Coconut Green Chicken

Excerpted from My New Indian Kitchen by Vikram Vij with Jennifer Muttoo. Photography by Gabriel Cabrera. Copyright © 2025, Vikram Vij. Republished with the permission of Figure 1 Publishing.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 4–5 cloves
• 2–3 green cardamom pods
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 (1-inch) cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tomatoes, puréed
• 1 (14-oz) can coconut cream
• 2 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 4 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• Salt, to taste
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/ 2 cup cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green serrano chilies
• 1/ 2 cup mint leaves Rice or naan, to serve

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon and cumin. Sauté for 2 minutes, until fragrant. 
2. Add onions and sauté for another 2–3 minutes, until golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute, until the raw smell disappears. 
3. Add puréed tomatoes and coconut cream and simmer for 3–4 minutes, until the oil separates from the masala. Stir in chili powder, coriander and turmeric. Cook for another minute. 
4. Add chicken and mix until coated in sauce. 
5. Add yogurt and salt and mix well. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with garam masala and mix well. Cook for another 2–3 minutes. 
6. In a blender, combine cilantro, chilies and mint and purée. Stir this mixture into the sauce. Serve hot with rice or naan.