Chili Cumin Chicken Thighs

5 from 42 votes

Quick to cook and intensely flavorful, chili cumin chicken thighs make a great weekday dinner paired with crunchy vegetables.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Author: Wei Guo

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

US Customary - Metric

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

1. Ground chili refers to dried chili pepper in powdery form. You may use chili powder that contains other spices and salt. In this case, slightly reduce the salt quantity.

2. You may also use other vegetables, such as asparagus or snow peas. In this case, skip the blanching process as they’re easy to cook through.

3. If you are unsure about the doneness, use a kitchen thermometer and test by poking it through the thickest part of the chicken. The internal temperature should be above 165°F (74°C).

Nutrition