Yogurt Marinated Fried Chicken With Saffron And Paprika Food

YOGURT-MARINATED FRIED CHICKEN WITH SAFFRON AND PAPRIKA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine saffron with 1 tablespoon water and let soak 10 minutes. Place in food processor with yogurt and garlic and purée until smooth and yellow. Place chicken in glass or ceramic bowl; pour yogurt mixture on top, turn to coat; cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, paprika, mint, salt and pepper. Heat a generous half-inch oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Drop in a bit of bread to test temperature; oil should bubble vigorously. Working in batches to avoid crowding, dredge chicken pieces in flour mixture, then fry until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes a side. Remove and drain on paper towels.
• Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately, topped with walnuts and lemon wedges.

CHILE-AND-YOGURT-MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chiles in a medium bowl and pour in hot water to cover. Let sit until chiles are very soft, about 30 minutes; drain. Blend chiles, ginger, garlic, yogurt, cilantro stems, lime juice, mustard oil (if using), coriander, paprika, mango powder (if using), fenugreek leaves, garam masala, cumin, and 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a blender until smooth. Transfer marinade to a large resealable plastic bag. Season chicken generously with salt and add to marinade. Seal bag and turn to coat chicken. Chill at least 2 hours.
• Let chicken sit at room temperature 1 hour before grilling.
• Prepare a grill for medium heat; oil grate. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip back into bag, and grill, turning every minute or so, until beginning to char in spots, 8-10 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
• Do Ahead:
• Chicken can be marinated 12 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

PAN-FRIED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH INDIAN YOGURT MARINADE

Steps:

• Marinate cutlets: Place cutlets in a shallow dish and pour marinade over, turning the chicken to thoroughly coat. Cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Remove cutlets from the marinade and wipe with paper towels to remove any marinade that might be clinging to them (you want them to be dry before dredging).
• Bread cutlets: Heat oven to 200 degrees while you prepare the three components of the breading. Place flour in a shallow dish and whisk to combine with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In another shallow dish, whisk to combine panko with 1 teaspoon salt. Lightly beat eggs in a wide, shallow bowl. Dredge one cutlet at a time in the seasoned flour, turning to coat, then shake off excess. Next dip in the eggs, again making sure to coat completely and to allow the excess to drip back into bowl. Then coat with panko, patting the cutlets firmly so the coating adheres but being careful not to coat too thickly. Place coated cutlets on piece of parchment paper or a large baking sheet.
• Pan-fry: Heat 1/4 inch oil in a large skillet on medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, cook cutlets until golden brown on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip with a flexible thin spatula and fry until the other side is golden brown and cutlets are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more, monitoring temperature of oil to maintain 350 degrees. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with a double layer of paper towels and keep warm in the oven.
• Serve: Arrange cutlets on a platter. Garnish with lime wedges, cilantro, and onion.

YOGURT BAKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken breasts into a baking dish in a sigle layer.
• In a small bowl, combine the seasonings, green onions, lemon juice, and yogurt.
• Pour the yogurt/seasoning mixture over the chicken breasts, turning them over to coat well with the yogurt mixture.
• For best results, cover and chill for a few hours to allow flavors to blend.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover the chicken and bake for 1 hour or until chicken is done.

SAFFRON-YOGURT CHICKEN KEBABS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk to combine yogurt, oil, lemon zest and juice, thyme, garlic, saffron, paprika, turmeric, cayenne, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Add chicken to yogurt marinade and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high. Thread chicken onto six 10-inch skewers and season with salt and pepper. Grill chicken until cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes per side. Drizzle with oil and serve with lemon wedges.

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH SAFFRON

Steps:

• Place the saffron in a medium-size bowl and crush to a powder with a pestle or the end of a wooden spoon. Stir in the warm water and let stand for 5 minutes, then stir in the yogurt, onion, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
• Rinse off chicken pieces under cold running water, then drain and blot dry on paper towels. Place chicken in large nonreactive bowl or re-sealable bag and pour the marinade over them, turning the pieces to coat thoroughly. Cover and let marinate, in the refrigerator, for 24 hours, turning the pieces occasionally.
• Preheat the grill, medium in one are and high heat in another area.
• Prepare the basting mixture. Place saffron in a medium bowl and crush it again to a powder. Stir in lemon juice and let sit for 5 minutes. Melt the butter in a small saucepan on low heat, then remove from heat and stir in saffron mixture.
• Place chicken pieces on oiled grate, skin side down, on high heat and allow to brown for several minutes and then move them to med/low heat for several minutes. Now flip chicken pieces over and place on high heat til browned and again move over to the low heat to cook through. Baste pieces a couple of times during grilling. Be careful to watch for flareups and don't burn them. Season with salt and pepper.