Best Turmeric Chicken Recipes

TURMERIC-BLACK PEPPER CHICKEN WITH ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together 1/4 cup water with the honey, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set honey mixture aside.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the chicken and toss until coated.
• In a medium (10-inch) nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the chicken and cook until the turmeric is fragrant and the chicken is golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add the asparagus, season with salt, stir to combine and cook until crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the honey mixture and cook, stirring, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar, if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with lime squeezed over top, if you like.

PERSIAN CHICKEN WITH TURMERIC AND LIME

Steps:

• Mix chicken, onion, turmeric, chopped garlic, lime juice, 1 Tbsp. oil, 2 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. salt, and 3/4 tsp. pepper in a medium bowl.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium in a heavy medium saucepan. Add rice and smashed garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted and fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Stir in cardamom, cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. cumin and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Add 1 3/4 cups water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer, covered, until water is evaporated and rice is cooked, 18-20 minutes. Remove from heat. Let sit, covered, until ready to serve.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil over medium-high in a large skillet until very hot but not smoking. Add chicken mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in yogurt, if using, then adjust seasoning to taste. Cover to keep warm.
• Gently toss cucumber, herbs, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in a small bowl.
• Fluff rice with a fork and divide among bowls. Spoon chicken over. Top with cucumber salad, pistachios, and sumac, if using. Generously squeeze lime wedges over.

SHEET-PAN CHICKEN WITH CHICKPEAS, CUMIN AND TURMERIC

Steps:

• Season chicken parts with salt and pepper.
• Combine 3/4 cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon turmeric and 2 tablespoons water in a large bowl. Season well with salt and pepper. (It should be on the salty side, as this is a marinade.) Add chicken and toss to coat evenly. Let sit at least 30 minutes at room temperature, and up to overnight in the refrigerator.
• Place oven rack on the top third of the oven and heat to 425 degrees.
• Combine chickpeas, fennel seed, cumin, remaining teaspoon of turmeric and half the red onion slices on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
• Move chickpeas to the outer edges of the baking sheet. Scrape any excess marinade off the chicken, and place the chicken parts in the center. Place baking sheet in oven and bake, tossing chickpeas occasionally, until the skin of the chicken is evenly browned and the chickpeas are golden and starting to crisp, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss remaining onion slices with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Combine remaining yogurt with remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice and season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Once chicken is ready, scatter with lemony onions and mint or cilantro. Serve with seasoned yogurt alongside as a sauce.

TURMERIC-GINGER CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, saute garlic, turmeric, and ginger in oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add stock; bring to a simmer. Add pasta; cook 1 minute less than per package instructions. Add chicken; heat through, 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Serve with microgreens and scallions.

INDONESIAN CHICKEN SOUP WITH NOODLES, TURMERIC AND GINGER (SOTO AYAM)

Steps:

• Place chicken in a medium pot with lemongrass, lime leaves (if using), salt and 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer until chicken is tender, about 45 minutes, skimming as needed to make a clear broth. Remove chicken pieces from broth and set aside. Remove and discard lemon grass and lime leaves; reserve stock in pot. When chicken is cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones and shred meat into bite-size pieces.
• Meanwhile, combine peppercorns, coriander seeds and cumin seeds in a small food processor. Pulse until ground. Add halved shallots, garlic, turmeric and ginger and pulse to a thick paste. (Add a little water if needed.)
• Heat peanut oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. When very hot, add spice paste and cook, stirring until paste is cooked and beginning to separate from the oil, about 5 minutes.
• Add cooked spice paste and chicken meat to stock. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.
• Cook noodles according to package directions.
• Turn off heat under soup and stir in lime juice. Taste for salt.
• To serve, divide noodles in large soup bowls. Ladle chicken pieces and soup on top and sprinkle with celery leaves or herbs, and fried shallots, if using. Pass lime and sambal at the table.
• Eat from soup bowl, or serve a scoop of rice on a side plate, sprinkled with more shallots, and put a mouthful of noodles and chicken on rice. Combine on a spoon, dab with sambal, and eat.

COCONUT & TURMERIC BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Put the chicken thighs in a bowl and add the turmeric, cumin, garlic, ginger and 3 tbsp of the coconut milk. Rub the marinade in and leave for at least 15 mins, or longer if you have time.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Scatter the onion and spring greens in a baking tray, add the rest of the coconut milk, the maple syrup and 150ml water. Cook in the oven for 10 mins, stirring regularly to wilt the greens. Place the chicken thighs on top, then return to the oven for 30 mins, stirring the greens underneath occasionally.
• Heat the grill and cook for a further 8-10 mins until the skin is crispy. Serve with rice.

COCONUT-BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH TURMERIC AND PEPPERS

Steps:

• In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium. In a small bowl, combine the coriander with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pat the chicken dry using paper towels, then rub the seasoning all over the chicken. Add the chicken to the skillet, skin-side down, and cook until starting to heat through on one side, 10 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high and continue to cook, without flipping, until skin is well browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate, browned-side up.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the scallions, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, turmeric and lime leaves, if using, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Stir in the stock and coconut milk and bring to a boil over high. Add the chicken, browned-side up, and cook over medium-low until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes for thighs or 30 to 35 minutes for legs. (Chicken is cooked through when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165 degrees, or the juices run clear without a trace of pink when chicken is pierced with a knife.)
• Transfer the chicken to a plate, browned-side up. Whisk the sauce in the skillet to emulsify, season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the sliced peppers and cook over medium just until slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet, browned-side up, and add a few small sprigs cilantro on top of the sauce, for garnish.
• Serve with rice or noodles, and pass bowls of cilantro at the table, for seasoning to taste.

IRANIAN CHICKEN WITH TURMERIC, SAFFRON, AND LEMON JUICE

Steps:

• Rough chop the onion and place in a large pot.
• Add chicken on top.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add turmeric.
• Add 1/2 cup of water.
• Cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked all the way through. 10 minutes into the cooking, give the whole pot a stir to allow the turmeric to coat the chicken and onions.
• If you choose to use fresh lemon juice, squeeze your lemons now.
• When the chicken is done, remove it from the pot and keep warm.
• Add saffron mixed with water and lemon juice to the water remaining in your pot. Adjust seasonings if needed.
• With a hand or regular blender, process the juice and onion until nice and smooth. Let reduce for a few minutes on low hear until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
• Arrange your chicken in a platter and pour the sauce over the chicken.
• Serve with Iranian polo (rice).

CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP WITH GINGER AND TURMERIC

Steps:

• In a large pot, combine the oil with 3/4 cup scallions, the garlic, finely chopped ginger, coriander and turmeric. Season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the rice and stir until coated. Add the chicken stock and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil over high. Meanwhile, prepare the bok choy: Trim and discard the ends, then halve crosswise, separating the leafy bok choy tops from the heftier stems. Cut the stems crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.
• Once the stock comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and carefully add the whole chicken, then the wings and legs, adding the meat in a single layer. (If the chicken isn't fully submerged, add enough water until the meat is fully covered.) Cover the pot with a lid, leaving the lid cracked open about 1 inch, and simmer over medium-low until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. (Reduce the heat to low if necessary. You want to keep it at a low simmer to ensure the chicken stays tender.) Transfer the chicken to a large bowl.
• Continue to cook the soup over medium, uncovered, until the rice is tender and the liquid starts to thicken, 20 to 25 minutes. While the rice continues to cook, shred the chicken: Once cool, discard the chicken skin and tear the meat into bite-size pieces, discarding the bones. (You should have about 3 packed cups of shredded meat.)
• Stir the bok choy stems and shredded chicken into the soup, and simmer just until stems are slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the leafy bok choy tops, and season to taste with salt.
• Divide among bowls and serve with bowls of chile, cilantro, sliced scallions and julienned ginger, to garnish.

CRISPY CHICKEN OVER TURMERIC-LEMON CABBAGE AND PEAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix cumin seeds, garlic powder, coriander, turmeric, and 1 tsp. salt in a small bowl.
• Arrange chicken thighs on a plate and pat dry with paper towels. Season generously with spice mixture on both sides. You won't need all of it; set leftover spice mixture aside for adding to cabbage later.
• Working in 2 batches if needed, arrange chicken thighs, skin side down, in a cold large cast-iron skillet and set over medium-low heat. Cook, undisturbed, until skin underneath is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium and cook until skin is deep golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn chicken over and cook 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium-low if cooking chicken in batches.
• If skillet seems dry, add oil, then cook onion and garlic over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in reserved spice mixture and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add half of cabbage and stir to combine. Let cook 1 minute to wilt slightly, then add remaining cabbage and 1 tsp. salt and stir again to combine. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Add ½ cup water and cover (a baking sheet works great if you don't have a lid). Cook cabbage 10 minutes.
• Arrange chicken, skin side up, on top of cabbage, then wedge lemon slices evenly between thighs. Transfer to oven and bake until cabbage is tender and chicken is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh should register 165°F), 22-25 minutes. Remove from oven.
• Scatter peas over chicken. Return skillet to oven and bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven and scatter cilantro over to serve.

CRISPY TURMERIC-AND-PEPPER-SPICED CHICKEN WINGS

Steps:

• Finely grind peppercorns, turmeric, sugar, and salt in spice mill, then transfer spice mix to a small bowl. Arrange chicken wings on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle wings all over with spice mix. Reserve bowl.
• Mix ginger, garlic, and oil in reserved bowl, then drizzle over wings. Using tongs or your hands, turn wings to coat and let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes, or cover and chill up to 1 day.
• Place baking sheet with chicken wings in a cold oven; preheat oven to 425°F. Bake wings until golden brown and foil is stained with turmeric, 30-35 minutes. Using tongs, turn wings over and continue to cook until skin is crisp and wings are starting to char around the edges, another 30-40 minutes.
• Transfer wings to a platter and serve with lemon wedges alongside for squeezing over.

TURMERIC CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add shiitake mushrooms, onion, and garlic; cook and stir until onions begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in chicken and season with salt and pepper; cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes.
• Stir paprika and turmeric into chicken mixture until evenly coated. Squeeze lemon onto mixture; stir in parsley. Add rice and stir mixture until rice is heated through, 5 to 7 minutes.

TURMERIC CHICKEN WITH BUTTER BEAN HUMMUS & ROASTED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Line a baking sheet with foil. Make a few small cuts around the edges of the pepper halves using a sharp knife, then flatten them as much as you can with your palm. Rub with the veg oil and roast on the lined baking sheet for 10 mins.
• Meanwhile, cut the chicken breasts in half lengthways at an angle so you end up with four thin fillets. Mix the yogurt, turmeric, cumin seeds, ground coriander, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil with some black pepper in a bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat in the marinade. When the peppers have had 10 mins, turn them over, add the chicken fillets to the sheet, spacing them apart slightly, and spoon any remaining marinade over them. Roast for 20 mins, turning the chicken fillets halfway, until cooked through.
• For the hummus, use a hand blender to blitz together the beans, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin seeds and coriander with 6 tbsp liquid from the can, some salt and plenty of black pepper. It should be completely smooth.
• When the chicken has been cooking for 10 mins, steam the broccoli for 6 mins until tender. Spoon the hummus over two plates, then top with the roasted peppers and chicken. Scatter with the mint, drizzle with olive oil and serve with the broccoli on the side.

TURMERIC CHICKEN WITH TOUM

Steps:

• Toum
• Combine the garlic, lemon juice, salt, and orange blossom water in a blender. Pulse on the lowest setting until just combined. Then in a slow and steady stream, add the oil while continuing to blend on low, gradually increasing the speed to medium-high until the mixture has fully emulsified. The consistency should be similar to mayonnaise with some soft peaks.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The consistency will thicken slightly after refrigeration.
• Note: The garlic is what binds the oil with the other liquids to make more of a solidified consistency. If you double this recipe, it will be even easier for your blender to emulsify the ingredients.
• Marinade
• In a bowl, combine the ground turmeric, orange peel, fennel, cumin, coriander, garlic, and fresh turmeric. Then add the orange juice, orange blossom water, and yogurt and stir to combine.
• Chicken
• Season the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper. Rub some of the marinade inside the cavity of the chicken.
• Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together. I like to keep the wings loose and not tied so the breasts and wings get crispy.
• Evenly season the outside of the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on a sheet pan and let it sit, uncovered, at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then rub the marinade all over the outside. (It may seem like a lot but use it all.) Transfer the sheet pan, uncovered, to the refrigerator and marinate overnight.
• When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours prior to cooking. (Cooking the chicken cold will take longer and might dry out the meat.)
• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the chicken breast-side up on the rack of a roasting pan. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes (if the skin is browning too quickly, decrease the heat to 375°F), until the meat between the leg and thigh feels tender to the touch or using an instant-read thermometer placed in the thigh, the temperature reaches 160° to 165°F. Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes to let the juices redistribute. Cut off the kitchen twine, carve, and serve with a side of toum.

CHICKEN WITH TURMERIC AND PAPRIKA OVER RICE

Steps:

• Rub turmeric, paprika, and lemon-pepper seasoning over chicken. Place chicken in a skillet over medium heat and cover with water. Add bell pepper, onion, and cilantro. Cook until chicken juices run clear and bell peppers are soft, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring water and rice to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and water has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Season chicken mixture with salt and serve over rice.

CHICKEN SOUP WITH ORZO AND TURMERIC

Steps:

• Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; saute until onion is translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add chicken, salt, and pepper; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, and red pepper flakes; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Increase heat to medium-high and pour in chicken broth; bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and shred when cool enough to handle.
• Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Add orzo and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove and discard parsley stems; roughly chop leaves. Stir parsley into the soup with shredded chicken and vinegar. Adjust seasonings and ladle into bowls.

BONE BROTH-BRAISED TURMERIC CHICKEN WITH VEGGIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with the coriander, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Heat a braiser or large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until melted and shimmering. Add the chicken to the pan, skin-side down. Sear until the skin is deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove to a plate. Stir the carrots into the pan and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the shallot, garlic, ginger and turmeric and cook until fragrant, about 30 more seconds. Add the cauliflower and raisins and stir together. Pour in about 1/2 cup bone broth and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour in the remaining broth and the honey. Nestle the chicken back into the pan skin-side up. Bring to a boil, then place in the oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through and the cauliflower is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve immediately.

TURMERIC-GINGER CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Place chicken, onions, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, turmeric, peppercorns, coriander seeds, and several pinches of salt in a large pot. Pour in cold water to cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and gently simmer until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breast registers 155°F, 30-35 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and let cool slightly; keep stock simmering. Remove skin from chicken; discard. Pull meat from bones and shred into bite-size pieces; set aside. Return bones and carcass to stock. Increase heat and bring stock to a boil; cook until reduced by about one-third, 15-20 minutes. Season with more salt if needed.
• Strain stock into a large saucepan; discard solids. Add carrots, bring to a simmer, and cook until carrots are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
• Divide noodles among bowls. Add shredded chicken meat to stock and cook just until heated through; season stock with more salt if needed. Ladle over noodles. Top soup with scallions and drizzle with chili oil.

COCONUT CHICKEN CURRY WITH TURMERIC AND LEMONGRASS

Steps:

• Remove tough outer layers from lemongrass. Finely grate bottom third of 1 stalk and set aside; discard the rest of the stalk. Trim and discard top third of remaining stalk, then bruise stalk by giving it a few whacks against a cutting board (this helps release the essential oils). Tie it in a loose knot; set aside.
• Pulse reserved grated lemongrass with shallot, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, turmeric, and 2 Tbsp. water in a food processor, adding a splash or two of water if needed, until a paste forms.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook, skin side down, until skin is lightly browned and crisp, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Cook spice paste in same skillet, stirring, until very fragrant, about 5 minutes (it will begin to darken slightly as the water evaporates and the paste begins to fry in the fat left behind).
• Add kaffir lime leaves (if using), cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, coconut milk, coconut sugar, and reserved knotted lemongrass to skillet. Bring to a simmer, add chicken, and cook, turning pieces occasionally and scraping bottom of skillet often, until chicken is falling-apart tender and coconut milk has broken (the fat will separate from the liquid and start to brown the chicken and other aromatics), about 1 1/2 hours.
• Toast shredded coconut in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
• Arrange chicken on a platter and spoon any braising liquid over. Top with cilantro, chives, and toasted coconut.

GRILLED TURMERIC AND LEMONGRASS CHICKEN WINGS

Steps:

• Combine coconut milk, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, jalapeños, ginger, lime juice, tamarind juice, fish sauce, kosher salt, turmeric, and 1 cup water in a blender. Purée mixture until a smooth marinade forms.
• Place chicken wings in a large baking dish. Pour marinade over; turn wings to coat evenly. Cover chicken and chill overnight.
• Remove chicken from marinade, shaking any excess marinade back into dish. Transfer chicken to a large platter. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• Transfer marinade to a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until marinade thickens, 10-15 minutes. Pour half of marinade into a small bowl; set aside for basting chicken while it grills. Keep remaining marinade in saucepan; cover and keep warm until ready to serve the chicken.
• Build a medium fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Oil grill grates to prevent sticking. Grill chicken wings, turning every 5 minutes and basting occasionally with marinade in small bowl, until fat is rendered and skin is nicely charred in spots, 30-35 minutes. (The key here is to turn the wings often so the skin doesn't burn.)
• Continue cooking chicken without basting (so it will get crisp) until wings are cooked through, about 10 minutes longer.
• Transfer chicken to a large platter and let it rest for 5 minutes. Squeeze lime wedges over wings. Transfer marinade in saucepan to a small bowl. Serve warm marinade alongside chicken as a dipping sauce.