Cooking

Deliciously spiced with super-crispy skin, tandoori chicken is a family favorite. Tandoori chicken is a traditional Indian dish of chicken marinated in yogurt, citrus, and spices, and then roasted in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven. The chicken gets its signature reddish hue from the combination of spices, the flavor of which is further enhanced by toasting them in a pan prior to incorporating into the marinade. Tandoori chicken is a simple dish to prepare, and you can replicate the tandoor environment at home by roasting in a high-heat oven. In this recipe, adapted from Food & Wine, the chicken is deliciously seasoned with super-crispy skin. The chicken is best marinated for a few hours or overnight, but if you’re in a time crunch, you can simply coat the chicken with the marinade and cook it immediately; it will still be packed with flavor. Instead of making a traditional green chutney, I serve store-bought mango chutney alongside – it adds a gingery sweetness that complements the spices. Serve tandoori chicken with naan, basmati rice pilaf with dried fruits and almonds (or simple basmati rice), and a refreshing cucumber mint salad. Kids love this one, too! Drumsticks are an excellent choice for tandoori chicken. They have enough fat to stay moist when cooked at high heat. Bone-in chicken thighs would also work, and the cook time would be about the same. Classic tandoori chicken is made with ground Kashmiri chili pepper, a spice found in Indian grocery stores and some supermarkets. Paprika makes an excellent substitute, so I use that instead. The yogurt in the marinade helps to tenderize the meat; it breaks down the proteins making the chicken moist and tender when cooked. (Yogurt is also used to marinate and tenderize the chicken in chicken tikka masala, another classic Indian dish.) Step-by-Step Instructions Begin by combining the spices in a small skillet. Toast for a few minutes until the spices are fragrant. This step really enhances the flavor. Next, zest the lime and chop your fresh ginger and garlic (the ginger and garlic will get blended in a food processor, but they won’t fully pulverize unless you give them a rough chop first). Combine the toasted spices, ginger, garlic, yogurt, lime juice, lime zest, oil and salt in a mini food processor or blender.   Pulse until smooth. Then, using a sharp knife, make slashes in the drumsticks. This increases the surface area of the chicken, so the marinade can penetrate the meat. Toss the drumsticks with the marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil and place a greased oven-proof rack over top. Arrange the marinated drumsticks on the rack, leaving a bit of space in between them. Cook for 45 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is cooked and the skin is quite crisp. Finally, flash the chicken under the broiler for about 5 minutes, until the skin is super-crisp and a bit charred. Serve with mango chutney and lime wedges on the side. Note: This recipe has been written by Jenn Segal and republished on MudMatter with Author’s Permission. Please find the original link here – Tandoori Chicken.

You can make these flavor-packed, BBQ-spiced chicken thighs in under 30 minutes! Inspired by one of the most popular Cooking Light recipes, these BBQ-spiced chicken thighs are a huge family pleaser and super-easy to prepare. The chicken is seasoned with a Southwestern rub, broiled for 10 minutes, brushed with an apple cider vinegar-honey glaze, and then flashed under the broiler again until caramelized and juicy. Finally, the chicken is doused with a bit more vinegar to balance the sweetness of the honey and also create a delicious pan sauce. Start to finish, the recipe takes under 30 minutes! (In case you’re wondering, this recipe will work on the grill, but you’ll definitely miss those tasty pan juices for spooning over the chicken.) Serve the chicken thighs with any simple corn dish: corn on the cob, spoon bread, cornbread, corn muffins, sautéed corn, or corn salad, to name just a few. What you’ll need to make BBQ-Spiced Chicken Thighs With Tangy Honey Glaze It’s important to use boneless, skinless thighs as opposed to chicken breasts. They stand up better to the bold seasonings, are more flavorful, and won’t dry out. Just be sure to trim off most of the fat; I like to use kitchen shears as opposed to a knife, as it’s much easier. Step-by-Step Instructions To begin, combine the olive oil and spices in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the chicken thighs and toss with the spice rub to coat evenly. Arrange the chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet for easy clean-up. Broil for 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Meanwhile, combine the honey and cider vinegar in a small bowl to make the glaze. Brush the cooked chicken with half the glaze, then broil for 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the chicken over, brush with the remaining glaze, and broil for a few minutes more until the chicken is nicely caramelized. Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining cider vinegar and serve with the pan sauces. Note: This recipe has been written by Jenn Segal and republished on MudMatter with Author’s Permission. Please find the original link here – BBQ-Spiced Chicken Thighs with Tangy Honey Glaze.