Garlic-Ginger Chicken with Cilantro and Mint

Many cookbooks come chock-full of chicken recipes. Not this one. There is only one chicken recipe in here because this is the only chicken recipe I need. This chicken, which is the brainchild of my aunt Sonia, is legendary among our cousins. Until I wrote this cookbook, though, no one knew what, exactly, went into it. Whenever my aunt would make it on a family vacation, she’d disappear for a half hour and reemerge with a Ziploc bag filled with the marinade and the chicken breasts. No one (not even her only daughter, Isha) was allowed to know the contents. The marinating chicken would smell so good, I’d legitimately have thoughts about eating it raw, carpaccio-style (which is disgusting, I know!). Well, folks, I am here to tell you that, after much negotiation, I have finally pried that chicken recipe out of Sonia’s hands. Both the marinade and the cooking method (low and sort of slow) feel ingenious to me, and the payoff is huge: Charred, spicy, slightly funky, juicy chicken that is equally wonderful by itself or rolled up in a roti, taco-style, and served with various salads and chutneys.

Serves 4

• For the marinade
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander (freshly ground is best)
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon red chile powder
• 1 teaspoon amchur (dry mango powder)
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• For the chicken
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (½ to ¾ pound each)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

1  make the marinade: In a medium bowl, mix the garlic, ginger, mint, cilantro, the 3 tablespoons oil, and lemon juice into a paste.

2  In a small bowl, mix together the coriander, turmeric, red chile powder, amchur, and salt, then add the mixture to the garlic-ginger paste and stir well to combine. Transfer the marinade to a large resealable bag.

3  make the chicken: Place the chicken breasts in the marinade and seal the bag tightly. Use your hands to gently massage the marinade onto the chicken breasts, making sure to evenly coat each breast. Refrigerate the chicken for 2 hours.

4  Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is quite hot, add the oil, swirling the pan to coat the entire surface. Reduce the heat to medium, remove the chicken from the marinade, and add it to the pan. Cook the breasts for 1 to 2 minutes (without moving them!), until they turn lightly golden on one side, then flip them and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until they start to become golden on the second side. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook the chicken for 10 minutes (without peeking!). Turn off the heat (if you have an electric stove, take the pan off the heat) and let the chicken sit, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the breasts. Don’t lift the lid, or you’ll release the hot steam that cooks the chicken.

5  Check to make sure the breasts are cooked through—there should not be any pink in the middle and, if you have a meat thermometer, the chicken should register at least 165°F. Place the chicken on a cutting board and slice each breast into strips. Garnish with mint and cilantro.