Chicken Cafreal
A fiery Goan chicken dish with a vibrant green chile and herb paste, grilled to smoky perfection. This showstopping marinade transforms simple chicken into restaurant-quality spice.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- 4 whole fresh green chiles, medium
- 6 whole garlic cloves
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 8 whole boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin coconut oil, for basting
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 whole fresh lemon wedges
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- 1
Prepare your green chiles by removing the stems and seeding them if you prefer less heat — leave the seeds in for maximum spice. Peel 6 garlic cloves and roughly chop them, then peel and roughly chop a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger. Roughly chop 0.5 cup fresh cilantro and 0.25 cup fresh mint leaves.
- 2
Combine the chopped green chiles, garlic, ginger, cilantro, mint, 3 tablespoons of coconut oil, 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 0.75 teaspoon of fine sea salt, 0.5 teaspoon of ground cumin, and 0.5 teaspoon of ground coriander in a food processor or blender. Pulse until you reach a smooth, vibrant green paste with no large chunks — this should take 30-45 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- 3
Pat 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels — dry chicken absorbs the marinade better and will develop better browning during cooking. Rub each thigh generously on both sides with the cafreal paste, working it into any crevices. Place the marinated chicken in a large glass baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours for deeper flavor.
- 4
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. If using a charcoal grill, let the coals burn down until they are glowing red and covered with a thin white ash. If using a gas grill, preheat for 5 minutes until the grates are too hot to hold your hand over for more than 2 seconds.
- 5
Lightly oil the grill grates with a paper towel dipped in neutral oil to prevent sticking. Place the marinated chicken thighs on the grill, skin-side down if there is any skin remaining, in a single layer — you should hear an immediate, satisfying sizzle. Do not move them for 5-6 minutes; this develops a beautiful caramelized crust with char marks.
- 6
Flip each chicken thigh carefully using tongs and continue grilling for another 5-6 minutes on the second side. You're looking for internal doneness and caramelization, not charring. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of a thigh without touching bone — you want 165°F (74°C). The paste may blacken in spots, which is intentional and adds depth.
- 7
As the chicken finishes cooking, brush each thigh lightly with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Season lightly with 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt and 0.25 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper.
- 8
Transfer the grilled chicken to a serving platter and let rest for 3-4 minutes — the internal temperature will climb slightly as carryover cooking occurs. Scatter 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro leaves over the top and serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges for squeezing. The bright acidity cuts through the rich, spiced chicken beautifully.
Tools you’ll need
- food processor or blender
- large glass baking dish
- plastic wrap
- paper towels
- grill (charcoal or gas)
- grill brush
- long-handled tongs
- instant-read thermometer
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
