Summer Grilling: Chicken Tikka & Cilantro-Mint Chutney

When I reach for an Indian cookbook, my go-to is Curried Favors: Family Recipes from South India. You might recognize the name from her line of simmer sauces (the coconut curry is delish!) available at Costco and other stores. So, why Maya Kaimal, not Madhur Jaffrey, widely thought of as the authority on Indian cooking? I do have Madhur Jaffrey’s Illustrated Indian Cookery (both books live in the kitchen, which tells you something). But I picked up Maya’s book about 10 years ago, and at that point there were only three recipes I wanted — samosas, chicken tikka (not masala), and cilantro-mint chutney.

Even though I now have a broader repertoire when it comes to cooking and eating Indian food, I come back to these dishes again and again because you can’t go wrong with good marinated grilled chicken and a fresh chutney. If you have folks around your table who think they don’t like Indian food, the tikka is a good on-ramp. It’s simple, flavorful and clean. And, it introduces a good number of the core ingredients/spices used in Indian curries and Indian cooking overall.

Though it’s not traditional, I served the chicken with some grilled red bell peppers and zucchini, so we could get it all done at once. Of course, we had some Trader Joe’s naan (garlic or plain) from the frozen section — love that stuff, it blows away the version in the bakery aisle. Just don’t do what I did, thinking it would be a great idea to warm them on the grill wrapped in foil. They may have been fine when they came off, but they ended up steaming and getting a little flabby as we got everything on the table. It didn’t stop me from eating it, but still.

Other great sides, depending on what time of year you make the tikka, are these cumin-roasted carrots and AOC’s roasted curried cauliflower.

Print Recipe

Chicken Tikka

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1.5 in. cubes
• 1/4 c + 2 T. canola or vegetable oil
• 2 t. garlic, grated
• 1 t. ginger, grated
• 4 t. ground coriander
• 2 t. ground cumin
• 1/4 t. cayenne
• 1/4 t. ground black pepper
• 1/8 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 t. ground cloves
• 2 t. lemon juice
• 1 1/2 t. kosher salt
• Cilantro-Mint Chutney
• 2 c. of cilantro, loosely packed
• 1 c. of mint leaves, loosely packed
• 1/2 c. onion, chopped
• 1/2 t. garlic, minced
• 1/2 t. ginger, minced
• 1/2 t. ground cumin
• 1 t. serrano chile, minced
• 1/2 t. sugar
• 1/2 t. kosher salt
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 2-3 T. plain yogurt

Instructions

1

For Chicken:

2

Mix together canola oil, garlic, ginger, spices, lemon juice and salt in a large dish or large ziptop bag. Add the chicken and stir (or squish) into marinade until evenly coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, turning periodically.

3

Thread the chicken onto skewers (I use metal ones to help ensure the chicken cooks through). Grill for 7-10 minutes over medium-high heat, turning once, until cooked through.

4

For Cilantro-Mint Chutney

5

Put all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) and process until nearly smooth. You want a little texture.

Notes

Adapted from Maya Kaimal's Curried Favors

Food Advertisements by