Cumin chicken
A smoky, spicy Xinjiang-style stir-fry of chicken, onions and chiles tossed with toasted cumin and a pile of fresh cilantro.
- 30 min total
- 25 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 2
- About $3.12 a serving
- 480 calories
- Good the next day
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 2 servings.
- 1 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into thin strips
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 package microwave rice pouches (optional)
From your pantry
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
Each serving has about 480 calories, 48 g protein, 18 g carbs and 24 g fat, and costs about $3.12 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No boneless chicken thighs? Chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins work.
- No red onions? White onions or yellow onions work.
- No green bell peppers? Red bell peppers or yellow bell peppers work.
- No cilantro? Fresh parsley works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the chicken with the soy sauce and cornstarch.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Food safety: Wash your hands, the board and the knife with hot soapy water after touching raw meat, and don’t rinse raw chicken in the sink.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large over high. Spread the chicken out and cook 3 minutes without moving it, until underneath.
Skillet. A skillet is a frying pan: wide and flat with low, sloped sides. The shape lets steam escape, so food browns instead of stewing.
How you’ll know: It’s the pan you’d fry an egg in, and a 10 or 12 inch one handles most recipes.
Brown. Browning means cooking until the outside turns brown, which is where a lot of savory flavor comes from. Give food room and time without stirring, or it steams and stays gray.
How you’ll know: The food looks brown rather than gray, and the kitchen smells toasty and savory.
High heatTimer: 3 min
and cook 2 minutes more, until the biggest piece reads 165°F. Move it to a plate.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
High heatTimer: 2 min
Food safety: Chicken and turkey are done at 165°F in the thickest part. A thermometer is the only sure check. Without one, cut into the thickest piece: it should be white all the way through, with no pink.
Add the last tablespoon of oil, the onion and bell pepper and -fry 2 to 3 minutes, until at the edges but still .
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Char. Charring means cooking over very high heat until some spots turn black. Those dark spots add a smoky, slightly bitter flavor that balances sweet or rich food.
How you’ll know: You see black spots and blisters in places, while most of the surface keeps its own color.
Crispy. Crispy means the outside is dry, firm and crunchy. It comes from high heat, a little oil and room in the pan, because crowded food steams and goes soft.
How you’ll know: It sounds crunchy when you tap or bite it, and it doesn’t flop when you lift it.
High heatTimer: 2 min 30 sec
Turn the heat to medium, add the garlic, ginger, cumin and pepper flakes, and 30 seconds, .
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Fragrant. Fragrant means cooking until you can clearly smell it, usually garlic or spices, often in about 30 seconds. That’s the moment the flavor is ready, just before it can burn.
How you’ll know: You can smell it from a step back, and garlic is pale gold, not brown.
Medium heatTimer: 30 sec
Dolly’s tip: Ground cumin scorches quickly. Thirty seconds is plenty.Return the chicken, sprinkle in the sugar and salt, and 1 minute. Take it off the heat and toss in the cilantro.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Medium heatTimer: 1 min
Serve on its own or over warmed microwave rice.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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