A Mexican inspired spice chicken recipe that not only nourishes you but helps to heal you too. Your bum specifically. I know, kind of gross to talk about when you're discussing food, but you have to take care of your whole self and that includes ... your bum.
I know you immediately want to know how this recipe can help your bum. Well, it's one of the spices in the recipe. Cumin. The Egyptian spice is also revered as an aphrodisiac. Which is super handy, because if you're suffering from Hemorrhoids you might need a bit of help getting in the mood for sexy time.
Oh! And in a stroke of fantastic luck, this spice that helps with hemorrhoids also helps with lactation. So when your pregnancy causes you to grow angry, burning balloon animals out of your bum, you'll at least be rewarded with leaking boobs.
So how are you going to get more cumin into your life so as to improve pretty much every aspect of it?
With Mexican Spice Rubbed Chicken. This recipe isn't necessarily "spicy" as in hot, it's spicy as in it has a lot of flavour.
This spicy chicken recipe takes little effort for lots of taste.
There's only 7 ingredients. Toasted cumin, coriander, garlic, pepper flakes, cilantro, olive oil and lime juice.
Just toast your cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan until they're all toasty. Remove them from the heat and crush them a bit (either in the pan if you're using cast iron or with a mortar and pestle.)
Add the spices back to the pan along with all the other ingredients. Rub the marinade all of the chicken then let it sit for at least an hour in the fridge. 'Cause piles only seem bad until you compare them to food poisoning.
After an hour or more, remove the chicken from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Then you just have to pan fry it or grill it. If you're the grilling type you'll probably go with grilling. Because that's why you're the grilling type. Just make sure to drain off the excess marinade from the pan before cooking it.
I served it with some sliced avocado, sauteed kale and cherry tomatoes with a few wedges of pan fried sweet potatoes with cinnamon and nutmeg. Or if you could ignore the side dishes and just stand over the stove, grab the chicken with your hand and gnaw on it right there and then.
This standing around the pan thing is an especially helpful tip for those of you suffering with piles.
Ingredients
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 Tablespoon of whole cumin
- 1 Tablespoon of whole coriander
- 1 large handful of cilantro rough chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- juice of 1 lime
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Toast cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until toasty.
- Remove spices from heat and rough crush with mortar and pestle.
- Return spices to pan along with all other ingredients.
- Rub spice rub all over chicken.
- Cover and let marinate for at least one hour in refrigerator.
- Remove chicken from fridge and allow to come to room temperature.
- Drain the excess marinade from the pan then cook as desired.
- *This recipe is for one chicken breast, so to make it for a family of 4, just quadruple all ingredients.
- *To be honest I never measure I just use lots of everything and rub it all over the chicken.
I didn't even know you could buy whole coriander or whole cumin. Can I use my ground coriander and cumin instead? Wonder how it would turn out. I'm going to try it.
Hi Jeanie, don't know where you live, but around here (southern Ontario), they are available in most bulk food stores. The whole seeds develop an amazing flavour & aroma when toasted whereas the ground version would likely burn so you could just skip the toasting part. Go for it!
Karen,
I don't own a mortar and pestle. Is there an easy alternative for crushing the seeds?
Thanks, Janni
Hi Janni. Sure! Just crush them however you can. Put them in a couple of plastic bags and whack them with a rolling pin for instance. ~ karen!
Karen, Love that you cook with an iron skillet. I use mine for everything. Question...yours seems to have a bit of rust on the outside. I oiled the outside and inside when first seasoning it. Was that not necessary ?
Hi Bobbi! That's just from leaving it in the sink with some water for too long. It's just a bit of surface colour that wipes right off. That particular pan was from a garage sale and I did just what you said when I first got it. I cleaned it up, removed the rust and seasoned it a couple of times. Now I use it so often there's no need to season other than my actually cooking in it. ~ karen!
omg..the seeds of anise. My FAVOURITE!! I've never toasted and then crushed though...does it make a big flavour difference? My use on everything combo is crushed cumin, caraway, rosemary and basil. Amazing in scrambled eggs, rediculous in a bechamel cheese sauce and great on any chicken dish. Favy cheese is spiced gouda with caraway seeds in it :) If you are lucky enough to have a Famoso in or near your town, order the Vesuvio and replace the chili flakes with fennel seed...or do both. It's incredible. Oh wait..you have your own pizza oven. Nevermind.
this would be awesome with my secret Brussel sprout recipe... yum.
You're kind of a mean one aren't you Benjamin? ~ karen!
Don't be mad at me Karen, I love you and your site so much but I can't help teasing you a little bit now and then. I know you have a sassy sense of humor because I've read your stories like the other day about the day the mr. left and how you made it through. I'm really not mean kiddo, I'll stop with the Brussel sprouts comments. Could I peel you a few grapes to make it up to you and show my admiration?
I'm really impressed with the 4 sweet potato fries! Really? No wonder you are so tiny. Such will power!
LOL. It was a single sweet potato cut into wedges. :) Had I made actual fries there would have been a LOT more. ~ karen!
trying this for sure!
Thanks Karen. Sounds simple enough, and I get to finally use that mortar and pestle that I bought 30 years ago and have been unable to part with all these years! Yesterday the Barefoot Contessa showed me how to make a Corn and Avocado Salad that will go great with this.
I may try this..minus the soap flavored cilantro.
LOL, I used to HATE cilantro. HATE it. Then I started adding just a tiny bit when a recipe called for it. Then a tiny bit more, then I couldn't get enough of it. Weird. ~ karen!
Yup, I used to think that cilantro was a love it or hate it thing until I had some in Mexico and now I LOVE it. Maybe tequila had something to do with that?!
I've been cooking with cumin seed forever. If one wants some fire, just use cayenne pepper to taste. Just wishing I'd planted cilantro early this spring. Tis chicken is perfection - pure, simple perfection - as so easy. I use boneless thighs.
Looks easy and delicious. Something to cook when Blue Apron gets too fussy. Pickled mustard seeds? Really? That's just toooooo fussy.
LOL, not for me, but I loveeeee cooking. So bring on the pickled mustard seeds. :) But I hear ya. ~ karen!
Cumin is also a natural blood thinner, which is good if you're worried about getting blood clots. However, if you're already taking a blood thinner drug, such as Coumadin or Wafarin, you should check with your doctor about this, as it may thin your blood too much.
Certainly looks yummy, though!
Cumin is also good for relieving congestion and aiding digestion.
Not to mention it's SUPER tasty and not at all hot and spicy.
Your excellent photography makes everything look good, Karen. This looks just the thing for someone like me cooking for one - thank you for the recipe! Is Cumin a hot type of spice?
No not at all. It tastes like curry smells. But without The Burns. Which is just as well if you have piles in your bum-bum.
Hi Elaine. Nope, cumin isn't particularly hot. The heat will come from the red pepper flakes. ~ karen!
Only you could mention cooking chicken and piles in the same breath...and get away with it. The recipe sounds delightful, so I will give it a go. Cheers, Ardith
" And you might want to double the dose for your horrified partner." ROFL
I do tend to use cumin often, so perhaps that's why I don't have piles or boils! Please just don't let me start lactating! :)
Yummmmm Just bought some chicken today and i have everything else. It's what's for supper!
Always looking for something different to do to chicken. Who isn't!
No kidding, lol! Stupid chicken. Load it up with spice rub. The more the better. ~ karen!
Sounds yummy! I'm always looking for a one-person meal. Thanks!!
You're welcome! ~ karen
I am so making that. Maybe with steak, though. My wattle is showing.
Looks good but is it just spicy or hot spicy???
Seasoned. Not hot spicy. Cumin is a favourite spice of mine.
The only hot spicy comes from the red pepper flakes Nancy. So adding a lot you'll get a lot of heat, adding a little it will be only a little heat. :) The cumin and coriander don't add any heat, just flavour. All the heat comes from the pepper flakes. ~ karen!
Great!