Grilled Tandoori Chicken

Summer has arrived full-force here. The sun shines bright every day and the crowds have arrived en massein our little town of Guerneville. Since I arrived here in early fall, after the summer season had mostly passed, this is the first time I’ve experienced the craziness of the tourist swells. I’ve been wrapped up in launching the Big Bottom Market’s summer Bistro menu, and keeping up with the feeding the masses, so I haven’t had time to update this blog as much as I’ve wanted to. I will start blogging some of the recipes from the menu, including the Bacon-Bourbon Baked Beans which many people have asked me for. Expect to see that recipe posted here tomorrow.

Last night, however, I made a meal that was definitely blog-worthy so I wanted to post it for you. Indian food is definitely one the cuisines that is under-represented in this little town, so I’ve been craving those spicy, pungent flavors. It was another stunning cool evening so we took advantage of it by lingering on our deck with our neighbor Nat, wine in hand, while we grilled our dinner and chatted. I served the grilled chicken with a side of plain Greek yogurt and a brown basmati rice dish, cooked with chicken broth with grilled peppers, onions and chopped cilantro mixed in. It did a great job of fixing that craving and made for a light, delicious dinner.

Grilled Tandoori Chicken
1 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup grated onion
1 1/2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon canola oil
Preparation

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well. Scrape the yogurt mixture into a large zip-top plastic bag. Add the chicken to yogurt mixture in bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle both sides of chicken evenly with salt.
2. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
3. Brush grill rack with oil. Arrange chicken on grill rack. Grill 6 minutes on each side or until done.