Chicken Cafreal Recipe
This spicy green chicken cafreal is made with fresh ingredients. Cilantro makes it green.
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 406kcal
Ingredients
For the paste:
- ½ large Onion
- 1 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste or ⅓ Ginger paste and 2/2 Garlic finely chopped
- 2 Small Indian Green Chili Pepper or Serrano Peppers
- 1 Teaspoon Coriander Seeds Ground
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds Ground
- ½ Teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 Cup Cilantro Fresh packed with leaves and stems
- 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper Ground
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
To cook:
- 1 Pound Chicken boneless or bone-in
- 2 Tablespoon Olive Oil or other neutral cooking oil
- 1 small Onion chopped
- ¼ cup Water less water results in a drier, cleaner if this is what you prefer.
Instructions
- Start by blending all the paste ingredients fine and smooth and keep aside.½ large Onion, 1 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste, 2 Small Indian Green Chili Pepper, 1 Teaspoon Coriander Seeds Ground, 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds Ground, ½ Teaspoon Garam Masala, 1 Cup Cilantro Fresh, 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice, ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper Ground, ½ Teaspoon Salt
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. If using boneless chicken, cut it into bite-sized pieces. For bone-in thighs or drumsticks, make a few shallow cuts in the meat to help the marinade penetrate.1 Pound Chicken
- Massage the paste into the chicken and marinate the chicken covered in paste for 1 hour. (The longer you keep it marinated, the better; I usually keep it for some hours for the best result.)
- Once the chicken has marinated long enough, take out a pan and pour in your oil. Sauté the translucent chopped onion over a medium-low heat setting.2 Tablespoon Olive Oil, 1 small Onion
- Add the marinated chicken to the pan and cook over medium heat for a few minutes, turning the pieces occasionally. Add any remaining marinade and a cup of water, stirring to combine. Reduce the heat and continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked.¼ cup Water
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the chicken, turning occasionally. Boneless chicken strips generally take 10-15 minutes, while bone-in thighs and drumsticks may require 25-35 minutes or longer depending on their size. Cook until the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
- If you need to add a few tablespoons more water to make it more like gravy, you can do so.
- Serve hot with rice, roti, flatbread, Goan pao, or poi bread.
Notes
Traditional Cafreal calls for bone-in chicken, such as chicken thighs and drumsticks.
You can add in some more water to turn the marination paste into a gravy curry.
Nutrition
Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 671mg | Potassium: 400mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 713IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg
