Grilled Marinated Chicken with Yogurt and Asian Spices

Grilled Marinated Chicken with Yogurt and Asian Spices

Dinner

Yogurt has a long tradition in Middle Eastern cuisine. It is used as a base for everything from condiments to sauces and marinades. In a marinade it not only adds flavor, but it acts as a tenderizer. The flavors in this dish are robust, but they are tempered by the yogurt and are tremendously pleasing. Like the other chicken recipes in this book, serving this at room temperature is fine, so don’t hesitate to put it in a lunchbox as long as it will be eaten within four hours or is packed with a small icepack.

• 1-1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seed
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
• pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds ground
• pinch ground celery seeds
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• pinch ground nutmeg
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 pounds chicken breasts

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup red onions, small diced
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
• pinch curry powder
• pinch whole cumin seed
• 8 roma tomatoes, chopped
• salt
• pepper

1. Combine all marinade ingredients and pour over chicken in a non-reactive container. Allow to sit for at least 1 hour, but it is best if you can marinate the chicken overnight.
2. Combine olive oil, garlic, onion, cucumber, curry, pepper, cumin, tomato, season with salt and pepper and set aside for 1 hour. Keep at room temperature.
3. Charbroil the chicken, top with sauce, and serve.