Indian Chicken Marinade Recipes

YOGURT-MARINATED CHICKEN THIGHS (INDIAN INSPIRED)

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine yogurt, oil, curry powder, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt; mix to combine.
• Add chicken thighs and toss until well-coated.
• Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes. You can also cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
• Remove chicken from fridge and let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature.

CHICKEN TIKKA

Steps:

• Mix together all the marinade ingredients and put the chicken in.
• Marinate overnight or for at least 4 hours.
• Cook the chicken under the grill or in a frying pan until fully cooked.

TANDOORI CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cut deep slashes into chicken, coat with marinade, chill: Cut deep slashes (to the bone) in 3-4 places on the leg/thigh pieces. Just make 2-3 cuts if you are using separate drumsticks and thighs. Coat the chicken in the marinade, cover and chill for at least an hour (preferably 6 hours), no more than 8 hours.
• Prepare grill: Prepare your grill so that one side is quite hot over direct heat, the other side cooler, not over direct heat. If using charcoal, leave one side of the grill without coals, so you have a hot side and a cooler side. If you are using a gas grill, just turn on one-half of the burners. Use tongs to wipe the grill grates with a paper towel soaked in vegetable oil.

BHATTI DA MURGH (INDIAN GRILLED CHICKEN WITH WHOLE SPICES)

Steps:

• Pop the joint on each leg: Grasp a drumstick in one hand and a thigh in the other, and bend the joint back until you hear a crack. This helps the leg cook more evenly.
• Using a small knife, make a slash in the meaty part of each drumstick and thigh twice or three times, going all the way to the bone.
• In a large bowl, stir together garlic, ginger, vinegar, cayenne, garam masala and salt. Keep half the mixture in the bowl and set aside; rub remaining mixture all over chicken, getting underneath the skin. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (or up to 2 hours) while you prepare the yogurt marinade.
• Stir yogurt into the large bowl with ginger-garlic mixture, then stir in black pepper, clove, mace, anise, black cardamom (if using) and green cardamom. Transfer spice-rubbed chicken to yogurt mixture, tossing gently to coat.
• Cover and refrigerate chicken for at least 6 hours, and preferably overnight.
• When ready to cook, prepare the grill for indirect heat. (If using a charcoal grill, mound coals to one side, allowing for an area of indirect heat. If using a gas grill, turn on only a few of the burners and leave the rest off.) Or heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Using a mortar and pestle, the flat side of a knife or a spice grinder for a very brief time, crack the cumin, coriander and red-pepper flakes but do not grind; you want a coarse texture here. Sprinkle spice mix onto chicken to coat each piece.
• Place a rimmed baking sheet on the unlit side of the grill or in the oven and let heat for 15 minutes. Carefully place chicken on the hot baking sheet and drizzle each piece with a little melted butter. Cover grill, if grilling. Let chicken cook for 25 to 35 minutes, drizzling with melted butter two or three times. The chicken is done when the skin is dark brown and the juices run clear when pricked with a knife.
• If you are grilling, you can sear the chicken over direct heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side just before serving to char the skin, but this is optional. Serve chicken on a platter, with lime wedges on the side.

INDIAN TANDOORI CHICKEN

Steps:

• Remove skin from chicken pieces, and cut slits into them lengthwise. Place in a shallow dish. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and lemon juice. Set aside 20 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala, and cayenne pepper. Mix until smooth. Stir in yellow and red food coloring. Spread yogurt mixture over chicken. Cover, and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours (the longer the better).
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium high heat, and lightly oil grate.
• Cook chicken on grill until no longer pink and juices run clear. Garnish with cilantro and lemon wedges.