BHATTI DA MURGH (INDIAN GRILLED CHICKEN WITH WHOLE SPICES)
Adapted from the chef Chintan Pandya of Adda Indian Canteen in Long Island City, Queens, this fiery, aromatic recipe calls for marinating whole chicken legs in yogurt, ginger-garlic paste and ground spices, then coating them in cracked whole spices before roasting. The ground spices imbue the meat with flavor while the whole spices add pungency and a wonderful crunch. At Adda, Mr. Pandya cooks these in a tandoor. But you can roast them in your oven, or cook them on the grill using indirect heat and a baking sheet. In either case, brushing the sizzling chicken skin with plenty of melted butter is the key to its rich taste and burnished crispness.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories dinner, poultry, main course
Time 1h30m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 19
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.
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Hezel Mutandahuruva
[email protected]I love making this dish in the summertime. It's perfect for grilling and the leftovers are great for lunch the next day.
Laiba Akram Quershi
[email protected]This is a great recipe for a weeknight meal. It's quick and easy to make, and the chicken is always delicious.
Christian Juarez
[email protected]I'm not sure what I did wrong, but my chicken came out dry and tough. I think I might have overcooked it.
Botwewaa Makeovers
[email protected]I made this dish for a party and it was a huge hit! Everyone loved the chicken and asked for the recipe.
Sammy Taich
[email protected]This recipe is a bit time-consuming, but it's worth it. The chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender and the spices are amazing.
Sadik MD Farhan
[email protected]I'm not a huge fan of Indian food, but this dish was surprisingly good. The chicken was tender and the spices were not overpowering.
Miraj Rhoman
[email protected]This is one of my favorite Indian dishes. The chicken is so flavorful and juicy, and the spices are perfectly balanced.
CosmicBrownnie
[email protected]I've made this dish with both chicken and lamb, and both versions are delicious. The spices really shine through.
has Khan (Khan)
[email protected]I love the smoky flavor that the chicken gets from being grilled. It's a perfect dish for a summer cookout.
Odusile Oluwabunmi
[email protected]This recipe was easy to follow and the chicken turned out great! I will definitely be making this again.
Nneamaka Lilian Okoli
[email protected]I followed the recipe exactly, but my chicken was dry and overcooked. I'm not sure what went wrong.
Matte Joel
[email protected]This dish was a bit too spicy for my taste, but I can see how others would enjoy it.
Arjun Ray
[email protected]I was a bit hesitant to try this recipe because I'm not a big fan of spicy food, but I'm so glad I did! The spices were perfectly balanced and the chicken was cooked to perfection.
Namukula Gertrude
[email protected]This recipe is a keeper! The chicken was so tender and moist, and the flavors were out of this world.
Munir Wisal
[email protected]I've made this dish several times now, and it's always a crowd-pleaser. The chicken is always cooked perfectly, and the spices are just right.
MOHAMED GHENYM
[email protected]This Bhatti Da Murgh was a hit at my last dinner party! The chicken was so juicy and flavorful, and the spices gave it a wonderful depth of flavor.