
And it’s just as delicious as it was last year!
Cilantro lovers, get your wallets and your stomachs ready! Freshness Burger’s Cilantro Chicken Burger is back! Accompanied by a new delicious flavor and the option to add even more cilantro, this hit sandwich from last year has returned to satisfy your every desire. Given how much we loved the “Too Much Coriander” pizza from Pizza Hut, we were eager to try it out and were delighted when we were offered a spot at the tasting event.
Last year, the Cilantro Chicken Burger, a sandwich of crispy fried chicken thighs dressed with green curry sauce and topped with cilantro (also known as coriander or pakuchi), was a big hit among cilantro fans. This year it has the same herby punch, and it now comes in two different flavors: green curry and tom yum goong.
The meat is the nice, fatty part you find around the bone, and it’s freshly fried in-store with every order, making every piece delightfully juicy and full of umami. That’s something you can only get at Freshness Burger, whose focus is not just on efficiency but also on the ingredients and the preparation.
The cut of chicken on our Green Curry sandwich was quite thick, and with a bountiful topping of cilantro and the addition of tomato, fried eggplants, and sliced onions, it was massive. We also appreciated how colorful it was.
The green curry sauce was made with green chili peppers, so it felt very authentic. It was tinglingly spicy, but the freshness of the cilantro complemented it well. The chicken, too, was perfectly crispy on the outside and just about gushed juices from the inside. The sandwich as a whole was exactly as we remembered it from last year, which made us beyond happy.
We couldn’t wait to try the new Tom Yum Goong sandwich. This sauce, with its spicy and sour flavor, also worked great with the refreshing flavor of cilantro. We could get used to this magic combination.
The chicken on this sandwich packed a whammy of a punch, but the sauce and the cilantro held their own against its strong meaty flavor.
In addition to the sliced onions and tomatoes on the Green Curry sandwich, this one came with baby corn, which is an often-used ingredient in Thai cuisine. It was a pretty interesting topping that contributed to the Southeast Asian feel of the burger.
Both sandwiches were utterly delicious, and we couldn’t get enough of the freshness of the cilantro, which genuinely felt like it had been plucked right off the bush. The combination of the spicy sauces and the refreshing flavor of cilantro made these burgers crisp and delicious.
The Pakuchi Chicken Burgers, as they’re being called in Japanese, are available at Freshness Burgers around the country now through July 18 for 590 yen (US$4.25). If you’re a major cilantro fan, you also have the option to triple the amount of cilantro for an extra 100 yen. And if you’re someone cursed with an anti-cilantro tongue, you can switch it out for leaf lettuce and just enjoy the flavors of the chicken and sauce, for no additional price.
What we tried was the Triple Cilantro version, which is what we would definitely recommend for cilantro fans. It makes for a perfect summer meal, especially when paired with an ice-cold beer!
Images © SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
[ Read in Japanese ]







Does Pizza Hut Japan’s new “Too Much Coriander Pizza” really contain too much coriander?
Japanese burger chain Freshness Burger completely ignores tsukimi season in favor of…mushrooms?
We try Freshness Burger’s latest creation, the Blueberry Cheese Burger【Taste Test】
Dom Dom Burger sells chicken sandwich sandwiched in two egg sandwiches
Plant-based burger battle: Burger King Japan vs. Freshness Burger【Taste test】
Studio Ghibli releases new Kiki’s Delivery Service Jiji music box for anime fans
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
This beautiful rural Japan river is a great alternative to touristy summer retreats [Photos]
Are Japan’s room-temperature curry packets the boxed lunch heroes we’ve been looking for? [Taste test]
Studio Ghibli theme park announces new expansion saluting a previously off-limits anime
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Police ask Kumamoto residents to not get blackout drunk as much during earthquake relief efforts
Kumamoto earthquake may have created Japan’s newest hot spring inside flooded restaurant [Video]
Japanese convenience store food gets turned into hyper-realistic stationery you can peel open
Tokyo is getting a branch of famous Los Angeles hot dog chain Pink’s with Japan-exclusive items
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
Anime fan in Japan arrested for ordering and cancelling over 4.3 billion yen in anime merch
Starbucks Japan teams up with Traveler’s Company for new stationery and goods collection
Japanese vending machine sells freshly squeezed lemon juice with a futuristic light show
Beautiful Totoro bonsai figure needs no watering, makes soothing rain showers whenever you want
End of a manga era as Weekly Shonen Jump’s circulation drops under one million
Kochia calling: Right now is a great off-season season to visit this beautiful Japanese park
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Cup Noodle unveils first-ever cold-water instant ramen in Japan
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Dom Dom Burger joins the moon-viewing party a bit late with an unusual moon-inspired sandwich
Lucky Rocky Chicken: The place to go for epic fried chicken sandwiches in Tokyo
We try Dom Dom Burger’s new limited-time-only Spicy Cod Roe Thick Egg Omelet Burger
Meatless Vegetable Burgers on sale at select Freshness Burgers in Japan【Taste test】
We taste McDonald’s Japan’s brand-new garlic burger, shrimp sandwich, and more
Dom Dom turns up the heat with spicy Mexican and Thai chicken burgers
KFC Japan stops selling “Sand” and changes name to “Burgers” with new spicy and cheese versions
New Wendy’s chicken burger inspired by ramen contains…no ramen?
McDonald’s Japan brings out a new chicken burger with rice buns
Burger King Japan unleashes red burgers and Angry Sauce on my stomach 【Taste test】
Japan’s MOS Burger replaces hamburger buns with lettuce for limited “Natsumi” range
New Mos Burger restaurant serves alcohol, gourmet meals and a burger made from a whole tomato
KFC Japan now has a luxury truffle burger
Mos Burger opens new online store dedicated just to frozen rice burger bulk buys
We try the Home Run Burger, available at only one Freshness Burger outlet in Japan
Mr Sato’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day at Doo Wop Chicken Burger in Tokyo
KFC Japan’s “The American Burgers” include a pile of guilt