Name: Nepali Spicy Grilled Chicken Sauteed in Chili Sauce
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs. chicken breasts, skinned, boned; 3 dry whole red peppers; 1 teaspoon garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon ginger, finely grated; 5 red chilies, julienned; 1 cup onions, finely chopped; 1 cup tomatoes, chopped; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon cumin powder; 1 teaspoon coriander powder; ½ teaspoon turmeric; ½ cup green onion, cut in 1-in length; Salt to taste; 2 tablespoons mustard oil; 1 cup chicken broth; Marinade; 1 cup yogurt; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; ½ cup onions, roughly chopped; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1 teaspoon pepper corn; 1 teaspoon timur (szechwan pepper); 2 fresh red chilies; 2 tablespoons mustard oil

Why it works: Cumin and coriander match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,866 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

Cumin + coriandertop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together3,866 recipes

Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Garlic + oniontop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together29,058 recipes

Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
Ginger + coriandertop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together3,505 recipes

Shared aroma: trans-2-decenal (waxy, orange).
Garlic + cumintop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together5,082 recipes

Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Tomato + coriandertop 1% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together3,967 recipes

Shared aroma: trans-2-decenal (waxy, orange).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Chicken breasts: Provide the main protein, which cooks through on the grill and absorbs the marinade.
Yogurt: Tenderizes the chicken and carries the spices into the meat during marinating.
Onions: Cook down to a browned base that adds sweetness and body to the sauce.
Tomatoes: Add acidity and moisture that thicken into the sauce as it simmers.
Chicken broth: Adds liquid and savory depth to the sauce, which reduces to coat the chicken.
Red chilies: Supply heat and color to the sauce and marinade.

The step that matters

Cook the sauce until it thickens and coats the chicken. Simmering evaporates excess liquid so the sauce clings to the chicken rather than pooling. Too little reduction leaves it watery, while over-reducing can make it dry or sticky.

Swap the onion

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (chicken, pepper, garlic, ginger, tomato, cumin, coriander):

Capsicumfits better
Spinachfits better
Carrotfits better
Onionthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against chicken, pepper, garlic, ginger, tomato, cumin, coriander. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Chicken	100g cooked	165
Yogurt	170g plain Greek	100
Corn	1/2 cup kernels (82g)	77
Onion	1 medium (110g)	44
Tomato	1 medium (123g)	22
Lemon	juice of 1 lemon (48ml)	12
Turmeric	1 tsp ground (3g)	9
Soy Sauce	1 tbsp (15ml)	9
Cumin	1 tsp ground (2.1g)	8
Pepper	1 tsp ground (2.3g)	6
Black Pepper	1 tsp ground (2.3g)	6
Garlic	1 clove (3g)	4
Mustard Oil	1 tsp (5g) yellow	3
Ginger	1 tsp grated fresh (2g)	2
Salt	1 tsp (6g)	0
Coriander	not in our table	0
Seed	not in our table	0

Nepali Spicy Grilled Chicken Sauteed in Chili Sauce