Hariyali chicken or green chicken is a delicious Indian dish made with chicken, fresh aromatic herbs and spices. It goes well with plain rice, jeera rice, roti or even with ghee rice. There are a lot of Indian dishes that are cooked with a green paste made with green chilli, coriander and mint leaves.
These dishes turn out to be the most flavorful, delicious & healthy with a loaded greens. This green paste is used to make tikkas, kababs, stir fry dishes, pulao & biryani recipes.
In this post I have shared how to make green chicken. You can also use the same recipe to make hariyali chicken tikkas or one pot green chicken rice. I have shared the tips below.
This recipe is quite simple and takes less than 30 minutes. The first step is to make the green paste. Then saute the chicken and then add the green paste. Saute for a while and simmer it either in water, coconut milk or cashew milk.
If you want to make hariyali chicken tikka then just marinate the boneless chicken pieces with the green paste & 2 tbsps of thick yogurt or curd. Rest it overnight in the fridge and grill them in the oven until done.
To make one pot green chicken rice, please check the step by step photos. You can also make the rice in a cooker by pressure cooking for 1 whistle.
I sometimes make the chicken rice with this green masala. Here is how to do it. After you saute the chicken in green paste. Add the yogurt, 1 tsp more garam masala and cook until the chicken is almost done.
Evaporate the excess moisture and then pour 3 cups of water and bring it to a rolling boil. Then add drained and soaked basmati rice.
Cook covered on a low heat until the rice is done. Serve the rice hot.
More chicken recipes,
Chicken curry
Butter chicken
Chettinad chicken
Kerala chicken
Methi chicken
Preparation
Add coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chilies and onions to a blender jar and make a smooth paste. Set aside.
How to make green chicken
1. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin. When they begin to splutter then add cumin. The seeds will sizzle then add the ginger garlic and fry for a minute until the raw smell goes off.
2. Add 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala and the chicken. Saute for 2 to 3 mins until pale.
3. Then add the prepared hara masala.
4. Saute for 3 to 4 mins until the raw smell of onion goes off.
5. Optional – Reduce the flame to low. Then add in whisked yogurt if using. I used about 4 tbsps and sauteed until the yogurt blended well. Cook on a low heat until yogurt is absorbed.
6. Then pour water or coconut milk. Give a good stir and add salt.
7. Simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through well. When done the chicken will become fork tender.
Optional – I prefer to saute some bell peppers & curry leaves in oil and add them towards the end. This enhances the flavor.
Serve green chicken with rice or roti.
Related Recipes
Hariyali chicken (green chicken)
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 500 gms chicken (bone-in or boneless)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 sprig curry leaves (optional)
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1½ tsp ginger garlic paste (½ inch ginger, 3 garlic cloves)
- ¼ cup yogurt or curd (optional)
- ¾ cup water (or thin coconut milk)
- ½ tsp Salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
for green paste
- 1 cup coriander leaves (tightly packed) with tender stalks
- ½ cup mint leaves (tightly packed) (pudina)
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 green chilies (adjust as desired)
- 3 green cardamoms (or ½ tsp powder)
Instructions
- Add coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chilies, green cardamoms, onion, green chilies to a blender jar. If you do not have ginger garlic paste, then add half inch ginger and 3 medium garlic cloves to the same jar.
- Make a fine paste without adding water. Set this aside.
- Heat a pan with oil. Add cumin and allow them to crackle.
- Then saute the curry leaves until crisp. Then add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
- Add garam masala, coriander powder and chicken. Fry till it turns white in color.
- Cover and cook for 2 to 3 mins.
- Add green paste, fry for 3 to 4 mins until a nice aroma comes out.
- Cover and cook for another 2 mins. This way the aroma of green masala and spice is absorbed by the chicken.
- Optional – Turn the flame to low. If using yogurt whisk it very well until smooth and then add it to the pan. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 mins till the yogurt is absorbed.
- Then pour water & add salt.
- Stir well and cook covered until the chicken is tender.
- Open the lid and cook until the gravy reaches a desired consistency.
- Serve hariyali chicken with rice or roti. If desired squeeze in some lemon juice before serving.
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Hello! Quick question about the chicken; I have chicken drumsticks with skin and was wondering if I have to skin it or can I keep it on? I’m terrible with de-skinning a chicken lol
BTW I’ve made this before with boneless chicken and it was amazing!
Hi Sherry
Yes you can use them. Glad to know you like it
Wow Wow Wow. I tried your recipe. Superb taste. In case you are interested to know, i did some small changes ie added another 1 large spoon of Yoghurt, added 3 TBSP of reduced fat coconut milk, and finished it off with 2 TBSP of cream. In addition to curry leaves, I added kafir lime leaves, onion leaves, and some lemongrass.
This recipe turned out so good! I adjusted the amounts of the spices a bit more to my taste, but the end result was super tasty! I served it with cinnamon cardamom rice, and my friend and I really liked it.
Recipe with images has coconut milk… And ingredient list doesn’t include coconut milk… Is the cur optional or coconut milk?
Hi Anna
Both yogurt and coconut milk are optional.
You add the yogurt to the pan after the chicken is sauteed. Cook until the yogurt blends well. Then pour water or coconut milk.
Love your recipes..easy to understand easy to prepare all the given recipes..thanks a lot dear…..lots of love to your effort……?????
Welcome Nelofer
Thank you so much!
🙂
Thanks for sharing Indian recipes in a simple way. I’ve tried many dishes which turned out to be delicious jus by following your step by step instructions.
I started cooking recently due to shut down.
Your website made me a reasonably good cook whose earlier experience was limited to tea and omelette.
Thanks again and regards
Hello!
You are welcome! Great to hear that!
Thank you!
Enjoyed your haryali chicken. Thank you ma’am. You are great.
Hi Sonu,
You are welcome! Glad you liked it. Thank you so much!
Tried this today..everyone loved it. Thankyou!!
Welcome Lucy
You have not mentioned,when to add the dry masala powder
You have to add it with the chicken and fry. I will update it.
We add both coriander and garan masala powders right ?
Yes we have to add both. I updated it. Thank you
Missing the step by step pics
Yes Savitha , I don’t have the step by step pics. will try to upload sometime.
Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe…it’s tastes yumm
Tried this recipe yesterday, it had a unique flavor. Very tasty. Thanks for this easy and different recipe 🙂
Welcome Divya
I like all dishes and I learn you all racpie
Thanks Pushap Rana
I m making it ryt now .. Hope it will be yum
I’m making this right now for dinner. Thank you!
welcome holly
woo wow too tempting…
wow.. very tempting and droolworthy..
gracias por tu visita, me gusta tu blog y el curry:)
This is so flavourful and delish!
Droolworthy…wud luv to have it with rumali roti ..yum yum.<br />Have a lovely week ahead dear 🙂
Greeny n Juicy Curry, mouthwatering dear 🙂