We Indians just love our colors – we wear brightly colored clothes, celebrate Holi (the festival of colors) and just love colorful food too. So this particular recipe is the perfect example: Hara Murgh Tikka, which in English (from Hindi) translates directly into “green chicken pieces”. So yes, while this may sound a bit odd - I assure you, the dish is absolutely delicious & the color refers to the marinade only.

The name (Hara Murgh Tikka) is actually derived from the lovely bright green marinade due to the herbs or combination of herbs used. Traditionally, this dish is usually very spicy but you can adjust the number of green chilies to suit your own personal taste.

I love grilling the chicken pieces (skewered kebab style) on a bbq or grill, but you can also use an indoor grill pan or bake/broil them in your oven. You can also use the same basic marinade recipe for your favorite meats, seafood, paneer or vegetables.


HARA MURGH TIKKA (Spicy “Green” Chicken)

Ingredients:

1 lb of boneless/skinless chicken (cut into smaller pieces if you want to skewer the chicken)
1 large bunch of fresh cilantro leaves (or fresh mint, fresh basil, fresh dill, fresh parsley or any combination)
2” piece of ginger, roughly chopped
3-4 large garlic cloves, peeled & roughly chopped
4-5 small green Thai chilies, to taste
1 tsp turmeric (haldi)
1 tbsp ground cumin powder
1 tbsp ground coriander powder
2 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp Spanish paprika
1½ cup good quality yogurt
salt & pepper, to taste
juice of ½ lemon (or lime)
2 tbsp oil (vegetable or canola)
lemon or limes wedges for garnish

METHOD:

In a large glass mixing bowl, combine the yogurt with the spices (turmeric, ground cumin powder, ground coriander powder, garam masala, paprika, salt & pepper). Mix well to combine and set aside until needed.

Wash & trim the cilantro leaves. For this recipe, you can use both the leaves & stems. Using a blender or food processor, combine the cilantro leaves along with the ginger, garlic, green chilies, oil and lemon juice. Blend into a smooth thick paste, adding just a little water as needed to help the process along.

Now add the blended cilantro leaves to the yogurt mixture. Mix well to combine all of the ingredients and then add the chicken. Make sure all the chicken pieces are evenly coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap & marinate for at least 4-6 hours, but overnight is best.

*For Baking in the Oven:

Just preheat to 400 deg F. Shake off any excess marinade & place the chicken on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until fully cooked. Garnish with fresh lemon wedges & serve with fresh naans and fragrant Basmati rice.

*For Grilling or BBQ:

If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in warm water for at least 30 minutes prior to use. Then shake off any excess marinade and carefully thread the skewers leaving a little space in between the chicken pieces.

Grill the kebabs or chicken pieces on an outdoor barbeque grill or an indoor grill pan until fully cooked. Garnish with fresh lemon wedges & serve with fresh naans and fragrant Basmati rice.


VARIATIONS:

If you are using seafood, shrimp or paneer, do not use yogurt & marinate for only 30-45 minutes.



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