wei Guo says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Sally Yoshida says
I found this recipe a few years ago, and my family and I have been enjoying it regularly ever since (as a matter of fact, sizzling on my stove top right now!).
Easy, uses ingredients I always have on hand, and delicious!
I usually make it with bone in thighs, and I finish cooking them in my convection oven after browning on the stovetop.
SO GOOD! Thank you, Wei 🙂
Wei Guo says
you’re welcome Sally! Love your oven browning idea.
Denise says
I adore cumin so can’t wait to try this! The chili powders sold in my supermarket are not hot, rather they are savory. Do you think I could substitute cayenne powder?
Wei Guo says
“Chili powder” in my recipe refers to pure, ground dried chili without addition of any other seasonings or spices. Yes, you can use cayenne powder for sure.
Amanda says
I made this tonight and it was amazing. I don’t love green beans so I substituted broccoli and it was perfect.
Wei Guo says
Very happy to hear you’ve enjoyed the dish!
Michelle says
Instant hit! I was very ambitious because I love spicy food and doubled the amount of pepper flakes so my first attempt was very nearly too spicy but so delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Wei @ Red House Spice says
My pleasure Michelle! I’m cooking this for dinner tonight. It’s one of our favourite regulars.