Indian-style grilled chicken with lime wedges

Indian-style grilled chicken: Fully-flavoured with whole spices. Photo by Carla Zinkfontein

Indian-style grilled chicken: Fully-flavoured with whole spices

When the weather is this good, you can’t miss out on some outdoor cooking. Try this Indian-style grilled chicken recipe this weekend.

Indian-style grilled chicken with lime wedges

Indian-style grilled chicken: Fully-flavoured with whole spices. Photo by Carla Zinkfontein

The weather is perfect outside for some grilling but sometimes you aren’t always in the mood for red meat. Chicken cooked over a hot fire is just as great and when you have the right spices, will have something incredible. This Indian-style grilled chicken recipe is rubbed and marinated with whole spices so that you know there’s no extra salt or preservatives in your food. It will also make your home smell incredible and each bite be like a party on your tongue.

Indian-style grilled chicken tips

The recipe is easy to put together but it does take a bit of time to put together. The chicken is layered with flavours and spices that are aromatic and also have some great health benefits. The first “dry-brine” will help the chicken skin become crispy while seasoning the chicken. The second yoghurt marinade will tenderise the chicken for the perfect bite. You want your chicken to be slightly charred which is easy with all of the spices and butter, so keep an eye on it.

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When the weather is this good, you can’t miss out on some outdoor cooking. Try this Indian-style grilled chicken recipe this weekend.

Indian-style grilled chicken recipe

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Recipe by Carla Zinkfontein Course: MainCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

35

minutes
Total time

50

minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 6 bone-in chicken leg quarters

  • 6 cloves 6 garlic, minced

  • 2 tbsp 2 finely grated fresh ginger

  • 1 tbsp 1 white vinegar

  • tsp ground cayenne (or to taste)

  • tsp garam masala

  • 2 tsp 2 fine sea salt

  • ½ cup ½ plain whole milk yogurt

  • ½ tsp ½ freshly ground black pepper

  • ½ tsp ½ ground clove

  • ½ tsp ½ ground mace

  • ½ tsp ½ ground anise or fennel seeds

  • ½ tsp ½ ground black cardamom (optional)

  • ½ tsp ½ ground green cardamom

  • 2 tsp 2 cumin seeds

  • 2 tsp 2 coriander seeds

  • tsp red-pepper flakes

  • 3-4 tbsp 3-4 melted salted butter, as needed for basting

  • lime wedges

Method

  • 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.
  • 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 uncovered 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 from above, 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)
  • 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, brush 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.

Notes

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