It’s the beginning of summer and I am so happy to be spending more time outside these days. How do you spend your summer days? We enjoy hikes, backyard games of soccer and frisbee, and grilling with family and friends. This month I am excited to share a grilled chicken recipe with you. The marinade is simply green chutney which is a very common condiment for Indian appetizers. You can think of green chutney as the Desi version of pesto. The fresh herb used here is cilantro instead of basil. I hope you try it and let me know what you think. Happy grilling, Everyone!
Grilled Green Chutney Chicken
Ingredients:
• 6 Chicken Thighs
• 1 cup Green Chutney (recipe below)
• Vegetable Oil or Non-Stick Spray
• 1 Lemon
Directions:
- Rinse chicken thighs and pat dry with a paper towel. Place the chicken and green chutney in a large zip plastic bag. Make sure the chutney covers all parts of the chicken. Keep refrigerated for 4-6 hours or overnight. Flip the bag one to two times to help distribute the chutney marinade.
- Oil your grill to prevent sticking or spray with non-stick spray. Do this before starting the grill.
- Heat the grill to medium heat (about 400 degrees). Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 4-5 min (chicken should get a nice sear). Flip the chicken and cook for another 4-5 min. Next, transfer the chicken to a portion of the grill with indirect heat.
- Finish cooking the chicken covered for 30-35 minutes or until the center of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Let the chicken rest 8-10 minutes and squeeze some lemon juice over the top before serving.
Green Chutney
Ingredients:
1 bunch of cilantro ½ tsp. salt
½ cup chopped onion ½ tsp. ground cumin
2 cloves of garlic chopped 2 tsp. sugar
1 serrano chili pepper 4 tbsp. water
1.5 tbsp. rough chopped ginger Juice of ½ a lemon
Directions:
1. Wash and remove cilantro leaves from stems.
2. Roughly chop onion, garlic, ginger, and serrano chilis . Remove seeds from chili peppers for less heat.
3. Put all ingredients into a food processor. Purée until mixture is smooth.