Grilled Indian-Spiced Chicken with Raita

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SERVES 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Inspired by yogurt-marinated chicken cooked in an Indian tandoor oven, this dish packs in surprising flavor in spite of its short ingredient list. As with authentic tandoori recipes, we marinated the chicken in yogurt. For the spice rub, curry powder alone tasted harsh and one-dimensional. Garam masala added complexity, but the raw taste remained. Adding the spices to the yogurt marinade solved the problem—the yogurt kept the chicken moist and tender, plus it helped to bloom, or deepen, the flavor of the spices once they hit the grill. To prevent the yogurt marinade from burning, we started the chicken on the cooler side of the grill, then finished it on the hotter side so it would brown slightly. More yogurt, plus some garlic and cilantro, provided a cool, creamy counterpoint to the grilled meat. Click here for more information on garam masala.

1½	cups plain yogurt
1	tablespoon curry powder
1	tablespoon garam masala
4	(10- to 12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts
	Fresh cilantro
1	small garlic clove

1. Combine ¾ cup yogurt, curry powder, garam masala, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in gallon-size zipper-lock bag. Trim chicken, pat dry with paper towels, and add to bag with yogurt marinade. Seal bag tightly and toss to coat chicken. Refrigerate for 1 to 6 hours, flipping bag occasionally.

2. Mince 2 tablespoons cilantro and mince garlic; combine with remaining ¾ cup yogurt in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

3A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

3B. FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn other burner(s) to medium-low. (Adjust burners as needed to maintain grill temperature around 350 degrees.)

4. Clean and oil cooking grate. Remove chicken from marinade and place, skin side down, on cooler side of grill with thicker ends facing hotter side of grill. Cover and grill until chicken begins to brown and registers 155 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes.

5. Slide chicken to hotter side of grill and cook, turning as needed, until well browned and registers 160 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter and rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with cilantro-yogurt sauce.