Grilled Tandoori Chicken

Grilled Tandoori Chicken

Sizzling Tandoori Chicken on the grill

Grilled Tandoori Chicken, ready to eat!

Tandoori Chicken (after grilling )

I cannot believe summer is almost over. This has been the hottest summer so far; I am making the most of it. Tandoori chicken is my favorite Indian recipe to do in every summer. If you are not used to Indian spices, this is very good recipe to get introduced to the common spices used in Indian cooking; cumin, coriander and turmeric. I know there are many versions of recipes out there a; from Authentic North Indian version to modified shorter version.

I have used the Food and Wine tested recipe for my cooking today, This is the most easiest one I have tried so far, and chicken turned out perfectly moist and flavored, better than what you get in an Indian Restaurant.

Ingredients:

1 chicken (3 to 3 1/2 pounds), cut into 8 pieces and skin removed

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons water

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

1 1/4 teaspoons ground coriander

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

3 tablespoons cooking oil

Direction:

1.    Light the grill. Using a sharp knife, cut shallow incisions in the chicken pieces at about 1/2-inch intervals. In a large, glass dish or stainless-steel pan, combine the lemon juice, water, salt, and turmeric. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat. Let the chicken pieces marinate for 5 minutes.

2.     Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, and cayenne. Add to the chicken and lemon mixture; turn to coat. Let marinate for 10 minutes.

3.     Grill the chicken over moderately high heat, basting with oil, for 10 minutes. Turn and cook, basting with the remaining oil, until just done, about 10 minutes longer for the breasts, 12 for the thighs and drumsticks.

SERVE WITH

Indian flatbread, such as naan, is the traditional accompaniment to tandoori. You can grill store-bought naan or other flatbread, such as pita. In summer, the sweetness of grilled corn on the cob makes a nice balance to the spiciness of the chicken. Another option is eggplant, a favorite vegetable in India, sliced and grilled.