Grilled Chicken Skewers with Indian Marinade and Cucumber Raita (Recipe 51 of 125)

Photo from Andie Mitchell

More grilled chicken. Chicken gets very boring to me, so I have to find decent marinades to make it interesting. 

This marinade was delicious. Easy and yummy. I marinated the chicken for almost 3 hours. It seemed like a good solid amount of time. 

The cucumber riata was delicious, but man... cucumbers and I are not friends. I'll be burping all night. 

Grilled Chicken Skewers with Indian Marinade and Cucumber Raita
Recipe from Andiemitchell.com (formally Can You Stay for Dinner)

Serves 4

For the cucumber raita:

• 1 c plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1/3 of a medium cucumber, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 T minced fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 garlic clove, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• Pinch salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper

For the grilled chicken skewers:

• 1 T olive oil
• 2 T lemon juice
• 2 T minced fresh cilantro
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp curry powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp coriander
• ½ tsp salt
• Pinch fresh ground black pepper
• 1 ¼ pounds chicken breast tenderloins

In a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro, garlic, curry powder, turmeric, coriander, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken, press as much air out of the bag as you can, and seal it. Turn the bag in your hands, massaging the marinade into the chicken and making sure that all of the pieces are covered. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. **If you plan to use wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before using.

Make the raita. Blot the chopped cucumber with paper towels to remove excess moisture, then place the cucumber in a small bowl. Add the yogurt, cilantro, garlic, salt, and pepper. Optional: add a pinch of cayenne for a touch of heat. Stir, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Preheat your gas grill with all burners on high and close the lid. When the grill is hot (after about 15 minutes), turn the 2 burners closest to the front to low, keeping the back burner on high. 

Remove the chicken from the bag and thread the tenderloins on the skewers (dividing the chicken evenly among the skewers). Arrange the skewers on the grates over the low heat burners. Cover and cook until the underside of the chicken is just beginning to develop light grill marks, about 6 minutes.

Flip the chicken, cover, and continue to cook until the chicken is firm to touch, about 6 minutes longer. To get a nice char on the chicken, now move the chicken to the part of the grill over high flames and cook uncovered until each side has solid grill marks, 5 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway. Transfer the skewers to a plate, tent with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving alongside the cucumber raita.