Our Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Persian Chicken Is Full Of Bright Flavor & Texture

When it comes to marinades, yogurt-based sauces are pretty classic. Proteins are tenderized without becoming tough, even after longer marinating times. When the meat is cooked, the remaining yogurt caramelizes and creates a prize-worthy crust. In short, we’re big fans. We’ve marinated lamb chops in a spiced mix of yogurt, citrus, fresh herbs, and more. We slathered a cumin and coriander spiced yogurt marinade on tandoori-inspired chicken legs. Up next? Persian-spiced grilled chicken with tomatoes and lemons, served with tons of fresh herbs over fluffy jasmine rice. This dish has flavors and textures for days. Here’s what we do to make it:

The yogurt & spices:Plain whole-milk yogurt is seasoned with turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, cloves, and cayenne pepper. Fresh lime zest or ground sumac stands in for the dried lime common in Persian cooking, although it isn’t a perfect substitute. Season generously with salt and pepper, and it’s ready to go.

The chicken:We like bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces here for maximum juiciness and all that crispy skin. If you use boneless pieces, the cooking time will be shorter. Want to mix up the protein here? Both beef and lamb would be great here too.

The fixings:Grilled grape tomatoes and lemon wedges add a welcome punch of acidity. Fresh parsley, mint, and cilantro and a lot of fluffy jasmine rice make this a complete, hearty meal.

Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below!

Yields: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 5 hours

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz.

  plain whole-milk yogurt

• 2 tsp.

  kosher salt, plus more

• 1 1/2 tsp.

  ground turmeric

• 1 tsp.

  finely grated lime zest or ground sumac

• 1 tsp.

  ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp.

  ground cumin

• 1/4 tsp.

  freshly ground black pepper, plus more

• 1/4 tsp.

  ground cloves

• 1/4 tsp.

  ground coriander

• 1/8 tsp.

  cayenne pepper

• 4

  bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 lb.)

• 4

  whole chicken drumsticks (about 1 1/2 lb.)

• 2

  bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 2 lb.), halved crosswise

• 1

  pint grape tomatoes

• 1

  lemon, quartered

Neutral oil, for brushing

Steamed jasmine rice and fresh cilantro, parsley, and mint leaves, for serving

Equipment Needed

2 to 3 metal or soaked wooden bamboo skewers

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix yogurt, salt, turmeric, lime zest, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, cloves, coriander, and cayenne. Add chicken and turn to coat. Transfer chicken and marinade to a resealable plastic bag. Seal bag and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 24.
2. Let chicken sit at room temperature 30 minutes before grilling. Thread tomatoes and lemon wedges onto skewers. Brush with oil; season with salt and pepper.
3. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; preheat 5 minutes. Clean and oil grates. Brush excess marinade of chicken; discard marinade.
4. Grill chicken skin side down until skin is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Turn and continue to grill until chicken is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thighs registers 160°F, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil. Let cool 10 minutes.
5. Grill tomato and lemon skewers, turning occasionally, until charred in spots, 5 to 6 minutes. Using a fork, remove tomatoes and lemon wedges from skewers.
6. Serve chicken and tomatoes with rice. Squeeze grilled lemon wedges over. Top with cilantro, parsley, and mint.

Grilled Persian Chicken

Related Video: Yakitori (Grilled Chicken Skewers)