Description
This Spiced Yogurt Barbecue Chicken is a flavorful and tender grilled chicken recipe featuring a rich marinade of natural yogurt, aromatic spices, garlic, lemon, honey, and vinegar. The chicken is butterflied, marinated for up to 24 hours, and cooked over indirect heat on a barbecue grill to achieve juicy meat with a perfectly charred exterior. Served with fresh lemon wedges, this dish is perfect for outdoor gatherings and summer meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.2kg)
Marinade
- 160g natural yogurt
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground fenugreek
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 tsp cider vinegar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
To Serve
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Butterfly the chicken: Lay the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. Using scissors, cut down both sides of the backbone to remove it. Flip the chicken and press down firmly on the breastbone with your palms to flatten it for even cooking.
- Prepare the marinade: In a bowl, combine natural yogurt, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, ground fenugreek, ground turmeric, tomato purée, crushed garlic, lemon zest and juice, honey, cider vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to form a smooth marinade.
- Marinate the chicken: Rub the yogurt-spice marinade all over the chicken, making sure to push it into any gaps and under the skin for maximum flavor infusion. Place the chicken in an airtight container and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or up to 24 hours for deeper flavor.
- Prepare the barbecue: Arrange the charcoal on one side of the barbecue grill and light it. Wait until the flames have died down and the coals are covered with white ash, indicating even heat for indirect grilling.
- Cook the chicken on the barbecue: Place the marinated chicken on the side of the grill opposite the coals, breast-side up, and close the lid with vents open. Cook for 40 minutes, rotating occasionally with tongs to ensure even cooking, but keep the breast side facing the coals underneath.
- Char the chicken: After 40 minutes, close the lid for 15 more minutes, monitoring to prevent burning. Then flip the chicken over to char the other side briefly, watching carefully to avoid charring too much. Flip the chicken back breast-side up once it’s nicely charred.
- Check for doneness and rest: The chicken is cooked when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reaches 70°C (158°F) or when the juices run clear from the thigh. Remove the chicken from the grill, loosely cover with baking parchment, and let it rest for 15 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.
- Serve: Carve the rested chicken and serve with fresh lemon wedges to squeeze over the meat for added brightness and flavor.
Notes
- Butterflying the chicken ensures it cooks evenly over the grill and absorbs the marinade better.
- If cooking indoors, you can roast the marinated chicken in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for approximately 45-50 minutes, followed by broiling briefly to achieve a charred effect.
- Resting the chicken after cooking is crucial for juicy and tender meat.
- Use a meat thermometer to avoid undercooking or overcooking the chicken.
- The marinade can be prepared in advance and stored refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Barbecue
Keywords: spiced yogurt chicken, barbecue chicken, grilled chicken, marinated chicken, summer grilling, chicken recipe
